Jaffna Monitor
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Jaffna Monitor — UNAFRAID AND UNBOWED. Independent journalism from Northern Sri Lanka, amplifying unheard voices with truth and courage.
ITAK just replaced senior MP Sivagnanam Sritharan with 35-year-old Shanakiyan Rasamanickam as Parliamentary Group Leader after a clash over Sritharan’s Constitutional Council votes. What triggered the revolt—and what it reveals about party factions
Sumanthiran-Aligned Shanakiyan Named ITAK Parliamentary Group Leader
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February 4, 2026 at 11:00 AM
ITAK just replaced senior MP Sivagnanam Sritharan with 35-year-old Shanakiyan Rasamanickam as Parliamentary Group Leader after a clash over Sritharan’s Constitutional Council votes. What triggered the revolt—and what it reveals about party factions
Why would Sri Lanka’s “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” housing scheme offer up to Rs. 5 million to some Cyclone Dithwa victims—but exclude displaced Hill Country plantation families? Mano Ganesan asks the UN to intervene and lays out a 3-point demand bit.ly/4rtDpw6
‘This Is Apartheid’: Mano Ganesan Calls for UN Intervention in Cyclone Relief
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February 1, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Why would Sri Lanka’s “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” housing scheme offer up to Rs. 5 million to some Cyclone Dithwa victims—but exclude displaced Hill Country plantation families? Mano Ganesan asks the UN to intervene and lays out a 3-point demand bit.ly/4rtDpw6
Is Praja Shakthi poverty relief—or a parallel power structure in Sri Lanka’s North & East? What’s driving the backlash #srilanka #independentjournalism #jaffna bit.ly/46nEEo6
Tamil Leaders Accuse Government of Building Parallel Power Structure Through Praja Shakthi
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January 31, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Is Praja Shakthi poverty relief—or a parallel power structure in Sri Lanka’s North & East? What’s driving the backlash #srilanka #independentjournalism #jaffna bit.ly/46nEEo6
Why did Sri Lanka turn to Norway as facilitator—and why did it still unravel after 9/11 and the EU ban in 2006? G. L. Peiris argues LTTE sought ISGA recognition, not a final settlement, and shares Balasingham’s warning about Prabhakaran
“Balasingham Saw the End — Prabhakaran Believed He Was Invincible”: G. L. Peiris on Sri Lanka’s Failed Peace Process
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January 30, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Why did Sri Lanka turn to Norway as facilitator—and why did it still unravel after 9/11 and the EU ban in 2006? G. L. Peiris argues LTTE sought ISGA recognition, not a final settlement, and shares Balasingham’s warning about Prabhakaran
Is calling Sri Lanka’s February 4 Independence Day a “Black Day” smart protest—or a gift to hardliners? Jaffna University students sought blessings from Bishop Noel Emmanuel and Agathiyar Adikal; critics warn of backlash. What’s at stake /bit.ly/3M3HcAV
Holy Support for a Controversial Cause: Clergy Back ‘Black Day’ Protest
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January 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Is calling Sri Lanka’s February 4 Independence Day a “Black Day” smart protest—or a gift to hardliners? Jaffna University students sought blessings from Bishop Noel Emmanuel and Agathiyar Adikal; critics warn of backlash. What’s at stake /bit.ly/3M3HcAV
Who should lead protests against the Kivul Oya irrigation project? Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam says ITAK has “no moral authority,” citing a 2017 Kokkachankulam land allocation and budget silence.
Gajendrakumar Rejects ITAK’s Right to Lead Kivul Oya Protest
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January 29, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Who should lead protests against the Kivul Oya irrigation project? Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam says ITAK has “no moral authority,” citing a 2017 Kokkachankulam land allocation and budget silence.
What does Jaffna look like through the eyes of a southern medical student who lived there for 6 years? Dr Viduni Basnayake’s new Sinhala essay collection, launched at University of Jaffna, aims to challenge misconceptions and bridge divides#jaffna
A Southern Medical Student’s View of Jaffna in New Sinhala Book
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January 28, 2026 at 11:00 AM
What does Jaffna look like through the eyes of a southern medical student who lived there for 6 years? Dr Viduni Basnayake’s new Sinhala essay collection, launched at University of Jaffna, aims to challenge misconceptions and bridge divides#jaffna
More ITAK members expelled after 2014 than in the party’s previous 63 years? Ilankai Siva Senai leader K. Sachithananthan accuses M.A. Sumanthiran of mass expulsions and pushing a sectarian religious agenda
ITAK Accused of Mass Expulsions and Religious Agenda Under Sumanthiran's Leadership
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January 27, 2026 at 11:00 PM
More ITAK members expelled after 2014 than in the party’s previous 63 years? Ilankai Siva Senai leader K. Sachithananthan accuses M.A. Sumanthiran of mass expulsions and pushing a sectarian religious agenda
Has India softened on Sri Lanka’s 13th Amendment? High Commissioner Santosh Jha says “India has not softened its position” and details Operation Sagar Bandhu: #srilanka #independentjournalism #jaffna
“India Has Not Softened Its Position on the 13th Amendment”: Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha Tells Jaffna Monitor
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January 27, 2026 at 11:02 AM
Has India softened on Sri Lanka’s 13th Amendment? High Commissioner Santosh Jha says “India has not softened its position” and details Operation Sagar Bandhu: #srilanka #independentjournalism #jaffna
A JVP/NPP councillor in Karaveddy posted an AI image of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake holding a vel and wrote “AKD is equal to Lord Murugan”—then deleted it as backlash grew. What it reveals about double standards and personality cults in Jaffna
JVP Councillor’s Post Likening AKD to Lord Murugan Sparks Controversy in Jaffna
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January 26, 2026 at 11:00 PM
A JVP/NPP councillor in Karaveddy posted an AI image of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake holding a vel and wrote “AKD is equal to Lord Murugan”—then deleted it as backlash grew. What it reveals about double standards and personality cults in Jaffna
They pluck Sri Lanka’s tea and earn its foreign exchange, yet are left behind after disaster. Hill Country Tamil workers say Cyclone Ditwah exposed long-standing discrimination.
