Botanical Gardens or Burial Grounds? The Conversion of Maaveerar Thuyilum Illams and the Struggle Over Memory, Rights, and Recognition in Sri Lanka Executive Summary The Sri Lankan government's conversion of Maaveerar Thuyilum Illams-Tamil war cemeteries-into botanical gardens has ignited profound controversy, particularly among the Tamil-speaking population of the North and East. This report investigates the facts, legal frameworks, and competing narratives surrounding these conversions, situating them within broader patterns of state policy, memory politics, and international human rights law. Drawing on government records, United Nations reports, academic analyses, Tamil civil society documentation, and media investigations, the report triangulates evidence to address three core Tamil concerns: (1) the treatment of Tamils as secondary citizens in their ancestral lands; (2) the claim to recognition as a distinct nation or people under international law; and (3) the accusation t...

Humanitarian Airlift and Geopolitical Crossroads: The US Air Force Landing at Jaffna International Airport and Its Implications for Sri Lanka’s Tamils and Regional Power Dynamics A Comprehensive Analysis of the December 2025 US Humanitarian Operation in Northern Sri Lanka, Stakeholder Responses, and the Future of Tamil Engagement with International Actors Introduction In December 2025, the United States Air Force executed a high-profile humanitarian airlift to Jaffna International Airport in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, delivering critical aid to communities devastated by Cyclone Ditwah. This operation, unprecedented in its visibility and scale for the region, has reverberated far beyond immediate disaster relief. It has triggered a complex interplay of local gratitude, Tamil aspirations, Indian strategic anxieties, and broader questions about the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Indian Ocean. This report provides a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of the fa...