Imperial College London’s Tamil Society celebrated the 30th anniversary of Mega Maalai, Europes's largest annual Tamil student-led cultural showcase. The showcase was held earlier this month at the ExCel London, their largest venue to date, and with over 300 performers, the event has reached unprecedented heights, delivering a spectacle of dance, music and fashion.
Sri Lanka and China have signed nine agreements following the prime minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s recent visit to China this week. Gunawardena stated that China has offered to “assist Sri Lanka debt restructuring” while “extending assistance to develop Katunayake International Airport, Hambantota Sea Port, and the Port City in Colombo.” A communique on the Prime Minister’s Media Unit stated that nine agreements were signed during this official visit however it failed to state what the agreements were for. Meanwhile, details on the discussions held between Gunawardena and Chinese President Xi...
Sri Lanka's national security advisor Sagala Ratnayaka has stated that Sri Lanka will begin repaying its debt from 2028 following negotiations with it's creditors as the island continues to suffer from its worst financial crisis. In an interview with Nikkei Asia , Ratnayaka said: “We are hoping that it [a detailed announcement] will take place in the next few weeks." The repayment period will be for 15 years, from 2028 to 2042, with the interest rate newly set at around 2%. Ratnayaka said that there would be no further debt reduction, despite a request by Sri Lanka. In April 2022, Sri Lanka...
Tamil families of the disappeared staged a protest in front of the Vavuniya bus stand, demanding justice and the intervention of the international community. The protest, spearheaded by women, saw impassioned calls for answers regarding the whereabouts of their disappeared loved ones. "Ranil we don't want your money, we want our children back," read one placard, while another questioned, "How did our children who trusted the army and surrendered, disappear." Speaking to the media, protestors expressed deep-seated distrust in any truth-seeking mechanisms instituted by Sri Lanka, emphasising...
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been urged to “leverage US leadership within the United Nations” and advocate for the rights of the Eelam Tamils to self-determination, by a group of ten members of congress this week.
Sri Lankan soldiers are currently fighting a fully-fledged war. However, this time it is thousands of miles from the Tamil homeland. Reports emerged this week that ‘hundreds’ of troops are currently serving with the Russian military, as Moscow continues its deadly offensive into Ukraine. Though some are fighting alongside the Ukrainians, it seems the vast majority are travelling to fight with Russia, lured with promises of earning a stable salary and even foreign citizenship. As Sri Lanka’s economic woes continue, its troops have effectively become a mercenary force. A military accused of war crimes is exporting soldiers to fight alongside another military accused of war crimes.
The London Borough of Hounslow passed a motion declaring January as Tamil Heritage Month, as well as marking January 14 as Thai Pongal in the borough’s calendar. The motion, proposed by Councillor Ron Mushiso and seconded by Councillor Allan Joseph, states that: “London’s Tamil community, originating from Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and elsewhere, makes a strong contribution to the life of our city. Over 3,000 Tamils from around the world have made Hounslow as their home.” In his speech, Joseph noted the rich history and culture of the Tamil people and detailed the...
The Colombo High Court handed down a sentence of four years of rigorous imprisonment to Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara and a fine of Rs.100,000 over anti-Muslim remarks he made in 2016 during a press conference. The Colombo High Court judge also instructed that an additional year of imprisonment be added if he fails to pay the imposed fine. The verdict comes weeks after Gnanasara made an apology over his anti-Muslim remarks. He had told courts from the dock that he was remorseful if the remarks had caused distress. However, delivering the verdict High Court...
Current Sri Lankan soldiers are taking leave from their duties to go and serve on the frontlines with the Russian and Ukrainian militaries, joining dozens of former Sri Lankan troops who are already participating in the conflict.
Former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre and activist Selvanayagam Aravinthan has been arrested by Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) for allegedly supporting the LTTE. Aravinthan was summoned for an investigation on March 12 by the TID over a Facebook account but he allegedly did not report to the TID on this date. Following this, the TID issued another summons ordering him to report to the TID. Summons stating that Aravinthan must report to the TID on March 12 Following the second summons, Aravinthan went to the TID in Colombo yesterday, where he was arrested...