NPP’s Delay on Provincial Polls Fuels Fears of a Silent Rollback

NPP’s Delay on Provincial Polls Fuels Fears of a Silent Rollback

By M.R. Narayan Swamy Is the Sri Lankan government preparing the ground to quietly do away with the provincial councils established under the 1987 India–Sri Lanka Accord? Signals from Colombo suggest this may be the case. The vexed bilateral agreement, which sought to end Tamil separatism, envisaged elected councils for all nine provinces in Sri Lanka to devolve powers locally and promote more balanced regional development. Although the chief objective of the provision was to encourage people


M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy

Machete Attack Leaves Young Man Critically Injured in Jaffna as Drug-Linked Violence Surges

Machete Attack Leaves Young Man Critically Injured in Jaffna as Drug-Linked Violence Surges

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — A young man was left fighting for his life after a brutal machete attack in the Pannai area of Jaffna on Thursday evening. According to police, the victim, Soundirarajah Majith, in his early twenties, was riding a motorcycle when he was chased down by a group of assailants on two other bikes. The attackers overtook him, hacked him with machetes and other sharp weapons, and fled. During the assault, Majith lost control of his motorcycle and plunged into the nearby sea. Offic


Our Reporter

Our Reporter

U.N. Envoy Urges Sri Lanka to Resolve Northern Land Disputes

U.N. Envoy Urges Sri Lanka to Resolve Northern Land Disputes

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — March 26, 2026 — The United Nations’ top representative in Sri Lanka on Thursday called for urgent action to resolve long-standing land disputes in the country’s north, after meeting farmers who have been barred from accessing their lands for nearly a decade despite holding legal title. Marc-André Franche, the U.N. Resident Coordinator and representative of the Secretary-General in Sri Lanka, visited Kovilvayal, a village in the Kilinochchi district, where he met with affect


Our Reporter

Our Reporter

Elephant Incursion in Jaffna Fuels Claims of Engineered Land Seizure

Elephant Incursion in Jaffna Fuels Claims of Engineered Land Seizure

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — March 26 — A herd of wild elephants that suddenly appeared in farmland in the Vadamarachchi East area of Jaffna this week has ignited fresh accusations that Sri Lanka’s wildlife authorities may be using animals to strengthen claims over disputed territory. Residents and a local Catholic priest said the elephants destroyed at least 36 coconut trees in the Kattaikadu–Keavil area earlier this week, describing the incident as unprecedented in a region with no historical record o


Our Reporter

Our Reporter

Velnampy Assumes Office as Jaffna University’s 11th Vice Chancellor.

Velnampy Assumes Office as Jaffna University’s 11th Vice Chancellor.

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka — March 25 — Senior Professor of Accounting at the University of Jaffna, Prof. T. Velnampy, assumed office on Wednesday as the institution’s 11th Vice Chancellor, succeeding Prof. C. Srisatkunarajah, whose term concluded a day earlier. Prof. Velnampy, an academic known for his administrative experience, has in recent years been seen engaging in public forums associated with the National People’s Power (NPP), including attending some of its meetings. His appointment by Preside


Our Reporter

Our Reporter

Book Reviews: “The Overthinker and the Elephant” by Vinayak Nirmalan

Book Reviews: “The Overthinker and the Elephant” by Vinayak Nirmalan

Dr: Mrs N Rodrigo, Colombo, Sri Lanka The Overthinker and the Elephant is a must read for all thinkers - not necessarily “overthinkers”! It is a thought-provoking, honest, humane, soul searching, spiritual journey in the quest for happiness. The narrative is set against the stunning, luminous backdrop of the night sky in the Himalayas, written in a fluid, friendly, down-to-earth style, enlivened with good humor. Authored by a young second-generation doctor of Sri Lankan origin, domicil


Jaffna Monitor

Jaffna Monitor

Anura Calls Modi as Iran Remarks Complicate Sri Lanka’s Position

Anura Calls Modi as Iran Remarks Complicate Sri Lanka’s Position

COLOMBO, — March 24 — Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake spoke by telephone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, with both leaders emphasizing the need to keep vital global shipping routes open amid rising tensions in West Asia. According to India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, the call was initiated by Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The two leaders “reiterated the importance of keeping shipping lines open and secure in the interest of the whole world,” it said i


Our Reporter

Our Reporter

Trincomalee Oil Farm and Energy Hub: Sri Lanka’s Missed Opportunity Returns

Trincomalee Oil Farm and Energy Hub: Sri Lanka’s Missed Opportunity Returns

By: Dr. Gamini Goonetilleke The Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm stands today as one of the most strategically significant yet historically underutilized energy assets in South Asia. Located in the deep natural harbour of Trincomalee, the facility embodies a convergence of history, geopolitics, and economic potential. In the current global context—marked by energy insecurity, shifting geopolitical alliances, and regional competition—the Trincomalee oil farm offers Sri Lanka a renewed opportunity


Dr. Gamini Goonetilleke

Dr. Gamini Goonetilleke