Home

Israel draws on Sri Lanka’s genocidal tactics as it prepares Gaza offensive
As Israel prepares for a controversial new offensive into Gaza — condemned by the UK, France, and Canada — a senior former IDF officer and security analyst has pointed to Sri Lanka’s 2009 offensive, as a model for eliminating Hamas.

Tamil Affairs

Tamil Affairs
Remembering the 1958 pogrom
Tamil Affairs
Sri Lanka must back international accountability, says Human Rights Watch
Tamil Affairs
Swiss Tamils mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day in Bern
Tamil Affairs
Sorbonne hosts landmark conference on Tamil genocide and international justice

Latest Headlines

China backs Pakistan’s ‘sovereignty’ following Kashmir clash with India
China has reaffirmed its support for Pakistan’s “national sovereignty and territorial integrity” in the wake of one of the most severe military escalations between India and Pakistan in decades, as tensions mount over Kashmir.
Remembering the 1958 pogrom
Photograph: A Sinhalese mob beats a Tamil passenger after pulling him out of his car. 1958. (Courtesy Victor Ivan) On this day 67 years ago, Sinhala mobs began attacking, raping and murdering Tamils across the island. The violence was to become another in a series of deadly anti-Tamil pogroms. Estimates range from between 300 and 1,500 Tamils murdered in the days of violence, which began on 22 May 1958, and resulted in many more injured and the arson, looting and destruction of Tamil homes and businesses. On 27 May 1958, the Sri Lankan state declared a state of emergency.
Sri Lanka must back international accountability, says Human Rights Watch
On the 16th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, senior officials from Human Rights Watch (HRW) have renewed calls for international justice, denouncing the Sri Lankan government’s continued refusal to address wartime atrocities and ongoing abuses faced by Tamil victims, particularly women.
Swiss Tamils mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day in Bern
  Tamils in Switzerland gathered in the heart of Bern on 18 May to mark the 16th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, with a powerful series of events organised by the Swiss Tamil Youth Organisation and the Swiss Tamil Coordination Committee. The commemorations began at 3:00 PM at Europaplatz with a public remembrance ceremony, featuring the lighting of a communal flame, the hoisting of the Tamil Eelam national flag, and floral tributes in honour of the tens of thousands of Tamils massacred by the Sri Lankan state during the final stages of the armed conflict in 2009.  
Sorbonne hosts landmark conference on Tamil genocide and international justice
The historic Richelieu Amphitheatre at Sorbonne University in Paris hosted a major conference on the Tamil genocide and the ongoing struggle for international justice last month. 
Norwegian Tamils mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day 
Tamils in Norway held a commemoration for Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day on 18 May 2025, honouring the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians massacred by the Sri Lankan military in Mullivaikkal in 2009.
TYO France unveils immersive Tamil genocide exhibition
The Tamil Youth Organization (TYO) France and the political wing of the Confédération Comité Tamoul de France (CCTF) jointly launched an immersive exhibition on 17 May 2025, chronicling the history of Tamil Eelam and the genocide perpetrated against its people since 1948.
Mannar Citizens Committee warns against destructive industrial projects
Fr. S. Marcus Adigalar, President of the Mannar Citizens Committee, issued a strong warning this week against what he described as “destructive activities” carried out in the district by Sri Lankan government departments, non-governmental organisations, and multinational corporations.
Sri Lanka’s economic ‘recovery’ unravels as reserves shrink
In April 2025, Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves fell by 3%, slipping from the previous month $6.53 billion to $6.32 billion, according to data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The $210 million decline, despite the ongoing IMF-supported programme, highlights persistent vulnerabilities in the country’s post-crisis recovery trajectory.
Sri Lanka defends ties with Israel as it sends hundreds more workers
Sri Lanka’s Minister Bimal Rathnayake continued to defend his government’s ties with Israel as international condemnation over its ongoing assault on Gaza continues, with Colombo sending hundreds more workers to the country this month. “If Sri Lanka suddenly ends ties with Israel, the economy will crash,” claimed Rathnayake.  “It will also result in several Sri Lankan migrants currently employed in Israel losing their jobs. We cannot do this. Sri Lanka will act like several countries, including Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia, who stand with Palestine but continue ties with Israel for diplomatic and economic purposes,” he said. 

There can be no more denial

Tamil resistance at the polls

A shaky bridge across the Palk Strait

FEATURES
Remembering a reserved hero: Brigadier Balraj
16 years today - A massacre in Mullivaikkal
Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day 2025 commemorated in Eelam

Tamil News

Remembering the 1958 pogrom

May 22

Photograph: A Sinhalese mob beats a Tamil passenger after pulling him out of his car. 1958. (Courtesy Victor Ivan)

On this day 67 years ago, Sinhala mobs began attacking, raping and murdering Tamils across the island. The violence was to become another in a series of deadly anti-Tamil pogroms.

