The United States Tamil Political Action Council released an updated version of their #GetThePicture campaign map this week, detailing the long history of massacres that took place across the Tamil North-East, at the hands of the Sri Lankan state.

Announcing the updated maps, Dr. Karunyan Arulanantham, President of USTPAC said,

"The Tamils have suffered massacres and violence at the hands of the mono-ethnic Sinhala military since 1958 with increasing frequency and barbarity."

"This unchecked and systematic decades-long violence culminated in a genocidal onslaught in 2009 in which 146,000 Tamils are unaccounted for, and the continuing military occupation of Tamils in the North-East and forced land grabs all point to the intention and designs of Sri Lankan state to marginalize the Tamils and reduce them into a submissive minority."

China is to strengthen military ties with Sri Lanka, announced the vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, Xu Qiliang, following a meeting with Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday, reports Xinhua.

“Leaders of two countries attach great importance to military-to-military ties and the Chinese military is willing to strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields with the Sri Lankan military,” Qiliang reportedly said.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said Australia would have breached the UN refugee convention if it had deported over 150 asylum seekers detained at sea, to India, whilst making a submission to the High Court in Australia, reports an Australian news agency.

Indian authorities stated that 4 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy on Monday night, as the detention of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan security forces continued.

Sekar, the Assistant Director of Fisheries in the Jagadapattinam district, confirmed that the men had been arrested after they failed to return on Tuesday, reports PTI.

The latest incident comes as another group of fishermen from Rameswaram stated the Sri Lankan navy damaged their fishing equipment. Rameswaram Fishermen Organization President S Emerite said that over 500 boats from India were fishing near Katchatheevu when Sri Lankan navy personnel threatened them and destroyed their fishing nets.

Sri Lankan police have again attempted to disrupt a Tamil memorial event in the North-East of the island.

A candlelight memorial was held despite the attempted disruption, to commemorate the 24th anniversary of a massacre committed in Puthukkudiyiruppu near Batticaloa, reported Uthayan.

Seventeen Tamil civilians were hacked to death on September 21, 1990, with Muslim Homeguards and Sri Lankan soldiers suspected to be behind the attack.

Addressing a panel discussion at the UN Human Rights Council Monday, Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to Geneva called for an investigation into the use of armed drones to ensure it is in line with international human rights and humanitarian law.

“Sri Lanka is therefore greatly concerned about the increasing use of remotely piloted aircrafts or armed drones in counter terrorism operations, violating the international human rights and humanitarian laws in particular the principle of proportion, distinction and proportionality,” said Ambassador Ravinath Aryasinha.

“Sri Lanka calls on all actors to ensure that the use of remotely piloted air crafts or armed drones in counter terrorism strategies be carried out in compliance with international law, including international human rights law and humanitarian law, and respecting the sovereignty of states,” he added.