“We Are Being Discriminated”: Hill Country Tamils Accuse Sri Lankan State
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January 26, 2026 at 11:02 AM
They pluck Sri Lanka’s tea and earn its foreign exchange, yet are left behind after disaster. Hill Country Tamil workers say Cyclone Ditwah exposed long-standing discrimination.
Rs. 40 million to Sritharan and Rs. 30 million to his son “Sarangan” over a USD 1.7 billion Poonagari solar project? In Parliament, ITAK MP Sivagnanam Sritharan rejects the corruption claim and dares Dayasiri Jayasekara to prove it.
“Prove It in Parliament”: Sritharan Dares Dayasiri as War of Words Escalates
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January 25, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Rs. 40 million to Sritharan and Rs. 30 million to his son “Sarangan” over a USD 1.7 billion Poonagari solar project? In Parliament, ITAK MP Sivagnanam Sritharan rejects the corruption claim and dares Dayasiri Jayasekara to prove it.
Tamil MPs warn the irrigation project could submerge villages and wipe out small tanks in Vavuniya North. Which areas are named, and what’s being alleged in Parliament? #srilanka #independentjournalism #jaffna
Tamil MPs Raise Alarm Over Kivul Oya Irrigation Scheme
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January 23, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Tamil MPs warn the irrigation project could submerge villages and wipe out small tanks in Vavuniya North. Which areas are named, and what’s being alleged in Parliament? #srilanka #independentjournalism #jaffna
ITAK + dTNA say they’ll draft a “Tamil aspirations” document, but sources say it also positions M. A. Sumanthiran as Northern PC Chief Minister candidate—amid the Shritharan Constitutional Council standoff and delayed PC polls.
ITAK and dTNA Float Common Tamil Political Document Amid Internal Rifts
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January 22, 2026 at 11:00 PM
ITAK + dTNA say they’ll draft a “Tamil aspirations” document, but sources say it also positions M. A. Sumanthiran as Northern PC Chief Minister candidate—amid the Shritharan Constitutional Council standoff and delayed PC polls.
Who was T. Muthukumaarasamy (“Kumar”)? This obituary traces his role in 1970 student protests, 1972 detentions, a 1976 hunger strike at Welikada, and exile to the US
Voice of 1970s Tamil Student Activism, Muthukumaarasamy, Dies in Exile
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January 22, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Who was T. Muthukumaarasamy (“Kumar”)? This obituary traces his role in 1970 student protests, 1972 detentions, a 1976 hunger strike at Welikada, and exile to the US
Why did Colombo become one of the world’s key ports—and what did travelers miss about the inequality built into it? Ajay Kamalakaran traces it through the Boat Mail, the East–West Highway, and visitors from Mark Twain to Mahatma Gandhi
“Colombo Was a Global Port—and a City of Inequality”: Ajay Kamalakaran
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January 21, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Why did Colombo become one of the world’s key ports—and what did travelers miss about the inequality built into it? Ajay Kamalakaran traces it through the Boat Mail, the East–West Highway, and visitors from Mark Twain to Mahatma Gandhi
ITAK leader C.V.K. Sivagnanam says opposition reps were sidelined at official events. What happened, and why it matters #srilanka #independentjournalism #jaffna
ITAK Slams ‘Political Showmanship’ During President’s Jaffna Visit
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January 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM
ITAK leader C.V.K. Sivagnanam says opposition reps were sidelined at official events. What happened, and why it matters #srilanka #independentjournalism #jaffna
Nandana Gunathilake’s death has reopened an old wound inside the JVP.
While tributes pour in for a man who rebuilt the party after the bloodbath of the late 1980s, senior NPP leaders choose erasure over reflection.
While tributes pour in for a man who rebuilt the party after the bloodbath of the late 1980s, senior NPP leaders choose erasure over reflection.
