Polls opened this morning in Tamil Nadu, as the final round of state assembly elections began in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

The election sees arch rivals, DMK chief, Karunanidhi and the current chief minister, J Jayalalitha pitted against each other once again, however, the election this year is to be a multipolar contest with a number of smaller parties positioned to play a decisive role.

The elections take place amid deep controversy however, after over 100 crores of cash was found. Voting in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur has been cancelled due to reports of voter bribery.

Votes will be counted on May 19th.

 

The Tamil Civil Society Forum, in a statement released in Mullivaikkal remembrance week, said that the “crimes being committed against the Tamil people are not declining.”

“Arrests, violence and land encroachments are on the rise. Militarisation is also continuing. The government’s violence continues against those, who resorted to armed struggle for our cause,” read the statement.

Germany’s trade and business delegation to Sri Lanka, headed by the Parliamentary State Secretary or Economic Affairs and Energy Uwe Beckmeyer met with Sri Lanka’s president on Monday, reports adaderena.lk.

The visit comes after Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena visited Berlin last month.

During the meeting Mr Sirisena told the German delegation that Sri Lanka was progressing on strengthening democracy and reconciliation through new commissions such as the human rights, bribery and corruption commissions.

Sri Lanka’s Air Force (SLAF) conducted training exercises move Valvettithurai in Jaffna on Friday.

A sea rescue exercise was undertaken on the beach of Valvettithurai, with helicopters flying over the Jaffna peninsula.

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Sri Lanka has arranged an ex-gratia payment to a victim and child born as a result of rape by a member of Sri Lanka’s peace keeping force reports Colombo Page.

Sri Lanka’s peacekeeping forces abroad were found guilty of rape and sexual abuse by UN investigations into involvement in Haiti. Almost 20% of Sri Lanka’s peacekeeping forces in Haiti were sent back in 2007 after reports emerged.

The bombing of displaced Tamils inside Navaly's St Peter's Church on July 9th, 1995 was marked on Saturday as part of Mullivaikkal Remembrance week, which remembers the genocide of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka over several decades.

At least 120 Tamil civilians were massacred in the Navali church attack.



The Northern Provincial Councillor, M K Shivajilingham lit a flame of remembrance at the church.



Launching the remembrance week on Thursday, Mr Shivajilingham began proceedings in Chemmani, where the mass graves of Tamils are situated.

A conference on international humanitarian and human rights law violations in Sri Lanka was held in the Danish Parliament this week, with speakers from around the world discussing mass atrocities committed on the island and the current human rights situation.