Major stories in the Sinhala and Tamil press: Jun.23 – 29

Signposts the differences and nuances in reporting between Sinhala and Tamil language newspapers.

Over the past week, the Sinhala and Tamil press converged in relation to four main stories. The four stories were on the: (i) reported purchase of expired medicines and fraud committed by a neurosurgeon selling overpriced drugs and surgical instruments; (ii) escalating conflict between Iran and Israel; (iii) power tussles in establishing control in local government authorities; and (iv) reported rise in the spread of dengue and chikungunya. The Sinhala press exclusively featured two main stories, and they were on the: (i) reported rise in road accidents and (ii) enforcement of law against MPs of past governments. The Tamil press exclusively featured three main stories, and they were on the: (i) official visit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to Sri Lanka and demands for accountability for past crimes; (ii) excavations conducted at the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna and the identification of 33 skeletal remains including children; and (iii) protests held across the North demanding the release of lands occupied by the state including in Myliddy in Jaffna.