Nandana Gunathilake’s Death Reopens JVP Rift
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January 20, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Nandana Gunathilake’s death has reopened an old wound inside the JVP.
While tributes pour in for a man who rebuilt the party after the bloodbath of the late 1980s, senior NPP leaders choose erasure over reflection.
While tributes pour in for a man who rebuilt the party after the bloodbath of the late 1980s, senior NPP leaders choose erasure over reflection.
Why did the U.S. ambassador pick for Sri Lanka get “returned” on January 3, 2026—and what happens next? The timeline of Eric Meyer’s nomination, why it wasn’t rejected, and who’s running the Colombo embassy now
U.S. Nominates Eric Meyer as Next Ambassador to Sri Lanka; Senate Confirmation Pending
Jaffna Monitor
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January 20, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Why did the U.S. ambassador pick for Sri Lanka get “returned” on January 3, 2026—and what happens next? The timeline of Eric Meyer’s nomination, why it wasn’t rejected, and who’s running the Colombo embassy now
Publicly attacking Tamil Nadu leaders can backfire on Sri Lankan Tamils by pushing away “crores of followers” and weakening a vital support base, warns P. Ayngaranesan. #jaffna
Sri Lankan Tamil Leader Urges Restraint in Criticising Tamil Nadu Politics
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January 19, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Publicly attacking Tamil Nadu leaders can backfire on Sri Lankan Tamils by pushing away “crores of followers” and weakening a vital support base, warns P. Ayngaranesan. #jaffna
JM Editor-in-Chief writes: The NPP government—whose members were once disappeared and tortured under emergency laws in the 1980s—now proposes legislation that would have made their own repression more efficient and legally unassailable.#PSTA #PTA
PSTA: When the Victims Rewrite the Law That Once Destroyed Them
Jaffna Monitor
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January 19, 2026 at 11:01 AM
JM Editor-in-Chief writes: The NPP government—whose members were once disappeared and tortured under emergency laws in the 1980s—now proposes legislation that would have made their own repression more efficient and legally unassailable.#PSTA #PTA
What do Sri Lanka and Gaza teach us about the limits of armed struggle?
In this op-ed, Prof. Mahesh Nirmalan argues why violence fails to deliver justice—while pointing to paths that still offer hope.#SriLanka #Gaza #SriLanka #Gazahttps://bit.ly/4qQRN11
In this op-ed, Prof. Mahesh Nirmalan argues why violence fails to deliver justice—while pointing to paths that still offer hope.#SriLanka #Gaza #SriLanka #Gazahttps://bit.ly/4qQRN11
What Sri Lanka and Gaza Teach Us About the Futility of Armed Struggle
Jaffna Monitor
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January 18, 2026 at 11:00 PM
What do Sri Lanka and Gaza teach us about the limits of armed struggle?
In this op-ed, Prof. Mahesh Nirmalan argues why violence fails to deliver justice—while pointing to paths that still offer hope.#SriLanka #Gaza #SriLanka #Gazahttps://bit.ly/4qQRN11
In this op-ed, Prof. Mahesh Nirmalan argues why violence fails to deliver justice—while pointing to paths that still offer hope.#SriLanka #Gaza #SriLanka #Gazahttps://bit.ly/4qQRN11
Veteran journalist M. R. Narayan Swamy writes in Jaffna Monitor that reading The Sri Lanka Peace Process: An Inside View gives the impression that G. L. Peiris was more a distant observer than the chief negotiator in Sri Lanka’s peace process.
A Peacemaker’s Belated Wisdom
Jaffna Monitor
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January 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Veteran journalist M. R. Narayan Swamy writes in Jaffna Monitor that reading The Sri Lanka Peace Process: An Inside View gives the impression that G. L. Peiris was more a distant observer than the chief negotiator in Sri Lanka’s peace process.
What can AI truly do in mental health?
Dr Ruwan M. Jayathunga- psychologist and mental health clinician explores how artificial intelligence can support care, improve access, and where its limits must be clearly understood.
Dr Ruwan M. Jayathunga- psychologist and mental health clinician explores how artificial intelligence can support care, improve access, and where its limits must be clearly understood.
The Promise and Limits of AI in Mental Healthcare
Jaffna Monitor
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January 17, 2026 at 11:00 PM
What can AI truly do in mental health?
Dr Ruwan M. Jayathunga- psychologist and mental health clinician explores how artificial intelligence can support care, improve access, and where its limits must be clearly understood.
Dr Ruwan M. Jayathunga- psychologist and mental health clinician explores how artificial intelligence can support care, improve access, and where its limits must be clearly understood.
A 40,000-seat stadium in Mandaitivu sounds like progress. But the article asks the harder questions #independentjournalism #jaffna
Cricket in Jaffna: Past, Present, Future and the Debate Over a New International Stadium
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January 17, 2026 at 11:00 AM
A 40,000-seat stadium in Mandaitivu sounds like progress. But the article asks the harder questions #independentjournalism #jaffna