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…

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee backs NPC resolution calling for genocide investigation

Feb 15, 2015
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) stated that it supports a resolution passed by the Sri Lankan Northern Provincial Council which called for an international inquiry into the crime of genocide against the Tamils.

"By whatever name you call it..war crimes, human rights violations or genocide..the fact is that thousands of lives were lost in Sri Lanka and this should be probed," said TNCC President EVKS Elangovan, adding that his party supports a UN investigation into the mass atrocities.

Indian Prime Minister holds talks with Sri Lankan President in Delhi

Feb 15, 2015
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi to discuss bilateral relations today, as part of his first foreign visit since assuming office last month.

The two met at Hyderabad House in Delhi, after Mr Sirisena met with India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj earlier in the day.

Speaking at a joint press conference Sri Lanka’s president said that the two nations “were able to strengthen” their friendship and sign agreements “ on several subjects.”

The Indian Premier, Narendra Modi, tweeted, “India and Sri Lanka are set to grow further."

A series of agreements were signed by the two nations, including a landmark nuclear deal, which will see India help Sri Lanka build its nuclear energy infrastructure the Indian foreign ministry said.

India will also look to play a part in Sri Lanka’s plan to establish 600 MW of nuclear capacity by 2030, reports Reuters.

Other agreements surrounding the themes of cultural cooperation, university relations and agricultural cooperation were also signed, reports The Hindu.

Human Rights Council gives Sri Lanka 6 months to cooperate with UN inquiry

Feb 15, 2015
15:24 GMT, last updated 17 Feb 14:14 GMT

The UN Human Rights Council on Monday decided to give the new Sri Lankan government six months to cooperate with the UN inquiry into mass atrocities against the Tamil people, in order to ensure the submission of further information, stressing however, that the extension of time would be "for one time only".

In a written letter to the Council, which was holding a preliminary meeting on Monday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, requested member states to defer their consideration of the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) report, till the 30th session in September, to allow for cooperation from the Sri Lankan government in order to gather more information and ensure a "stronger and more comprehensive report".

“There should be no misunderstanding,” Mr Zeid stressed, in a letter read to the Council, "I give my personal, absolute and unshakable commitment that the report will be published by September."

"Like my predecessors, I believe that one of the most important duties of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is to act as a strong voice on behalf of victims. I want this report to have the maximum possible impact in ensuring a genuine and credible process of accountability and reconciliation in which the rights of victims to truth, justice and reparations are finally respected.”

Witnesses 'deeply disappointed' by UN inquiry delay says TAG

Feb 15, 2015
The rights group, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) said witnesses would be "deeply disappointed" by the UN Human Rights Council's decision on Monday to delay the publishing of the findings of a UN inquiry into mass atrocities against Tamils in Sri Lanka.

"We are deeply disappointed on behalf of our witnesses, who came forward to submit their testimonies and evidence of war crimes to the UN inquiry at grave risk to themselves and families back home," Jan Jananayagam, the director of TAG, which has worked closely with Tamils who were witnesses and victims of mass atrocities during the end of the armed conflict told Tamil Guardian.

"Hearing that the inquiry's findings will not be released at the Council's coming session is going to be extremely difficult for them to accept. In the interests of transparency, we stress that the evidence of mass atrocities should be published as soon as possible, regardless of any political changes."

Batticaloa mothers demand Sri Lanka govt releases detained children

Feb 15, 2015

Tamil mothers and relatives of the disappeared held a demonstration in Batticaloa on Monday, calling on the Sri Lankan government to release their children from custody.


Holding photographs and clothing of their missing children and husbands, women from across the region, came together to hold a seven hour fast in Kaanthippoongavil, Batticaloa town.

Tamil Nadu political parties welcome NPC resolution, call on India to take action

Feb 15, 2015
Political leaders across Tamil Nadu, welcoming a recent Northern Provincial Council resolution in Sri Lanka calling on the UN inquiry to investigate genocide of the Tamil people, called on the Indian central government to endorse the resolution and take action to address the grievances of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.

