The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran is reverberating across the globe, disrupting supply chains, fuelling oil price hikes, and unsettling fragile economies. Few countries will be watching these developments with more anxiety than Sri Lanka. For Colombo, the fallout could have far-reaching economic and political consequences.

Tamils in Valikamam North launch peaceful protest demanding release of lands occupied by the Sri Lankan military for over 35 years

The film, like so many other Kollywood films that have approached the Eelam Tamil story before it, falls disappointingly short.

Residents of Silavaththai in Mullaitivu’s Maritimepattu division have successfully halted a land survey intended to formalise the acquisition of private land currently occupied by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Sebastian Devi, Chairperson of the Trincomalee District Association of Families of the Forcibly Disappeared, was subjected to a three-hour interrogation by officers from Sri Lanka’s Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) at her home on 16 June.

Upon the release of its teaser trailer, Abishan Jeevinth seemed to have chosen a prickly topic for his directorial debut. ‘Tourist Family’ stars Sasikumar, Simran, Mithun Jai Sankar and Kamalesh Jagan as the titular Eelam Tamil collective, all of whom attempt their version of a regional accent. 

Five leading international human rights organizations have called on United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, to use his upcoming visit to Sri Lanka to reinforce international scrutiny and demand accountability for human rights violations, as well as meet with Tamil families of the disappeared and visit the site of the 2009 genocide.

Sri Lanka is facing a critical shortage of essential medicines, with life-saving drugs for cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, psychiatric illnesses, and infectious diseases either unavailable or unaffordable in both state-run hospitals and private pharmacies.

Tamil Members of Parliament raised pressing concerns over the continued occupation of civilian lands in the North-East during a meeting of Sri Lanka’s Ministerial Consultative Committee on Defence, which was chaired by Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament on Tuesday.