Sri Lanka must back international accountability, says Human Rights Watch
On the 16th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, senior officials from Human Rights Watch (HRW) have renewed calls for international justice, denouncing the Sri Lankan government’s continued refusal to address wartime atrocities and ongoing abuses faced by Tamil victims, particularly women.
Swiss Tamils mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day in Bern

 

Tamils in Switzerland gathered in the heart of Bern on 18 May to mark the 16th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, with a powerful series of events organised by the Swiss Tamil Youth Organisation and the Swiss Tamil Coordination Committee.

Sorbonne hosts landmark conference on Tamil genocide and international justice
The historic Richelieu Amphitheatre at Sorbonne University in Paris hosted a major conference on the Tamil genocide and the ongoing struggle for international justice last month. 
Norwegian Tamils mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day 
Tamils in Norway held a commemoration for Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day on 18 May 2025, honouring the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians massacred by the Sri Lankan military in Mullivaikkal in 2009.
TYO France unveils immersive Tamil genocide exhibition
The Tamil Youth Organization (TYO) France and the political wing of the Confédération Comité Tamoul de France (CCTF) jointly launched an immersive exhibition on 17 May 2025, chronicling the history of Tamil Eelam and the genocide perpetrated against its people since 1948.
Mannar Citizens Committee warns against destructive industrial projects
Fr. S. Marcus Adigalar, President of the Mannar Citizens Committee, issued a strong warning this week against what he described as “destructive activities” carried out in the district by Sri Lankan government departments, non-governmental organisations, and multinational corporations.
Sri Lanka’s economic ‘recovery’ unravels as reserves shrink

In April 2025, Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves fell by 3%, slipping from the previous month $6.53 billion to $6.32 billion, according to data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The $210 million decline, despite the ongoing IMF-supported programme, highlights persistent vulnerabilities in the country’s post-crisis recovery trajectory.

Sri Lanka defends ties with Israel as it sends hundreds more workers

Sri Lanka’s Minister Bimal Rathnayake continued to defend his government’s ties with Israel as international condemnation over its ongoing assault on Gaza continues, with Colombo sending hundreds more workers to the country this month.

Dissanayake attends ‘Victory Day’ commemoration alongside war criminals
Sri Lanka’s president attended a ‘Victory Day’ Commemoration ceremony took place on 19 May, just a day after thousands of Tamils across the North-East and in the diaspora mourned the Mullivaikkal genocide.
Sri Lankan parliamentarians raise alarm over risks to lives as violence worsens
Amid rising concerns over the deteriorating security situation on the island, Sri Lanka’s opposition parties convened a special meeting in Parliament yesterday, citing increasing risks to public life and the ability of lawmakers to perform their duties without fear.
NEXT shuts Katunayake plant after nearly five decades, over 1,400 workers made redundant
NEXT Manufacturing, a British-owned apparel exporter operating in Sri Lanka since 1978, has announced the indefinite closure of its Katunayake Production Plant, citing rising operational costs and persistent unprofitability, in a blow to Sri Lanka’s already struggling economy.
Two women arrested after gold-plated T56 rifle found at Colombo apartment

Two women have been arrested following the discovery of a gold-plated T56 assault rifle at the Havelock City housing complex in Colombo.

Israeli ambassador meets Sri Lanka's defence secretary in Colombo

Israel’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Reuven Javier Azar, paid a courtesy call on Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), at the Ministry of Defence in Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte. 

Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister links politicians to organised crime and murder plots
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Public Security, Ananda Wijepala, delivered a damning statement in Parliament, confirming that multiple senior politicians are linked to organised criminal syndicates, including groups involved in drug trafficking, contract killings, and international crime networks.
Mullivaikkal Declaration reaffirms Tamil nation’s right to resist genocide 
Marking sixteen years since the Mullivaikkal genocide, the Mullivaikkal Remembrance Public Forum released a statement on 18 May 2025, reaffirming the Tamil nation’s unwavering commitment to justice, self-determination, and resistance against continued structural oppression by the Sri Lankan state.
Ponnambalam slams land seizure push as ‘deliberate effort to dispossess Tamils’
Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader and Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has sharply criticised the Sri Lankan government’s latest move to seize thousands of acres of land in the North, accusing it of using bureaucratic manoeuvres as a pretext to advance Sinhala-Buddhist colonisation and displace Tamils from their homeland.
Valikamam North residents submit petition demanding return of occupied lands
Tamil residents from Valikamam North submitted a formal petition to the Governor of the Northern Province on May 18, urging the immediate release of lands that remain under prolonged Sri Lankan military occupation.
Mullivaikkal genocide memorial at Kurdish Community Centre

Kurdish Community Centre

Complete human skeleton uncovered at Chemmani 
A complete human skeleton has been unearthed during excavation works at the Sindhubath Hindu cremation grounds in Chemmani, Jaffna, intensifying suspicions that the site may be the location of a mass grave dating back to the mid-1990s, a period marked by extensive Sri Lankan military operations across the Tamil homeland.

World News

China backs Pakistan’s ‘sovereignty’ following Kashmir clash with India

May 23
China has reaffirmed its support for Pakistan’s “national sovereignty and territorial integrity” in the wake of one of the most severe military escalations between India and Pakistan in decades, as tensions mount over Kashmir.
UN warns 14,000 babies could die in Gaza in the next 48 hours without aid

UN Tom

The UN's humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher has said that 14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours if aid is not let into Gaza.

