Memorial events were held around the world last month to mark 37 years since the death of Lt Col Thileepan, the political wing leader of the LTTE, who staged a hunger strike until death in 1987.

See photographs from the various events below.

United Kingdom

In London, Tamils gathered outside the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street.

 

Belgium 

 

France 

 

Italy

 

India

In Tamil Nadu, various political parties including the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) held commemorations.

 

Oman

 

Denmark

Switzerland

Further commemorative events were organised by Phoenix TNG in Switzerland, Australia and the UK, many held in colloboration with the Kurdish community.

Australia

 

United Kingdom

 

In an interview with the Daily Mirror, the President of the Bar Association, President’s Counsel Anura Meddegoda discussed the country’s ongoing struggle with war crimes allegations, emphasizing the need for an internal investigation to avoid international scrutiny. His comments come just days after the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution calling for accountability on war crimes in Sri Lanka without a vote, a resolution that the new Sri Lankan government continues to defy and oppose. 

Reflecting on his experience with the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Meddegoda drew parallels between the conflict in the Balkans and Sri Lanka’s own armed conflict. He explained that the Yugoslav Tribunal was established to address war crimes committed during the breakup of the Yugoslav Federation in the early 1990s, with several key political and military figures brought to justice.

"Now my personal view about war crimes is, that allegations have been made that there has been indiscriminate killing and serious violations of international humanitarian law. War crimes have been committed. If that is the case, we as a country must examine those allegations. The allegations are that our armed forces and police committed war crimes. If that is the case, then if that is what has been said, we must examine it. There is a duty bound on us by international law to examine those allegations he said, noting that such investigations are a duty under international law. He called for serious consideration of these accusations, asserting that failure to investigate could result in international tribunals taking control of Sri Lanka’s judicial matters.

"The allegations, the serious allegations have been investigated. And there should be, if evidence, sufficient evidence is available. If there is evidence that will support a prosecution, then we must investigate. 
Even the new government must consider that. They must seriously consider this,"  he said adding that the practice in the past has been to go to Geneva promise things, come back, and then do nothing about them. 

He also pointed out the consequences faced by senior military personnel who are already restricted from traveling abroad due to these allegations. "If there are persons in the armed forces or anywhere else who have been responsible for the commission of war crimes, then they should be prosecuted. There is no doubt trying to shelve this under the carpet, that doesn’t work. Because some international war crimes don’t get prescribed," he said. A lot of our senior military personnel cannot travel. They are not getting visas. There are already investigations conducted by other countries against some of them. And if that happens, not only our military, but some of our political leaders of the time will not be able to run."

Discussing the potential risks for Sri Lankan leaders, he pointed to high-profile examples such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is restricted from traveling due to a war crimes warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. He explained that if Sri Lanka continues to avoid addressing these issues internally, its military and political leaders could face similar consequences on the global stage.

"International war crimes don’t get prescribed. You can arrest them anywhere in the world at any point in time," he cautioned, reiterating that the country’s international credibility is at stake. He urged the government to consider prosecuting those responsible in Sri Lankan courts to ensure a fair trial and avoid foreign intervention. He also mentioned that he had presented a paper at the 2010 National Law Conference on the need to investigate war crimes, though it was a minority view at the time. He expressed hope that the new government would take his recommendations seriously to restore Sri Lanka’s credibility in the international domain.

 

The Mannar court took up hearings today regarding two critical human burial sites, the Mannar Thiruketheeswaram mass grave, and the Mannar Sathosa mass grave, as part of ongoing investigations into graves believed to contain the remains of disappeared Tamils. Lawyer V.S. Niranjan, representing the families of the disappeared, shared details of today’s proceedings with reporters following the court proceeding. The issue has brought renewed attention to the long-standing search for justice in Mannar.

