Whilst Tamils across the North-East celebrated the Tamil harvest festival of Thai Pongal this month, locals had to contend with the occupying Sri Lankan military holding several events of its own across the heavy militarised Tamil homeland.

The events across the North-East come despite continued criticism over the military’s involvement in civilian affairs, as tens of thousands of stationed remain stationed in the region.

Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa said he was in a “struggle against neo-imperialism” and vowed never to allow “terrorism” on the island, in a wide ranging interview with The Week earlier this month.

Rajapaksa, who oversaw a military offensive that killed tens of thousands of Tamils, said that there “are elements, both local and foreign, who do not want to see me coming back to power”.

^{Keppapulavu families marking 500 days of protest in July 2018} 

Over 100 Tamil families from the Mullaitivu village of Keppapulavu are planning to occupy their lands tomorrow after a decade of delays and false promises from the Sri Lankan government. 

The families made this decision after the government repeatedly failed to release the lands despite almost two years of protests, demanding the land to be returned today. 

Although almost ten years have passed since the end of the armed conflict the Sri Lankan military continues to control and occupy vast swathes of land in the Tamil homeland, forcing families to remain displaced. 

Students from a Jaffna school yesterday rallied against the increasing and widespread use of illicit drugs and associated violence. 

<p>British MPs have welcomed the issuing of an arrest warrant for a Sri Lankan brigadier who was filmed motioning a death threat to Tamil protestors in 2018.</p> <p>The Westminster Magistrates Court issued an arrest warrant for Brigadier Priyanka Fernando of the Sri Lankan army earlier this week, after finding him guilty of committing public order offences whilst stationed in London.</p>

The Mullaitivu court has ordered an interim injunction on works to a disputed Buddha statue being constructed by a Tamil Hindu temple in Neeraviyadi in Semmalai.

The case regarding the legality of the statue, which was hurriedly declared open by Sinhala Buddhist monks on Wednesday, was heard before the Mullaitivu magistrates judge Lenin Kumar on Thursday.

The Sri Lankan military further consolidated its presence in the North-East with the construction of yet another army building in Mullaitivu this month.

^{Photograph: ColomboPage}

At least two American nationals have been arrested by Sri Lankan Special Task Force after the reported seizure of over 90kg of heroin from a hotel room in Colombo.

<p>The British government has said that it looks to Sri Lanka to deliver on commitments made to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) "in full” after calls to refer the island to the International Criminal Court (ICC).</p>

Parents in Vavuniya protested on Monday, criticising the local authorities' failure to ensure adequate sports facilities at the village school, forcing children to walk long distances for the use of sports grounds. 

Students and staff at Vipulanantha College in Vavuniya joined parents at the protest. 

Villagers from Madu Divisional Secretariat's area held a protest on January 23, condemning the authorities' failure to ensure basic facilities. 

Blocking the main entrance of the Secretariat, protesters said that the issue of the lack of basic facilities had not been addressed for several years despite enumerous requests. 

The leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R Sampanthan, today held meetings with Japan's ambassador and Australia's High Commissioner. 

The meeting comes after Sri Lanka's political crisis at the end of last year which resulted in Sampanthan losing his position as opposition leader, despite much protest by the TNA. 

Sri Lankan army soldiers and police stopped and searched a Tamil member of Vavuniya South Divisional Secretariat on  Wednesday as she was returning hom after attending an event in in Omanthai. 

Anchala Kokilakumar, was searched despite producing her National ID card and stating that she was a member of the Divisional Secretariat. 

^{Buddhist monks harass Tamil politicians and journalists}

A large Buddha statue being illegally constructed in the land of a Tamil Hindu temple in Mullaitivu was hurriedly declared open by Sinhala Buddhist monks on Wednesday, with the aid of Sri Lankan police and the archaeology department.

While a a Right to Information (RTI) request to Karaithuraipattu (Maritimepattu) divisional council confirmed that the monks had no permission or land rights to build the statue, the Mullaitivu magistrates court was due to hear about the illegal constructions on Thursday (Jan 24), leading locals to accuse the monks of rushing through the statue opening before a potential injunction served by the court.