The Tamil Nadu activist who self-immolated in protest at the Indian government's failure to stop the massacre of Eelam Tamils in Sri Lanka was remembered yesterday in Jaffna. 

Muthukumar, from Thooththukkudi, wrote for Pennea Nee feminist magazine. On January 29, 2009 he doused himself with petrol and set himself afire in front of the Shastri Bhavan, the Indian Central Government's Chennai Head office, condemning the futile visit by Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who failed to stop the war in Sri Lanka and save Eelam Tamils.

Tamils of Valikamam North who returned to view their lands found that during the Sri Lankan army’s 28 year occupation of the area their homes and lands had been converted into guesthouses and leisure resorts.

Two India-funded school buildings in the Jaffna district were inaugurated by Indian officials on Monday.

The Sri Lankan navy arrested a man in Point Pedro, Jaffna on Monday, accusing him of possessing at least 86 kg of cannabis, as the military launched a reported crackdown on illegal drugs.

The navy said that a 50-year-old man was concealing the cannabis on the roof at a home in Point Pedro and has since been handed over to the Sri Lankan police.

Youth in Jaffna protested on Sunday demanding action to curb the widespread availability of illicit drugs. 

The protest, organised by the Youth Movement for Democracy, took place by the main Jaffna bus station. 

The hardline Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader, Udaya Gammanpila today accused the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) of not having accepted the unitary state of Sri Lanka. 

The Sri Lankan military announced that two soldiers had been killed after a military vehicle lost control and crashed in Mullaitivu last week.

At least four other soldiers were injured in the collision, which happened on the Nedunkeni road in Mullaitivu last Monday.

Yet another group of Tamil pre-schoolchildren were taken on a tour of the Sri Lankan army base located inside the Palaly High Security Zone this week, on land which the military occupies and remains off limits to local Tamils.

Sri Lanka’s former president and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa lashed out against constitutional reform proposals that were present to parliament earlier this month, calling on the Buddhist Maha Sangha in particular to be wary of Sri Lanka becoming a “federal state”.

Rajapaksa, who oversaw the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils in 2009, said the new constitution would weaken the parliament and "immeasurably strengthen provincial legislatures".

Tamil families in Keppapulavu continued their protest demanding the release of their land from Sri Lankan military occupation on Sunday.

Over 100 displaced families from Keppapulavu in Mullaitivu began their protest on Saturday, with Sri Lankan security forces deploying police and military personnel in the area and photographing the families from within the camp in apparent acts of intimidation.