Jaffna Monitor - Unafraid and Unbowed

Global Surgeon Honoured in Jaffna, Calls for Pride in Local Medical System

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — Prof. Thavam Thambipillai, president of the International College of Surgeons and a leading transplant surgeon, was honoured in Jaffna on Sunday at a ceremony organised by a group of organisations from his native village of Kaithady. The event drew a large public gathering, with residents from Kaithady and other parts of Jaffna attending in significant numbers, reflecting the pride many expressed in his international achievements. Speakers at the event reflected not only on

Aruliniyan Mahalingam

Mar 23, 2026 — 4 min read

Jaffna Lecturer Killed in Alleged Family Plot Laid to Rest

JM Exclusive March 2026

Our Reporter

Mar 22, 2026 — 3 min read

Sri Lanka Fuel Prices Rise by Up to 30%, Adding Pressure on Cost of Living

March 2026 Monitor Memo

Our Reporter

Mar 21, 2026 — 2 min read

JVP may move towards one-party rule, says Tamil leader

JM Exclusive March 2026

M.R. Narayan Swamy

Mar 21, 2026 — 4 min read

The Levantine Hummus Wars

By: Abbi Kanthasamy A dispatch from a tired restaurant owner watching cousins argue over the same recipe. If the conflict in Jerusalem had been about food instead of religion, it would have ended centuries ago. Because food fights — real ones — are easy. You gather everyone in a room. You put the dishes on the table. People shout a bit. Someone’s grandmother intervenes. And eventually everyone eats. Peace, or something very close to it. Religion, unfortunately, has proven far less coop

Guest Column March 2026

Abbi Kanthasamy

Mar 23, 2026 — 4 min read

University of Jaffna Lecturer Killed; Daughter and Partner Arrested

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — March 21, 2026 — A senior lecturer at the University of Jaffna, who was reported missing earlier this week, has been confirmed killed, with police arresting her daughter and the daughter’s partner in connection with the case. The victim, Dr. (Mrs.) Thayalini Thileepan, a Senior Lecturer (Grade I) attached to the Department of Samooga nala Maruthuvam (Community Health Medicine) at the Faculty of Siddha Medicine, was reported missing from her residence in the early hours of

March 2026 Monitor Memo

Our Reporter

Mar 21, 2026 — 2 min read

At Jaffna Hindu College, a Former Student Returns With a Message on Resilience

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — March 20, 2026 — “They tried to silence this ground once… but tonight, listen carefully — it is still speaking.” With that line, Abethan “Abbi” Kanthasamy brought a hushed sports field to stillness on Friday evening, addressing students, teachers, and alumni gathered at the grounds of Jaffna Hindu College. Nearly four decades after he last stood there as a schoolboy, Abbi Kanthasamy — now a Malaysia-based entrepreneur and managing director of the Cinnamon Group — returned a

March 2026 Monitor Memo

Our Reporter

Mar 21, 2026 — 3 min read

Patience, Policy Consistency and Inclusive Growth Drive Viet Nam’s Success, Envoy Tells Jaffna Monitor

Viet Nam—a country that endured one of the most devastating wars of the 20th century and one of the heaviest aerial bombardments in modern history, its cities reduced to rubble and its society fractured by ideology and superpower rivalry—today stands among the fastest-growing economies in the world. The war left behind not only physical destruction but also enduring human images, none more searing than that of nine-year-old Phan Thị Kim Phúc, captured running in agony after a napalm attack. Nea

Exclusive Interview JM Exclusive

Aruliniyan Mahalingam

Mar 20, 2026 — 11 min read

Unafraid and Unbowed

Archbishop, Archbishop, why hast thou forsaken us in our hour of sorrow and slaughter?

"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." - Isaiah 58:1 His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo and chief shepherd of the Catholic flock in all of Sri Lanka, has recently marked fifty years in the sacred priesthood. As the highest-ranking prelate whose dominion spans the entire island, he now stands as a mighty voice crying for justice, calling upon the nations of the earth for interv

Editorial July 2025

Kaniyan Pungundran

Jul 14, 2025 — 12 min read

Jaffna Library Burning: The Day They Burned the buddha and his dhamma

Why South Asia Reveres Books-and Fears Their Destruction Irrespective of religion, across the Indian subcontinent, books have long held an exalted status. In the indigenous spiritual traditions that emerged from this land-Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism-knowledge is not merely valued; it is venerated in the highest order. In homes, temples, and schools across the region, people treat books with profound reverence-never touching them with their feet, and if done accidentally, offering a

Cover Story June 2025

Kaniyan Pungundran

Jun 16, 2025 — 14 min read

Chemmani: Where Justice Was Buried

The dead do not speak - but the earth does A few years ago, I visited Cambodia. My original aim was to see the Angkor Wat temple complex. But, as always, my journalistic instincts led me deeper into rural Cambodia, where I found myself in quiet conversations with a few former soldiers of the Pol Pot regime, now living ordinary lives as toddy tappers, farmers, and small shop owners. One of them - a former henchman of the Khmer Rouge - opened up after a few glasses of toddy. In a hauntingly calm

Editorial June 2025

Kaniyan Pungundran

Jun 16, 2025 — 7 min read

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Sri Lanka Cricket: From World Champions to a System in Crisis

By: Gamini Goonetilleke Cricket in Sri Lanka has long been more than a sport. It has functioned as a powerful social and cultural force, capable of transcending ethnic, religious, and class divisions, particularly during periods of political conflict and economic uncertainty. From village playgrounds to international stadiums, cricket has united communities and fostered a shared national identity. During the decades of civil conflict, the achievements of the national team created moments

Guest Column March 2026

Dr. Gamini Goonetilleke

Mar 20, 2026 — 10 min read

“The Diaspora Must Move Beyond Remittances to Structured Investment,” Says Ana Pararajasingham

Ana Pararajasingham, the author of Uprooted — a work that documents the journeys and successes of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora across the world — is an independent researcher and writer based in Australia. His work has long engaged with questions of justice, displacement and identity. His earlier publication, Sri Lanka: A Victor’s Peace (2019), brought together a series of essays originally published in international journals and newspapers, offering a critical perspective on post-war Sri Lank

Aruliniyan Mahalingam

Mar 20, 2026 — 16 min read

Sinhalese March in Jaffna Highlights Minority Concerns in Sri Lanka’s North

JAFFNA, March 19— A march and vehicle procession organised by a group of activists began in Jaffna on Thursday, aiming to draw national attention to the concerns of Sinhalese communities living in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. The initiative is expected to travel along the A9 highway through several towns before concluding in Colombo, where participants plan to meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and submit a memorandum. Organizers said the campaign seeks to highlight grievances related t

March 2026 Monitor Memo

Our Reporter

Mar 19, 2026 — 2 min read

Faiszer Musthapha Urges Sri Lanka to Seize Opportunity Amid Global Instability

Colombo, March 19, 2026 —Opposition MP and President’s Counsel Faiszer Musthapha on Thursday urged the government to act swiftly to attract global capital relocating from conflict-affected regions, warning that Sri Lanka risks missing a rare strategic opening if it remains slow, rigid, and overly constrained by policy orthodoxy. Speaking during a parliamentary debate, Faiszer Musthapha said rising instability in parts of the Middle East was already prompting investors to seek safer destinations

JM Exclusive March 2026

Our Reporter

Mar 19, 2026 — 4 min read