Major stories in the Sinhala and Tamil press: Apr.28 – May 4

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 five main stories. The five stories were on the: (i) preparations for the 2025 Local Government Elections; (ii) escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack; (iii) accumulation of garbage in Kandy following the exposition of the sacred tooth relic; (iv) announcement of the 2024 G.C.E Advanced Level (A/L) examination results; and (v) Labour Day celebrations and rallies. The Sinhala press exclusively featured three main stories, and they were on the: (i) arrest of several politicians in past governments on charges of corruption and fraud; (ii) escalation of organised crime in the country; and (iii) reduction of fuel prices and reported plans to increase electricity tariffs. The Tamil press exclusively featured three main stories, and they were on the: (i) demands to provide post-war accountability and transitional justice for past crimes; (ii) issuing of a gazette to reportedly appropriate lands in the North and East; and (iii) commemoration of slain journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram (nom de plume Taraki).