The case concerning the Mannar Thiruketheeswaram grave was presented in court today with the presence of the judicial medical officer and officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), lawyers representing the families of the disappeared, and government representatives. During the hearing, the court acknowledged that samples from the human remains had been separated for analysis and were in its custody. The Medical officer formally requested that these samples be sent to Florida for C-14 radiocarbon dating to determine their age, a request that the court granted. The next hearing for this case has been scheduled for November 21, 2024, when a report on the status of the samples and the progress of the C-14 testing will be submitted.

Meanwhile, in the case of the Mannar Sathosa mass grave which was excavated between the 7th and 11th of this month, the court reviewed the findings today. It was reported to the courts that under the supervision of Dr. Rajapaksa and Professor Raj Somadeva, human remains were uncovered, packed, and placed under court custody. These remains were extracted from four excavation sites around the mass grave. 

The court also issued an order requesting a detailed report on the human remains, including the victims' gender, age, cause of death, and estimated period of burial. The court also instructed Professor Raj Somadeva and Dr. Rajapaksa to assess whether further excavation of the burial site is necessary or if the site should be preserved as it stands. A report on these findings is also due on November 21, 2024.

Lawyer V.S. Niranjan speaking to reporters emphasised the importance of these investigations in uncovering the truth behind these mass graves, which are suspected to be of Tamils who were hastily disposed of and remain unaccounted for. This is the second time the mass grave has been presented to courts this month. 

Tamils in Kattaidamban, Mannar, gathered in front of the Madhu Divisional Secretariat to protest against the Sri Lankan Forestry Department's takeover of their ancestral lands this week.

Several Tamil families participated in the demonstration, demanding the immediate release of the land, which they claim has been wrongfully seized.

The protest stems from long-standing grievances, as these Tamil families, displaced during the war in 1997, were resettled in 2004 and resumed small-scale farming by 2012.

The protestors argued that the Forestry Department must honour court rulings and return the land to its rightful owners. Holding slogans and chanting outside the Divisional Secretariat, one protestor emphasized, “This is our home, our land, and our livelihood. The Forestry Department must honour the court's verdict and return what is rightfully ours.”

The villagers called on local officials to expedite the implementation of court rulings and hold the department accountable for delays that have disrupted their livelihoods. The Madhu Divisional Secretary has promised to raise the issue with higher authorities.

Despite the end of the armed conflict 15 years ago, land disputes involving Tamil communities remain unresolved, with state authorities and the military continuing to occupy large areas in the North-East. This situation exacerbates the economic and social challenges faced by Tamil families in these regions.

 

An event was held in Aabenraa by the Demark Tamil Women’s Organization to mark the Tamil Eelam Women’s uprising Day and the 37th death anniversary of 2^nd Lt. Maalathy, the first female fighter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to lose her life in the Tamil armed struggle.

The event has started with the raising of the Tamil Eelam flag and floral tributes were offered to martyrs of the liberation struggle, including Lt. Colonel Kumarappa, Lt. Ekachudar and Lt Colonel Pulendran.

Tamil schoolchildren then performed dance and poetry recitals, to mark the event.

See more photographs below.

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats on Monday, including India’s High Commissioner to Canada, accusing them of being part of a broad criminal network to intimidate and harass Canadian Sikhs.

India responded by expelling six Canadian diplomats.

The expulsions escalated a dispute between the two countries that began with the assassination of a Canadian citizen in British Columbia last year. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of orchestrating the brazen killing, setting off a chain of denunciations and diplomatic clashes between the two countries.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the president of a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, was ambushed and shot dead by two masked men on June 18, 2023. He was a Sikh activist who called for an independent nation carved out of northern India.

In September 2023, the Canadian prime minister told lawmakers that “agents of the government of India” had been linked to Mr. Nijjar’s killing, drawing outrage from the Indian government.

On May 3, three Indian men were arrested in Canada and charged with the killing.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a news conference on Monday that it believed the six diplomats were part of a broad criminal network involved in homicides, intimidation, harassment and extortion aimed at Canadian Sikhs.

It said the operations were spread across the country wherever Sikh communities exist. Among other details, they said that the group of Indian agents would collect intelligence to threaten and intimidate Sikhs, either through paid informants or by extorting and threatening individuals within the communities.

