Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Three thousand years deep - Evidence uncovers Velanai's ancient seafarers
A newly published study has identified the earliest scientifically confirmed evidence of prehistoric human settlement on Velanai Island in the Jaffna Peninsula, dating back around 3,460 years and overturning an erroneous long-held Sri Lankan assumption that the region was largely uninhabited until much later. The study, published in the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology and led by…

Man shot dead in Vavuniya

Mar 3, 2015
A forty-five year old restaurant owner was shot dead last night in Vavuniya.

The man, identified as Vadivelu, was shot in Maharambaikkulam by unidentified gunmen as he left his restaurant, situated in Vairavapuliyankulam, at around 10:30pm local time, the Uthayan reported.

"He did not return to home all night, we were waiting expecting him, but he did not come. Only in the morning we informed that he was shot dead, we are not even sure why he was in Maharambaikkulam," Mr Vadivelu's relatives said.

Mr Vadivelu previously contested the 2000 parliamentary elections with the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO).

Effigies of TNA MP Sumanthiran seen across Jaffna

Mar 3, 2015


Further effigies of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, M A Sumanthiran were seen across Jaffna, the local newspaper, Uthayan reported on Wednesday.

Last month, protesters burnt an effigy of Mr Sumanthiran at a protest, accusing him of having colluded with Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera to defer the publication of the findings of a UN inquiry investigating mass atrocities against the Tamil people.

Teenage Tamil girl dies after gang rape in Vavuniya

Mar 3, 2015

A 16 year old girl died after being gang raped by at least 10 men in Vavuniya, reports the Uthayan.

Members of the Northern Provincial Council and the Tamil National Alliance visited the home of the teenager to pass on their condolences to her family.

The teenage girl was from the village of Kanagarayankulam, in the northern district of Vavuniya.

We will abolish exec presidency only if all parties offer unconditional support - Sri Lanka

Mar 2, 2015

Sri Lanka will abolish the executive presidency only if unconditional support is extended by all parties, cabinet spokesperson and health minister, Rajitha Senaratne said.

Speaking to The Island, the minister said the government would submit its constitutional reform draft to parliament and intends to abolish the executive presidency by April.

Mr Senaratne said Sri Lanka was committed to the 100-day agenda but that it should not be forgotten that far-reaching constitutional changes cannot be made without the unconditional support of the opposition.

Foreign countries trying to 'rule' Sri Lanka - President Sirisena

Mar 2, 2015

Sri Lanka's new President Maithripala Sirisena said some countries are attempting to "rule" the country, through attempts at signing various economic deals, Colombo Gazette reports.

Mr Sirisena noted that Sri Lanka has always played it safe since it gained independence in 1948 and will not allow itself to be ruled by a foreign country again, adding the country should be mindful of such attempts.

Protest continues in Trincomalee

Mar 2, 2015

Photographs: Tamil Guardian

Protestors gathered for a fourth consecutive day in Trincomalee, rejecting the presidential commission probing disappearances.

The commission is currently sitting in the town on the eastern coast of the island, but has had very few people participate after the Tamil Civil Society Forum, who organised the protest, and the Welfare Organisation for the Forcibly Disappeared Persons said they would boycott the commission.

North chief minister tells Sri Lankan president that North-East needs are serious and different

Mar 2, 2015


The chief minister of the northern province, C V Wigneswaran told the Sri Lankan president that whilst there was a need for adequate devolution across the island, the problems facing the North-East were different to the rest of the island, and required an urgent needs based assessment.

"It must be remembered that we are different in the North and East. We are a war affected region. Our problems are different, serious and needs adequate handling. I have yesterday impressed upon the Resident Co-ordinator of the UN in the presence of the Under Secretary General Mr Feltman that a needs’ based multi lateral assessment is a crying necessity for us to properly address our special problems," Mr Wigneswaran told the Sri Lankan president, who was chairing a provincial coordinating meeting at the District Secretariat Auditorium in Jaffna on Tuesday.

Tamil woman and 8y old daughter arrested on return to Sri Lanka by anti-terror police

Mar 2, 2015
Sri Lanka's anti-terror police on Monday arrested a Tamil woman, along with her 8 year old daughter, who had returned to the country from her current residence in France, to see her ailing parents.

According to the rights group, Watchdog, the woman, Jeyaganesh Pakeerathy, was stopped by officers from the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) at the airport in Colombo as she was due to board her flight back to France where she currently resides.

Credible tangible accountability prerequisite for peace in Sri Lanka says UN

Mar 2, 2015
The UN Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, stressed on Tuesday that "credible, tangible progress" in reconciliation, accountability and human rights is a "prerequisite to the achievement of sustainable peace and prosperity in Sri Lanka."

In a statement, concluding a four day visit to the island which included a visit to Jaffna where he met with several Tamil politicians, Mr Feltham said there was a strong distrust between the Tamil and Sinhala people.

He urged Sri Lanka's new government to take steps to address ongoing grievances regarding land, detentions, disappearances and military deployment in civilian areas.

Reiterating the UN and the international community's expectation of true accountability which meets internationally acceptable standards, Mr Feltham said: "These are not easy tasks, but we believe that they are essential tasks, expected by the international community and also - more importantly - by the citizens of this country themselves."

Sri Lankan President says he deliberately dodged CEPA talks with India

Mar 2, 2015

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena claimed to have deliberately avoided talking about the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the pair met in New Delhi last month.

“I want to assure you that I will not enter any agreement with any country that will be harmful to our businesses,” said Mr Sirisena, addressing local Sri Lankan businesses over the weekend.

Mr Sirisena went on to highlight the cancelling of contracts for 16 foreign mining firms; a move he claimed would strengthen local businesses.

Effigies of TNA MP Sumanthiran seen across Jaffna
Teenage Tamil girl dies after gang rape in Vavuniya
We will abolish exec presidency only if all parties offer unconditional support - Sri Lanka
Foreign countries trying to 'rule' Sri Lanka - President Sirisena
Protest continues in Trincomalee
North chief minister tells Sri Lankan president that North-East needs are serious and different
Tamil woman and 8y old daughter arrested on return to Sri Lanka by anti-terror police
Credible tangible accountability prerequisite for peace in Sri Lanka says UN
Sri Lankan President says he deliberately dodged CEPA talks with India
Sri Lankan Navy abducted children confirms police spokesperson
Effigies of TNA MP Sumanthiran seen across Jaffna
Teenage Tamil girl dies after gang rape in Vavuniya
We will abolish exec presidency only if all parties offer unconditional support - Sri Lanka
Foreign countries trying to 'rule' Sri Lanka - President Sirisena
Protest continues in Trincomalee
North chief minister tells Sri Lankan president that North-East needs are serious and different
Tamil woman and 8y old daughter arrested on return to Sri Lanka by anti-terror police
Credible tangible accountability prerequisite for peace in Sri Lanka says UN
Sri Lankan President says he deliberately dodged CEPA talks with India
Sri Lankan Navy abducted children confirms police spokesperson