The Palermo City council has signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Italian- Tamil community recognising the "Genocide of Eelam Tamils perpetrated by the Sri Lankan state". 

Today marks 34 years since the death of Lt Col Thileepan, a political wing leader of the LTTE who fasted to death, in a protest appealing to the Indian government to honour pledges made to the Tamil people.

Thileepan began his fast on the September 15, 1987, with 100,000 people gathered around the historic Nallur Kandwaswamy Temple in Jaffna.

On September 13, 1987, Thileepan put forward five demands  to the Indian government following the signing of the Indo-Lanka accord in July 1987: 

Following a police injunction, the Mullaitivu court has imposed a ban on the commemoration of the 34th anniversary of Lt.Col Thileepan’s sacrifice.

This move comes only a few days after the Jaffna court issued a ban order in response to a similar police injunction. 

The ban order specifically mentioned former Northern Provincial Council member Thurairasa Ravikaran, among other persons. 

Responding to the arrest of  Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) General Secretary and MP, Selvarasa Kajendran, the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) have expressed their "deep concern for the safety of Tamils" and urged the foreign secretary to raise a "strong objection to the ongoing political suppression of the Tamil people under the pretext of COVID-19 regulations".

British MP for Ilford South and Shadow Transport Minister, Sam Tarry, has slammed "the harassment and arbitrary arrest" of Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) General Secretary and MP, Selvarasa Kajendran, who was arrested for commemorating the death of Lt Col Thileepan.
On twitter Tarry maintained that the arrest and harassment of Kajendran illustrated "the need for international accountability for mass atrocities and a political solution that respects the right to self determination of Tamil people".

Responding to the arrest of Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) parliamentarian, Selvarasa Kajendran,  for commemorating the death of Lt Col Thileepan; C.V Wigneswran, leader of the Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kootan (TMTK), condemned the police's actions and maintained the right of Tamils to remember their dead and to pursue self-determination.

Responding to the arrest of Tamil National People’s Front’s General Secretary, Kajendren Selvarajah, the British All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT) have expressed deep concern and urged the Foreign Secretary to raise it with her counterpart in Sri Lanka.

Speaking to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Sri Lankan President, and accused war criminal, Gotabaya Rajapaksa claimed that he would take "immediate action" to address the issues of enforced disappearances and "would not hesitate to grant a presidential pardon to the Tamil youths who have been in custody for a long time".

Senior Tamil journalist P.A. Antony Mark passed away at the age of 78 due to ill health in a Mullaitivu hospital on Tuesday. 

Mark had been involved in a number of activities throughout his long career and in particular, he made significant contributions to the movement for justice for the families of the forcibly disappeared Tamils and for the release of political prisoners. He had also been at the forefront of protests and collective action that demanded justice for the Tamil community. 

Sri Lankan Justice Minister, Ali Sabry, has denied that there was a "racial motive" incident in Anuradhapura prison in which State Minister Lohan Ratwatte forced Tamil inmates to kneel before him at gunpoint.

Sabry maintained that he would appoint a committee to investigate the matter but so far the only consequence the Minister has faced is to resigned from his post as State Minister for Prison Management and Prisoners Rehabilitation. Despite this Ratwatte has been able to maintain different cabinet portfolio.