After Canada arrested three men in Mr. Nijjar’s killing, the CBC, Canada’s public broadcasting corporation, reported that the suspects belonged to an Indian criminal gang.

The CBC reported that the gang the hit-men were connected to was led by Lawrence Bishnoi, who was accused of several cases of murder, extortion and narcotics trafficking. Officials say he has orchestrated much of it from an Indian jail, where he has been held since 2014.

Read more here

Sri Lankan politicians from across different political parties have demanded international action, including taking Israel to the International Court of Justice, after an attack wounded two Sri Lankan peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Several Sri Lankan politicians from across different political parties have demanded international action, including taking Israel to the International Court of Justice, after an attack wounded two Sri Lankan peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The Sri Lankan peacekeepers, deployed in southern Lebanon, were struck by Israeli tank fire earlier this month, an incident that has sparked outrage and calls for international accountability.

“Sri Lanka should take up this matter at the International Court of Justice and also sever all diplomatic relations with Israel, and also boycott all its products,” said Marjan Faleel from the Sinhala nationalist Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). “Enough of Israeli atrocities. Now they are laying their hands on the peacekeeping mission,” he told Arab News.

Hussein Mohamed, a former diplomat and member of the United National Party (UNP) meanwhile demanded Sri Lanka’s newly appointed government to “take up this matter at all international fora”. “Israeli atrocities should not be tolerated. Sri Lanka should take legal action,” he told Arab News.

Azath Salley, leader of the National Unity Alliance, said that his party would demand a break in ties with Israel, as Sri Lanka previously did in 1971 and 1992. “It is Israeli terrorism, and the world knows it well,” he said. “The first thing we are going to do is go to parliament and (call) to sever all ties with Israel. We don’t want any Israelis to come to Sri Lanka.”

Though ties were suspended, diplomatic relations resumed in 2000 with reports at the time that it came in the wake of negotiations to resume military assistance for Sri Lanka’s war in the North-East. Israeli military support for the Sri Lankan government, including through Kfir fighter jets, was crucial throughout its bombing campaigns of the North-East. The Israeli warplane had been pivotal in allowing the Sri Lankan military to carry out indiscriminate bombing raids which killed thousands of Tamils throughout the years. Alongside the fighter jets, several other military equipment was also supplied to Sri Lanka by Israel.

^{An Israeli-made Kfir, flown by the Sri Lankan Air Force (Courtesy: Rehman Abubakr)}

The recent attack on Sri Lankan peacekeepers follows a series of violent escalations in the region, with Israeli forces intensifying their military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.

But whilst Sri Lankan politicians called for diplomatic action against Israel, it starkly contrasts with Sri Lanka’s long-standing resistance to international action over its own war crimes. Despite mounting evidence and calls from human rights organizations, the Sri Lankan government has consistently resisted efforts to hold those responsible for atrocities committed against the Tamil people accountable.

Earlier this month, Sri Lankan rejected yet another UN Human Rights Council resolution on accountability for the atrocities. For more than 15 years, Tamils have demanded an international justice mechanism to account for the genocide and the tens of thousands of deaths. To date, no one has been held accountable.

The Tamil homeland is increasingly becoming a hotspot for visa scams, with vulnerable individuals, often from rural areas, falling prey to fraudulent agents promising emigration opportunities, particularly to Western countries like Canada.

According to a report by the Sunday Times, the Special Crimes Investigation Bureau (SCIB) in Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Batticaloa has seen a dramatic rise in these cases over the last five years. By September 2024 alone, 95 cases had been filed, with victims collectively losing over Rs. 320 million.

The scams typically involve promises of tourist visas, often with the added lure of assistance in securing work once the victim arrives in the destination country. In many cases, the victims are encouraged to pay large sums to these “agents,” who sometimes operate under the guise of legitimate consultancy services. However, once the money is paid, the promised visas never materialize.

