Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake has once again pledged to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act, claiming the law will be abolished before the end of the year, even as his government prepares new legislation on organised crime. Addressing parliament on Wednesday, Dissanayake said the draconian law, first introduced as a temporary measure in 1979, had remained in force for 46…

Fasting Tamils end 16-day protest after pledges from Sri Lankan minister


Photograph: BBC Sinhala

Tamils in Kilinochchi who had launched a hunger strike demanding the return of their lands from the Sri Lankan military have ended their protest, after a Sri Lankan government minister pledged they would be returned to their homes within three months.

Body found in Kilinochchi

The body of an unidentified man was found in Kilinochchi on Tuesday. 

The body was discovered by a local girl who reported the finding to local police. 

Kilinochchi police are reportedly investigating the incident. 

Sri Lankan ‘war criminals’ living in the UK

Suspected war criminals from Sri Lanka are amongst the 135 people that Britain has failed to deport, reports the Daily Mail.

The suspects have reportedly been involved in “bloody conflicts in Rwanda, Afghanistan, Libya, Serbia and Sri Lanka”.

Despite having their application for British citizenship rejected, they have managed to avoid deportation from the UK. None of the cases have been referred to Britain’s war crimes investigation unit.

Two schoolchildren reported missing in Trincomalee


Photograph: NewsFirst.lk

Two school children have been reported missing from Trincomalee, according to latest reports.

Sri Lankan president honours Jaffna troops for drug crackdowns

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena awarded soldiers and policemen in Jaffna last week, as he called for a crackdown on illegal drug smuggling.

‘Not even an inch of land will be returned’ – Sri Lankan army commander

Sri Lanka’s commander of the security forces in Jaffna told The Island that the army “would not return even an inch” of the land it occupies in the Northern Province, as he confirmed that the number of soldiers in the region had not been reduced.

Two women murdered in Batticaloa

The bodies of two women have been discovered at a house in Eravur, Batticaloa this morning according to latest reports.

Ada Derana reports that the two women were identified as a 55 year old lady and her 34 year old daughter.

Police suspect the women have been murdered, reports Colombo Gazette.

The bodies have been transferred to Eravur hospital where an autopsy will be carried out.
 

Sri Lanka ‘enthusiastic and ready’ for UN peacekeeping missions

Sri Lanka’s defence minister said his armed forces were “well prepared” to participate in United Nations peacekeeping missions, at a summit in London this week. 

State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene told the summit that Sri Lankan troops were keen to take part in peacekeeping missions, calling them a “golden opportunity”.

Meeting with 80 other ministers and military officials from across the world, the minister “explained our ability, enthusiasm and readiness to take part,” said Sri Lanka’s official Ministry of Defence website.

Mihin Lanka airline shuts down after millions lost

After millions of dollars of losses, the Sri Lankan government has finally decided to close down failing airline Mihin Lanka this week.

"By the end of the year, there will be no Mihin Lanka and we (SriLankan airlines) will be servicing the routes they operated," said SriLankan airlines chairman Ajith Dias, after stating losses of $117 million had been piled up.

Mihin Lanka, which was launched in 2008 and flies to several international locations, is now expected to stop its flights by the end of this year, with SriLankan airlines taking over.

SriLankan airlines though faces its own financial turmoil, with an estimated debt of $3.2 billion.
 

OMP has ‘humanitarian mandate’ – Sri Lankan FM

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister said the newly announced Office of Missing Persons will have a “humanitarian mandate”, following controversy over the lack of prosecutorial power the office will hold.

Speaking at the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) in Slovenia earlier this week, Mangala Samaraweera said the “main objective” of the bill was “ascertaining the fate of the missing, irrespective of when and where they went missing and in what location, and seek to provide answers to their family members and loved ones”.