Features

Features

Latest news from and about the homeland

As Burnham eyes Number 10, British Tamils face a largely untested record
Burnham at the EU Mayors' Conference in 2018. As Andy Burnham emerges as the frontrunner to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader and British prime minister, British Tamils are weighing a record on Tamil justice that is far thinner than the outgoing premier's, yet not quite the blank slate it might first appear. Starmer, who announced on Monday that he would resign as Labour leader and…

Remembering Joseph Pararajasingham 20 years on

Dec 25, 2025

Today marks 20 years since Tamil politician Joseph Pararajasingham was assassinated by Sri Lankan government-aligned paramilitary men in 2005.

Mr. Pararajasingham, who was a senior Tamil National Alliance (TNA) figure, and the MP for Batticaloa district, was shot and killed by two gunmen whilst he was attending Christmas midnight prayers at the St Mary's church in Batticaloa town on Christmas Eve.

Remembering Bala Anna 19 years on

Dec 14, 2025

Image courtesy of Tamil Narratives

Today marks 19 years since the passing of the chief negotiator and political strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Anton Balasingham. 

'No one helped us’ - Highland communities abandoned as cyclone devastation deepens

Dec 4, 2025
People trapped in Sri Lanka’s central highlands, home to some of the island’s most vulnerable Malayaga Tamil families, say they were left without warnings, assistance or government support as Cyclone Ditwah unleashed catastrophic floods and landslides that have killed hundreds.

Cyclone Ditwah: 390 killed, as death toll rises

Dec 1, 2025
The Sri Lankan government has declared a state of emergency as Cyclone Ditwah continues to devastate the island, raising the death toll to 390 with a further 352 individuals reported missing. 

Cyclone Ditwah devastates island: 69 dead, dozens missing

Nov 28, 2025

Cyclone Ditwah continues to unleash heavy rains, floods and landslides across the island, in one of the worst weather disasters in recent years.

Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC) confirmed on Friday evening that 69 people have been killed, with 34 still missing and more than 219,000 individuals affected.

Maaveerar Naal 2025 commemorated across Tamil Eelam and around the world

Nov 27, 2025
Remembrance events have taken place across Tamil Eelam and around the world today, to mark Maaveerar Naal or Great Heroes’ Day, paying tribute to the men and women who died in the independence struggle.

Flags, portraits and memorials sweep North-East, as Maaveerar Naal preparations surge

Nov 26, 2025
More than sixteen years after the genocide at Mullivaikkal, the Tamil homeland is witnessing its most widespread Great Heroes’ Day preparations in years.

Explainer - what is a Thuyilum Illam? 

Nov 24, 2025

Photograph: Koppay Thuyilum Illam, Jaffna, before its destruction by the Sri Lankan Army

As the Tamil nation prepares to mark Maaveerar Naal - or Great Heroes’ Day - on November 27, Tamils in the North-East will gather at Thuyilum Illams across the homeland to remember the Tamil fighters that sacrificed their lives for liberation.  

British Tamils confront JVP General Secretary in London

Nov 23, 2025
British Tamils gathered in London on Sunday to protest the visit of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva, confronting his convoy as he arrived at an event in Wembley.

Trincomalee Buddha shrine controversy explained

Nov 17, 2025
This explainer outlines what happened, why it matters, and how the reactions so far reveal deeper issues around colonisation of the North-East.
Remembering Joseph Pararajasingham 20 years on
Remembering Bala Anna 19 years on
'No one helped us’ - Highland communities abandoned as cyclone devastation deepens
Cyclone Ditwah: 390 killed, as death toll rises
Cyclone Ditwah devastates island: 69 dead, dozens missing
Maaveerar Naal 2025 commemorated across Tamil Eelam and around the world
Flags, portraits and memorials sweep North-East, as Maaveerar Naal preparations surge
Explainer - what is a Thuyilum Illam? 
British Tamils confront JVP General Secretary in London
Trincomalee Buddha shrine controversy explained
Remembering Joseph Pararajasingham 20 years on
Remembering Bala Anna 19 years on
'No one helped us’ - Highland communities abandoned as cyclone devastation deepens
Cyclone Ditwah: 390 killed, as death toll rises
Cyclone Ditwah devastates island: 69 dead, dozens missing
Maaveerar Naal 2025 commemorated across Tamil Eelam and around the world
Flags, portraits and memorials sweep North-East, as Maaveerar Naal preparations surge
Explainer - what is a Thuyilum Illam? 
British Tamils confront JVP General Secretary in London
Trincomalee Buddha shrine controversy explained