Kandanraj (name changed), a fisherman from Mannar, is one of many who have fallen victim. After his family pawned their jewelry and took out loans to raise Rs. 12.8 million, they handed the money to a local broker who promised to arrange a Canadian visitor visa. A year passed with no visa or refund, and despite repeated attempts, Kandanraj could not recover his money. Many victims, like him, are discouraged from filing complaints due to the complex legal process and the high costs of pursuing action.

The rise in such scams is stark, with the number of reported cases increasing annually. In many instances, victims resort to threats or personal interventions to try and recover their money, but law enforcement is often limited in their ability to take action due to the lack of documentation. “People make cash payments to the scammers and don’t get a receipt,” said an officer from the SCIB. “It makes it very difficult to take legal action.”

The scams often involve complex routes, with many victims sent to third countries like the UAE or India before being abandoned, their relatives back home coerced into sending more money. The fraudsters sometimes even set up fake companies in these third countries, trapping the victims in a web of deceit and blackmail.

Police have urged the public to exercise caution when dealing with such agents. DIG Nihal Thalduwa warned that agents should be able to clearly explain the entire process, and emphasized that victims should never pay upfront. He also urged people to choose government-registered agents to minimize the risk of falling victim to fraud.

Despite these warnings, the desperation to emigrate remains strong, particularly among Tamils in the North-East, whose livelihoods have been stifled by the continued Sri Lankan military occupation. 

Sri Lanka is increasingly becoming a base for international cybercrime, with authorities arresting nearly 200 foreign nationals in a series of raids targeting online scam operations this month.

The suspects, mostly Chinese, were apprehended across multiple locations, including Colombo, Kandy, and Panadura, after police uncovered sophisticated networks involved in financial scams. The arrested individuals are believed to have entered Sri Lanka as tourists, overstaying their visas to run large-scale online fraud targeting victims both locally and abroad. Police seized hundreds of mobile phones, computers, and other electronic devices used in the scams.

The rise in cybercrime operations has raised alarms, with officials warning that these scams could damage Sri Lanka’s financial system.

In one raid alone, 129 Chinese nationals were arrested, with other operations netting additional Chinese, Indian, and Thai nationals involved in these scams. 

The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka acknowledged the growing problem of cybercrime, describing online fraud as a threat to both countries and their citizens. “These crimes not only endanger the property of our two peoples but also damage China’s international image and affect the traditional friendship between our countries,” the embassy said in a statement. “We stand ready to strengthen our cooperation in law enforcement to tackle this issue jointly.”

“The Chinese Government, recognising this trend, dispatched a special working group in September to work alongside Sri Lanka Police in a joint operation. As a result, a significant number of suspects were apprehended, with efforts now underway to ensure their repatriation and prosecution," it noted. 

Earlier in August, Sri Lankan authorities arrested 84 foreigners who were allegedly operating online scamming compounds in the south of the island – including in hotels along the tourist-filled coasts. The first arrests came in June this year when Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) unearthed a large-scale online financial fraud network operating from Negombo, targeting multiple foreign countries and residents through online scams. 

Sri Lanka’s economy remains on shaky grounds, with the island still reeling from a 2022 financial crisis and the government reliant on an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout loan.

Weeks ahead of crucial parliamentary elections scheduled for November, the newly formed Sri Lankan government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has announced the reopening of investigations into seven high-profile cases.

The announcement, made by Cabinet Spokesman Vijitha Herath, includes some of the island’s most controversial unresolved crimes, many of which involve Tamil victims. The move has sparked debate over whether this is a genuine pursuit of justice or a strategic political manoeuvre ahead of the elections.

Though the government has focused on seven specific cases, Dissanayake made clear previously that his government would not be investigating war crimes committed against Tamils during the 2009 Mullivaikkal genocide.

