Mayooran Thangaratnam, a 41-year-old Tamil asylum seeker whose father was murdered by Sri Lankan forces, has spent almost two decades fighting to remain in the UK and against erroneous deportation orders.

“I have been suicidal for so many years because of my treatment here. I have spent the best years of my life in limbo. I hoped to go to university and start a career but I’ve missed those opportunities now” Thangaratnam told reporters.

As a child, Thangaratnam and his family narrowly avoided the Navaly Church massacre in which the Sri Lankan air force dropped 13 bombs on St Peter’s Church in Navaly in 1995. More than 140 sheltering Tamils, who were encouraged by the military to seek refuge at the church, were killed on the spot. At least 13 children were among the dead, with many more succumbing to injuries later as the local hospital was swamped with the wounded.  The massacre was orchestrated by then President, President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Last month saw officers of Sri Lanka Air Force 7^th Aviation Contingent awarded for the deployment in Bria, Central African Republic, despite repeated calls for a ban on the deployment of Sri Lankan troops.

The Sri Lankan Army has constructed a utility building complex at their occupying camp in Mullivaikkal, the site of massacres in 2009, which includes a gym and a barbershop for the military's stationed soldiers.

An Eelam Tamil family of five, including three children, have arrived in Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu after having been stranded for almost two days without food or water. 

Indian Marine Police, rescued the family, which includes a six-month-old infant, and brought them in a boat to the shore.

Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa held his first rally since his resignation in the city of Kalutara, in the Western Sinhala province.

Responding to the passage of UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution 51/L1, Sri Lanka’s justice minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe slammed the government for what he described as a “non-existent robust foreign policy” and placed blame on the Tamil diaspora.

Twelve senior LTTE members including Lt Col Kumarappa and Lt Col Pulenthiran were remembered in Denmark and Britain on the 35th anniversary of their deaths.

India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka shared a laugh with accused Sri Lankan war criminal Shavendra Silva last week, as New Delhi reportedly pledged to continue training Sri Lanka’s military.

Gopal Baglay addressed the Indian Army Trainees Alumni Interaction, organised by the Indian High Commission, and expressed India's willingness to offer training for Sri Lanka.

A commemoration event has taken place at Kilinochchi, to mark thirty-five years since the death of 2nd Lt. Maalathy, the first female fighter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to lose her life in the Tamil armed struggle.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s State President, K. Annamalai stirred controversy in a tweet that claimed that only India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, could solve the problems of Sri Lanka and of the Eelam Tamil people.

The tweet featured an outline of Tamil Eelam with a tiger featured over the Tamil homeland.

Today marks thirty-five years since the death of 2nd Lt. Maalathy, the first female fighter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to lose her life in the Tamil armed struggle.

Across the world, the day is being commemorated as Tamil Women’s Day, an opportunity to honour women’s involvement in the fight for Tamil rights.

Speaking in parliament, Tamil National Alliance MP, M.A. Sumanthiran slammed the Sri Lankan police’s response to a peaceful demonstration staged by Tamil fishermen in Mullaitivu and charged Sri Lanka’s fisheries minister with promoting illegal fishing methods.

Addressing Sri Lankan, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena pledged to repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979 as well as to release all detained LTTE cadre, who have languished in prison for years.

File photograph

People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) called the recently adopted resolution on Sri Lanka a "step in the right direction" but noted that the it could have been "stronger and more critical" of the Sri Lankan state. 

In a statement reacting to resolution 51/L1, the organisation said: