Monitor Memo

The Bishop of Mannar, Antonypillai Gnanapragasam, has said that the government remains determined to proceed with the installation of all 14 wind turbines in the district, despite ongoing public opposition to the project. He also vehemently rejected claims that he had struck a deal with the government. Speaking at a recent discussion with representatives of the interfaith group, civil organizations, and the people’s protest committee in Mannar, Bishop Gnanapragasam disclosed details of his meet

Kanthiah Kurukkal, father of late LTTE commander Brigadier Vithusha and fallen cadre Vithushan, passed away in Jaffna this week. Hailing from a respected Tamil Brahmin family in Kappoothu, Karaveddy, Kanthiah Kurukkal lost both his daughter and son to the armed struggle. His passing has rekindled reflections on how the war reached even the most traditional families — those once devoted entirely to temple service and religious life. Born in the Vadamarachchi region, Kanthiah Kurukkal was known

Each year, thousands of academically qualified students in northern Sri Lanka are denied access to university education, perpetuating regional inequality and threatening the nation's ambitions to become a digital economy leader, according to a new feasibility study. The study, conducted by Ernst & Young (EY) in partnership with the Magick Group, reveals that across Sri Lanka, only 40,000 of the nearly 280,000 students who sit for university entrance exams gain admission to state universities —

The skeletal remains being recovered from the Chemmani mass grave constitute primary evidence of massacres and warrant an international investigation, said Jehan Perera, Executive Director of the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka, during a visit to Jaffna this week. Jehan Perera emphasized that the discoveries at Chemmani represent undeniable proof of deliberate killings and called for professional international expertise to ensure a credible investigation into the site. "The skeletal remain

The General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Tilvin Silva, has announced that the government has begun the process of repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a controversial law that has been in force since 1979. Speaking at a recent discussion held at the Mahaweli Centre in Colombo, Silva also characterized the 1983 Black July pogrom as a calculated political move by then-President J.R. Jayewardene to construct an authoritarian state through the mobilization of Sinhal

A military-operated salon in northern Sri Lanka has been ordered to close by local authorities, sparking debate over business competition, union influence, and the affordability of basic services in war-affected communities. The Karaithuraipatru Pradeshiya Sabha issued a directive to shut down “Blue Bells Salon,” which had been run by the Sri Lankan Army on Forest Department land in Kepapulavu, Mullaitivu District. Council Cites Economic Impact Chinnarasa Logeswaran,  chairman of the Karaith

“Just as the weapons fell silent in Mullivaikkal, our art and literature too have lost their voice,” lamented P. Aingaranesan, leader of the Tamil National Green Movement and author of Vermugangal (Rooted Faces). His latest book is a collection of interviews with leading figures in art and literature conducted by Aingaranesan himself. Speaking at the launch of the book in Mulliyawalai recently, Aingaranesan said art and literature once carried the heartbeat of the Tamil national struggle—explai

Acting leader of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), C.V.K. Sivagnanam, has voiced frustration over India’s repeated calls for Tamil political unity, insisting that all major Tamil parties — except for the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), widely known as the Cycle Party — are already united in their demand for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Speaking to the media, Sivagnanam questioned the rationale behind New Delhi’s constant reminders. “On the matte