Photo credits: Tamil Guardian
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk visits Chemmani mass grave; three politicians who went to the protest site turned away
Mawbima, Aruna, Divaina, Thinakkural, Thamilan, Virakesari, Thinakaran
Aruna, Mawbima and Divaina report that Minister of Fisheries Ramalingam Chandrasekhar, along with other political figures including NPP MP Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy and ITAK’s C.V.K. Sivagnanam, faced public backlash and were forced to leave the protest site near the Chemmani mass grave.
Aruna focuses on the protesters’ demands for justice, and includes a statement from the minister affirming his support for the protest and his lack of hostility towards those who confronted him.
Mawbima emphasises the concurrent visit of UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk, highlighting his interactions with protesters and victims’ families.
The Tamil newspapers report that Türk visited Chemmani, paid tribute at the
‘Unextinguishable Flame’ and listened to the grievances of the affected people. He also observed the Chemmani mass grave site where human skeletons were recovered. The newspapers also report that the three politicians were forced to leave the Chemmani site.
Thinakaran quotes Chandrasekhar as saying that he extends his support to the vigil protest, adding that certain groups attempt to use the protest seeking justice for their political gain, which cannot be accepted.
Iran-Israel conflict ends with ceasefire
Dinamina, Lankadeepa, Aruna, Divaina, Ada, Virakesari, Thinakaran
Citing foreign media, several newspapers report that a ceasefire had been agreed upon on the 24th, with the Iranian government officially announcing the end of the conflict. Photographs show Iranians taking to the streets in Tehran
and other cities to celebrate the end of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel. The reports also note U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that a regime change in Iran is unnecessary. Additionally, it is reported that Iran has severed ties with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Dinamina and Ada also report
that a Cabinet Sub-Committee chaired by Minister Vijitha Herath met on Tuesday (24th) to assess the potential impact of the Middle East conflict on Sri Lanka’s economy, particularly in relation to trade, foreign employment, tourism and foreign reserves.
Click here to find out more about the different priorities in the Sinhala and Tamil press