Libya fighting eases after truce announced

abdulhamid dbeibah sitting


The worst fighting in Tripoli for years calmed down today after the government announced a ceasefire. 

Clashes broke out on Monday night after reports that the leader of the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA), Abdelghani al-Kikli, was killed. After calming Tuesday morning, the fighting reignited overnight. 

PKK to disband, potentially bringing an end to decades of conflict in Turkiye

Kurdistan Workers Party fighters standing beside each other

PKK, also known as the Kurdistan Workers Party announced plans to disband and disarm, potentially bringing 40 years of conflict with Turkiye to an end. 

UN experts call for international intervention to end genocide in Gaza

gaza

Escalating atrocities in Gaza present an urgent moral crossroads and States must act now to end the violence or bear witness to the annihilation of the Palestinian population in Gaza – an outcome with irreversible consequences for our shared humanity and multilateral order, UN experts warned, demanding immediate international intervention.

Israel to ‘occupy Gaza’ as cabinet approves new intensive Israeli operation

Netanyahu with hand up

The Israeli cabinet has approved plans to expand the war on Gaza and remain in the enclave for an unspecified amount of time. Benjamin Netanyahu said the new offensive will be an intensive military operation aimed at defeating Hamas. 

Netanyahu stated in a video message on X that Gaza’s Palestinian population “will be moved, for its own protection”.

UK in talks with France and Saudi Arabia on recognition of Palestine
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy revealed on Wednesday that the UK is in discussions with France and Saudi Arabia over the recognition of a Palestinian state, ahead of a UN conference in June.
Rwandan arrested in US over genocide charges

DOJ

Faustin Nsabumukunzi, 65, was charged with covering up from US authorities his role as a local leader in Rwanda when the genocide began in 1994. An estimated 800,000 Tutsis were killed during the three-month-long genocide.

DRC seeks to remove former president's immunity over alleged war crimes

Kabila standing at podium in front of flags

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are seeking to lift the immunity of former President Joseph Kabila so that he can face trial on charges of supporting a rebel uprising in eastern DRC. 

Houthi fighters down $200m worth of US drones

parked reaper drone

In recent weeks Yemen’s Houthi armed group has shot down seven US Reaper drones worth over $200m.

The drones destroyed between 31 March and 22 April mark Washington's most significant material loss. 

Tensions escalate between India and Pakistan following Pahalgam attack
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April, which left at least 26 people dead.
Ex-South African Foreign minister urges global reform to enforce ICJ Gaza ruling

Naledi Pandor smiling

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency on Monday, Former South African foreign minister Naledi Pandor renewed urgent calls to reform the United Nations. 

Pandor was the foreign minister when South Africa filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023.

'Together, we must uphold multilateralism,' says China's Ambassador to India

China’s ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, signalled a renewal of China-India ties, in the aftermath of US-imposed tariffs on countries around the world.

Tunisian court hands prison sentences to opposition figures

President Kaid Saeid in front of books

On Saturday, a Tunisian court sentenced dozens of opposition figures on national security charges. 

Forty people were being prosecuted in the trial, which started in March. Over 20 have fled abroad since being charged and have been sentenced in absentia. 

Israel sacks deputy commander over killing of 15 emergency workers in Gaza, denies cover-up

The Israeli military on Sunday announced the dismissal of a deputy commander following an internal investigation into the killing of 15 emergency workers in Gaza on March 23 2025. The investigation found “several professional failures” but denied any attempt to conceal the incident.

Al-Shabab fighters attack strategic Somalia town

Somali Armed Forces standing

Al-Shabab fighters are claiming to have seized control of Adan Yabaal, a town in central Somalia, on Wednesday. 

Adan Yabaal is situated about 220 kilometres north of Mogadishu and serves as the logistical hub for government forces.

President of Kurdistan autonomous region to meet Macron

MB

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday marking his fifth official visit to France.

Red Cross chief says humanitarian situation in Gaza is 'hell on earth'

Gaza

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has told the BBC that Gaza has become "hell on earth", as Israel's military assault and blockade of aid continues.

France could recognise Palestinian state in June

Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday France could recognise a Palestinian state in June.

Hamas launches legal challenge against UK terror designation
The Palestinian group Hamas has launched a legal challenge against the United Kingdom’s 2021 decision to designate it as a terrorist organisation, submitting a detailed 106-page application to the Home Secretary calling for the proscription to be overturned.
OPINION
Sri Lanka’s economic ‘recovery’ unravels as reserves shrink
From Visionary to Bystander: How ITAK has forgotten its historic roots
Bollywood’s Tamil Eelam Problem
CULTURE & COMMUNITY
Retro - A mad experiment
Good Bad Ugly - Grand, baseless, underdeveloped
'Bharathanatyam is a way to stay connected to your roots' - Interview with Usha Jey
INTERVIEW
'I am absolutely certain that Pillayan was involved in my brother's disappearance'
'Bharathanatyam is a way to stay connected to your roots' - Interview with Usha Jey
British MPs praise Tamils and pledge justice at Pongal