The seven cases under investigation include:

The alleged Central Bank Bond scam of 2015

The Easter Sunday attacks of 2019

The kidnapping and murder of Tamil journalist Sivaram in 2005

The disappearance of political activists Lalith Kumar and Kugan Muruganandan in 2011

The disappearance of Vice Chancellor Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath in 2006

The alleged suicide of businessman Dinesh Schaffter in 2022

A shooting incident outside the W15 hotel in Weligama in 2023

Although these cases are being fast-tracked, Minister Herath stressed that this does not preclude investigations into other unresolved crimes. "We will conduct investigations into all crimes and initiate legal action against those responsible," he claimed.

The latest announcement will still leave many Tamils remaining deeply skeptical. These unresolved cases, which involve Tamil victims, have often been linked to state involvement or deliberate cover-ups. Previous investigations into crimes involving Tamil victims have frequently resulted in little to no legal action, leading to widespread distrust in the government’s motives.

Critics of the move also argue that the timing of the investigations—just weeks before the parliamentary elections—raises concerns about the sincerity of the government’s intentions. With only three National People’s Power (NPP) members currently in Parliament, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is seeking to secure a larger mandate in the November elections. Some view the reopening of these high-profile cases as an attempt to appear tough on corruption and impunity.

The reopening of these cases also comes amid heightened pressure on the Dissanayake government to deliver on its anti-corruption promises, particularly as the NPP seeks to challenge Sri Lanka’s entrenched political elite. While the government has pledged to initiate legal action against those found culpable, it remains to be seen whether these investigations will lead to arrests or convictions.

In addition to these seven cases, Minister Herath reassured the public that other unresolved cases would also be investigated, including the deaths of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, and the disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth Ekneligoda. These cases, much like those involving Tamil victims, remain symbols of Sri Lanka’s struggle with impunity and the need for transparent, genuine justice.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power and Sri Lanka's newly elected President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, held a virtual discission on future cooperation between the US development agency and Sri Lanka this week.

The conversation marked their first formal engagement since Dissanayake’s election on September 21, 2024. According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), Power reiterated USAID’s commitment to supporting the government in line with Dissanayake’s anti-corruption agenda and promised continued assistance, especially in the wake of Sri Lanka's recent economic struggles.

Samantha Power was previously a fierce critic of the Sri Lankan government’s actions during the final stages of the armed conlfict in 2009, in which tens of thousands of Tamils were killed. As a senior foreign policy advisor to then-President Obama, Power initially insisted on accountability for war crimes and human rights abuses committed by the Sri Lankan state.

Power will be particularly familiar with Sri Lanka, having visited the island on at least three different occasions. Under the Obama administration, she served as a White House national security staffer from 2009 to 2013, before going on to become the US ambassador to the UN until 2017. During her tenure, however, she came under both praise and criticism, particularly for the way in which the administration handled Sri Lanka.

 

In 2014, she was explicit in her condemnation of the Sri Lankan government’s refusal to investigate war crimes, tweeting, “After 5 years in which the Sri Lanka government has undermined democracy & refused to investigate war crimes allegations, accountability [is] overdue.”

Her first visit to Sri Lanka in 2015, alongside David Pressman, then National Security Council Director for War Crimes and Atrocities, was marked by a strong call for justice. Power met with Tamil civil society members, visited Jaffna and Batticaloa, and voiced solidarity with Tamil victims and survivors of the civil war. She criticized the Rajapaksa administration’s divisive governance and its refusal to address wartime abuses, urging for investigations into alleged atrocities.

However, in recent years, Power’s tone has shifted and her once firm stance on accountability for wartime atrocities seems to have softened.

Read more in our feature: Samantha Power, Sri Lanka and another opportunity

SriLankan Airlines, the struggling state carrier, has been engulfed in fresh controversy after a captain locked out his female co-pilot during her toilet break, on a flight from Sydney to Colombo this week.

SriLankan Airlines issued a statement confirming that an investigation is underway regarding the incident on flight UL 607, which took place last month. The pilot reportedly locked the cockpit and refused to open it after the First Officer went to use the toilet.

