Major stories in the Sinhala and Tamil press: Jul.28 – Aug.3

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) enforcement of the law against politicians of past governments; (ii) proposals for new education reforms; (iii) views for and against the government’s progress; and (iv) crane accident in Borella that left one person dead. The Sinhala press exclusively featured two main stories, and they were on the: (i) government’s plans to expand digital transactions and (ii) Yatinuwara Pradeshiya Sabha opposition leader allegedly murdering two family members before dying by suicide. The Tamil press exclusively featured three main stories, and they were on the: (i) investigations into the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna and the skeletal remains discovered in Sampur, Trincomalee; (ii) protests demanding the release of Tamil political prisoners and the lands occupied by the military; and (iii) escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.