The funeral of former Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) leader Mavai Somasundaram Senathirajah was held today in Jaffna. 

Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake claimed that occupied land in the North will be returned to its "rightful owners" during his visit to Jaffna on Friday. 

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Jaffna last week, where he urged Tamil-speaking youth to apply for vacancies in the Sri Lankan Police Force, despite the decades-long history of abuses and crimes against Tamils.

According to the Sri Lankan president's media division,

“The President announced that Tamil-speaking youth will be given greater opportunities to apply for vacancies in the Police Department and encouraged them to come forward for recruitment.”

Former Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) leader Mavai Somasundaram Senathirajah has passed away at the age of 82 today. 

He died at Jaffna Teaching Hospital after he was admitted for suffering a fall at his home.

Senathirajah first entered parliament in 1989 and was elected as an MP for the Jaffna district in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2010 and 2015. He served as ITAK's General Secretary from 2004 until 2014 and later served as the party's leader from 2014 to 2024. 

Tamils in Batticaloa commemorated the 87 people killed by Sri Lanka's security forces in the 1987 Kokkadichcholai massacre.

Lamps were lit at a memorial erected for the victims of the massacre. The memorial was rebuilt and opened in May 2019 after the original monument was destroyed by Sri Lankan troops.