Former LTTE guerrillas battle hardships, trauma and taunts.

Former LTTE guerrillas battle hardships, trauma and taunts.

By M.R. Narayan Swamy With a weather-beaten face, SR looks older than his years. By his own admission, he is a ‘coolie’ near Paranthan in northern Sri Lanka — a life of drudgery far removed from the time when he was a Tamil Tiger, fighting a protracted and determined war to carve out an independent Tamil homeland. Ever since he surrendered to the military in 2009, along with thousands of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas, SR has led a difficult life, struggling to adjust to
April 2026 JM Exclusive
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
A Dark Date in the Contemporary Calendar of Humanity

A Dark Date in the Contemporary Calendar of Humanity

February 28, 2026, marks a dark date in the contemporary calendar of humanity; a day when the hands of the clocks went on strike in a state of protest and profound shock. On this day, the unlawful attacks by the Zionist regime and the United States against the territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran dealt a finishing blow to the discourse of international law regarding the prohibition of the threat or use of force in international relations. From this date onward, who can still re
April 2026 OP-ED
Dr. Alireza Delkhosh

Dr. Alireza Delkhosh
From Remittances to Investment: Rethinking the Tamil Diaspora’s Role

From Remittances to Investment: Rethinking the Tamil Diaspora’s Role

The Tamil diaspora has long been an integral part of Jaffna’s social, economic, and cultural landscape. Spread across countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and parts of Europe, this global community has maintained strong and enduring ties with Northern Sri Lanka. These connections have been expressed through family relationships, financial support, cultural exchange, and political engagement. During periods of conflict and immediate post-war recovery, diaspora contributions p
Guest Column OP-ED
Colonel Nalin Herath

Colonel Nalin Herath
Judges’ Retirement Age: A New Proposal and Its Implications

Judges’ Retirement Age: A New Proposal and Its Implications

By: Professor G. L. Peiris I. The Constitutional Context Independence of the judiciary is, without question, an essential element of a functioning democracy. In recognition of this, ample provision is made in the highest law of our country, the Constitution, to engender an environment in which the courts are able to fulfil their public responsibility with total acceptance. As part of this protective apparatus, judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal are assured of security of t
April 2026 Guest Column
Professor G. L. Peiris

Professor G. L. Peiris
Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner’s Presence at Puducherry Political Event Raises Interference Concerns

Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner’s Presence at Puducherry Political Event Raises Interference Concerns

CHENNAI, India — April 6, 2026 — Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner for South India, Ganesanathan Ketheeswaran, has come under scrutiny following allegations that he attended a politically linked gathering in Puducherry, drawing criticism from Indian opposition figures and raising questions about diplomatic conduct during an election period. Pawan Khera, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, alleged in a social media post that Mr. Ketheeswaran participated in an event organized by
April 2026 JM Exclusive
Our Reporter

Our Reporter
Teachers’ Union Blames Northern Officials for Loss of Hardship Allowances in Jaffna’s Island Schools

Teachers’ Union Blames Northern Officials for Loss of Hardship Allowances in Jaffna’s Island Schools

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — April 6, 2026 — The Ceylon Teachers’ Union has accused education authorities in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province of negligence in the suspension of hardship allowances for teachers working in remote island communities, saying the decision has left dozens of educators without essential support despite the challenging conditions they face. Joseph Stalin, the union’s general secretary, said a formal complaint had been lodged with the Secretary of the Ministry of Education, citing
April 2026 Monitor Memo
Our Reporter

Our Reporter
Tilvin Silva Casts Suspicion on Easter Attack Book, Says Truth ‘Will Emerge Soon’

Tilvin Silva Casts Suspicion on Easter Attack Book, Says Truth ‘Will Emerge Soon’

VAVUNIYA, Sri Lanka — April 6, 2026 — Tilvin Silva, general secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and widely regarded as a key behind-the-scenes figure in Sri Lanka’s ruling establishment, said on Sunday that the truth behind the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings would “emerge very soon,” while casting suspicion on individuals promoting alternative narratives through recent book publications. Speaking at the 55th April Heroes’ Commemoration in Vavuniya, Mr. Silva suggested that some of tho
April 2026 Monitor Memo
Our Reporter

Our Reporter
Lavan Akshayan Cremated as Jaffna Mourns a Top-Performing Student

Lavan Akshayan Cremated as Jaffna Mourns a Top-Performing Student

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — April 5, 2026 — Lavan Akshayan, 19, one of the top-performing Advanced Level students whose death after a sudden illness stirred grief across northern Sri Lanka, was cremated on Sunday at the Thavadi Hindu Cemetery in Jaffna, as thousands gathered to pay their respects. Mourners — classmates, schoolmates, teachers, neighbours and villagers, along with many who had come to know him only through his story — filled his home and later the cremation ground and surrounding streets
April 2026 Monitor Memo
Our Reporter

Our Reporter