“Words were exchanged via the communication link between the cockpit and outside, and it reportedly took considerable effort from a senior crew member to persuade the captain to end the standoff,” Economy Next reported a source familiar with the case as stating.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Sri Lanka has initiated a formal investigation, and the captain has been grounded pending its outcome. “The airline is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities,” the airline's statement said, adding that the captain's grounding was part of its ongoing efforts to prioritize safety and compliance with aviation regulations. Fortunately, the Airbus A330 aircraft landed safely in Colombo, and no passengers were harmed.

This event is the latest in a string of challenges for SriLankan Airlines, which has been grappling with financial difficulties and management changes. Earlier this year, several SriLankan Airlines flights at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake were delayed – one due to a reported sighting of a rat onboard – leaving serious questions over the national carrier’s long term future. Delays and cancellations were reportedly costing the carrier millions of dollars.

The airline’s newly appointed Board of Directors, led by Sarath Ganegoda as Chairman, faces the daunting task of stabilizing the carrier.

The new Sri Lankan government has reversed previous plans to privatize SriLankan Airlines, choosing instead to keep the airline under state control despite its financial woes.  Chairman of the National People’s Power Economic Council Prof. Anil Jayantha was quoted in the Daily Mirror saying the government believes that the national carrier should remain with the state given its significance for the development of tourism. He said the airline would not be sold off or divested as a result and claimed a new model for the improvement of its management would be considered instead. The previous Cabinet agreed to take over debts of US $ 510 million debts of the national carrier in a move to attract a private investor. It originally decided to sell at least 51 percent of the state-owned carrier.

The head of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) may be called in for questioning by the Sri Lankan security forces, after Colombo decided to reopen investigations into the killing of Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam ‘Taraki’ Sivaram.

According to reports, PLOTE leader and former Tamil parliamentarian Dharmalingam Siddarthan may be called in for questioning over the 2005 abduction and murder of Sivaram.

Sivaram, popularly known under his nom-de-plume Taraki, was abducted in front of Bambalipitiya police station in Colombo on April 28 and was found dead several hours later in a high security zone in Sri Lanka's capital, which at the time had a heavy police and military presence due to the ongoing conflict. His killers, highly suspected to be linked to the government of then-president Chandrika Kumaratunga, were never caught.

Soon after the murder, the former military wing leader of PLOTE, Arumugam Sriskandarajan, also known as Peter, was arrested after he was found in possession of the SIM card from Sivaram’s mobile phone. At the time, Sri Lankan police also said they had found a vehicle that may have been used in his abduction.

Sriskandarajah was eventually released on bail and the case against him repeatedly delayed. Sri Lankan authorities are thought to have repeatedly covered up evidence.

To date, no one has been held accountable for the murder.

Siddarthan is the current head of PLOTE having held the position since 1989. The group is a breakaway faction from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), that went on to function as a pro-government paramilitary organisation and is accused of carrying out several human rights violations. After the Mullivaikkal genocide in 2009, PLOTE went on to join the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) with Siddarthan elected to the Northern Provincial Council in 2013 and then as a MP in 2015, on the TNA ticket.

Australian Tamil footballer Nishan Velupillay made a stunning international debut for Australia during their 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match against China, as he bagged a goal in his first international match.

^{Photograph: @Socceroos}

Australian Tamil footballer Nishan Velupillay made a stunning international debut for Australia during their 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match against China, as he bagged a goal in his first international match.

The 23-year-old Melbourne player, of Tamil heritage, scored a crucial goal in Australia’s 3-1 victory over China, keeping the nation’s World Cup hopes alive.

Born in 2001, Velupillay is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a winger for the Melbourne Victory team and the Australian National team. He was born in Melbourne and attended Mazenod College in Mulgrave. He began his career in the youth academy at Glen Eira FC. 

At this recent match against China, Velupillay was called up by Tony Popovic ahead of their matche against China and Japan. He came off the bench in the 83th minute to replace Mitchell Duke to mark off his debut, 7 minutes later, he scored a goal to sealed a 3–1 win over China.