Monitor Memo

COLOMBO, February 27, 2026 — The European Union has announced an additional €1 million in humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, reinforcing relief efforts for communities still recovering from the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the island in late November 2025 and triggered widespread flooding and landslides across all 25 districts. The latest allocation, equivalent to more than LKR 370 million, brings the EU’s total humanitarian contribution to Sri Lanka’s cyclone

JAFFNA, SRI LANKA — When a prominent doctor in the Northern Province set out to organise a community programme through his professional civil society network, he expected the usual obstacles: bureaucratic delays, funding constraints, and coordination challenges between departments. What he encountered instead was something entirely different. According to multiple credible sources who spoke with Jaffna Monitor on condition of anonymity, fearing professional consequences, the doctor was told tha

Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, leader of the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) and a member of Parliament, has accused Sri Lanka's government of attempting to administer the country's Tamil-majority Northern Province through a network of unofficial "shadow ministers," bypassing a long-dormant elected provincial council and effectively concentrating power in the hands of the ruling party. He made the allegations on the floor of Parliament this week, warning that the move amounted to an unconstitu

MULLAITIVU, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority (RDA) has confirmed that the temporary Bailey bridge installed on the Paranthan–Karaichchi–Mullaitivu (A035) road after Cyclone Ditwa was never intended to serve as a long-term solution, as pressure grows for the construction of a permanent structure along one of the district’s most vital transport corridors. In an interview with Jaffna Monitor, a senior engineer attached to the RDA’s Northern Province office, speaking on condition

MULLAITIVU, Sri Lanka —Residents of Mullaitivu District are appealing to the Government of India to replace the temporary bridge on the Paranthan–Karaichchi–Mullaitivu (A035) road with a permanent structure, arguing that while the emergency installation restored vital connectivity after a devastating cyclone, it is no longer sufficient to meet the region’s daily transportation demands. The bridge was installed by India following Cyclone Ditwa, which caused extensive damage to infrastructure acr

The Cambridge Union has cancelled a scheduled speaking event featuring Namal Rajapaksa following sustained pressure from the Tamil diaspora. The decision, announced after what the Union described as “urgent and serious discussions,” was justified on the grounds that it did not believe “a balanced and open discussion on this subject” was possible at present. The invitation had sparked coordinated opposition from Tamil student organisations across the United Kingdom, who accused both the Cambridg