Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

British Tamil engineer Arun Rajkumar became an unexpected face of Mercedes’ Austrian Grand Prix celebrations after stepping onto the Formula 1 podium and lifting the race-winning constructors’ trophy for the team. Rajkumar, who was born into an Eelam Tamil family, is a trackside power unit engineer for Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, the Brixworth-based division that designs,…

Navy plans acquisition of 18 acres in Mandaitivu

The Sri Lankan navy plans to acquire a further 18 acres of land in J/07 Grama Sevaha Division, Mandaitivu in order to build a camp for the Velusumana Navy Division. 

A notice declaring the planned acquisition was seen by residents on the island. 

Displaced families object as navy plants coconut trees in occupying land

Families in Sampur have reiterated their calls on the Sri Lankan navy to release their land after navy officers were seen planting coconut trees in the area earlier this month. 

Writing to the Trincomalee District Secretariat, the Eastern Province's governor and the Sri Lankan president, displaced families have urged action. 

Sri Lanka's Teachers Assoc criticises Jaffna uni student involvement in May 18 events

Sri Lanka's National University Teachers' Association (NUTA) on Tuesday filed a complaint against Jaffna University authorities for allowing students to take part in Mullivaikkal remembrance events on May 18. 

Accusing the students of "acting like the unofficial private army" of the chief minister of the Northern Province, the NUTA secretary, Channa Jayasumana said the students, whom he described as "misguided youths", should be "thankful to their political leadership and Sri Lankan forces that ended the armed conflict". 

Tamil Nadu police shoot protesters, 9 dead

Nine people were killed and 65 injured on Tuesday in Tamil Nadu after police opened fire at protesters in Thoothukudi, who had been seeking a ban on Sterlite Industries' copper plant. 

The protesters, who launched their protest many months ago, accuse Sterlite Industries of releasing pollutants from its plants and have been demanding the plant be closed. 

A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the incident by Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami 

The ruling AIADMK government has been widely criticised for the incident. 

Rahul Gandhi said the police's actions were "state sponsored terrorism". 

Sri Lankan president honours accused war criminals

Sri Lanka’s president awarded honours to 50 senior military officers, included those accused of war crimes in a lavish ceremony in Colombo this weekend.

Hundreds in New Zealand commemorate Mullivaikkal genocide

Hundreds of Tamils gathered in New Zealand on Friday to mark 9 years since the massacres at Mullivaikkal, where tens of thousands of Tamils were slaughtered.

Tamils in Canada mark 9 years since Mullivaikkal massacres

Members of the Tamil community organized an event at Albert Campbell Square in Toronto and at Van horn Parc in Montreal to commemorate the 9th year anniversary since tens of thousands of Tamils were killed in Mullivaikkal on Friday.

Sinhalese burn Tamil Eelam flag in Sri Lankan ‘war victory’ celebration

Sinhalese in a Colombo suburb burnt a Tamil Eelam flag this weekend, as they celebrated Sri Lanka’s military offensive 9 years ago which resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamils.

Sri Lankan president denounces war crimes accusations and hits out at Tamil diaspora

Maithripala Sirisena denied Sri Lankan troops had been accused of war crimes by the UN Human Rights Council and instead struck out at the Tamil diaspora, in a speech in Colombo this weekend.

The Sri Lankan president was quoted by his official media outlet as stating,

“our security forces have not been accused of war crimes in the resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council as certain media and extremist parties falsely depict”.

Debt crisis will worsen next year - Sri Lanka's finance minister

Sri Lanka's finance minister, Mangala Samaraweera on Sunday warned the country's debt crisis is only set to get worse. 

"This crisis will further worsen next year," Samaraweera told journalists. 

"$ 4,285 million have to be paid in 2019 and of which $3,315 or 77% of the repayment are for the debt obtained during the tenure of the Rajapaksa regime."