The Hindu retrieved reactions of figureheads from a plethora of political parties in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to The Hindu, the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) treasurer ML Stalin said, India must pass an internal resolution acknowledging the Tamil genocide in Sri Lanka.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) representative in Tamil Nadu, S Ramadoss, called on the Delhi to take action and facilitate a referendum living across the world for an independent state of Tamil Eelam.

The general secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) G Vaiko, highlighting that militarisation of the North-East continued under Sri Lankka’s new government, said the NPC resolution proved the new Sirisena government would not be able to meet the needs of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.

Wigneswaran calls for further devolved power to address issues in Northern Province

Feb 15, 2015

Noting that the elected leaders of the Northern Province had no control over their own offices, the Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council  CV Wigneswaran called on the government to hand over authority and power to the provincial administration during a Provincial Council meeting on Monday.

Over 100,000 war widows remain in the North-East of Sri Lanka said Mr Wigneswaran addressing a meeting of the Special Coordinating Committee for the Northern Province, in Jaffna.

The meeting was chaired by the Central Public Administration and Good Governance Minister Karu Jayasuriya, reports the New Indian Express.

Tamil protesters sign petition demanding release of political prisoners and disappeared

Feb 14, 2015

Families of the disappeared participated in a protest demanding the release of detained political prisoners and investigation into the disappeared, on Friday outside the Jaffna Central Bus Station.

As part of a petition organised, families member signed their names on a banner that outlined key demands of finding the disappeared and releasing all detained political prisoners.

Tamil diaspora orgs urge UN human rights chief to release Sri Lanka inquiry report

Feb 14, 2015

A coalition of 15 key Tamil diaspora organisations worldwide have urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,  Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, to ensure the report on the UN inquiry into mass atrocities against Tamils in Sri Lanka is released next month as originally intended in a resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in March 2014.

In a letter sent to Mr Zeid on Sunday, the organisations - Australian Tamil Congress (ATC), British Tamil Conservatives (BTC), British Tamil Forum (BTF), Centre for War Victims and Human Rights (Canada), Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America, Global Tamil Forum (GTF), Ilankai Tamil Sangam (ITS), New Zealand Tamil Society (NZTS), People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), South Africa Tamil Federation, Swedish Tamil Forum, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), Tamils for Labour, US Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) and World Thamil Organization (WTO) - endorsed the Northern Provincial Council's resolution on genocide and its call to ensure the report is released next month.

"Our organisations representing the 1-million strong Tamil Diaspora forced out of Sri Lanka due to the conflict, and having lost tens of thousands of relatives, fully endorse the call by the Northern Provincial Council, and urge you to release the OISL report in March 2015 as originally mandated," the coalition said, adding, "President Sirisena’s election and short tenure do not negate the need for a timely release."

Sri Lankan president arrives in India for official visit

Feb 14, 2015

Sri Lanka's new president, Maithripala Sirisena, arrived in New Delhi on Sunday as part of an official visit. He was greeted on arrival by India's Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, P Radhakrishnan.
Indian Prime Minister holds talks with Sri Lankan President in Delhi
Human Rights Council gives Sri Lanka 6 months to cooperate with UN inquiry
Witnesses 'deeply disappointed' by UN inquiry delay says TAG
Batticaloa mothers demand Sri Lanka govt releases detained children
Tamil Nadu political parties welcome NPC resolution, call on India to take action
Wigneswaran calls for further devolved power to address issues in Northern Province
Tamil protesters sign petition demanding release of political prisoners and disappeared
Tamil diaspora orgs urge UN human rights chief to release Sri Lanka inquiry report
Sri Lankan president arrives in India for official visit
India must support UN investigation adoption says DMK chief
Indian Prime Minister holds talks with Sri Lankan President in Delhi
Human Rights Council gives Sri Lanka 6 months to cooperate with UN inquiry
Witnesses 'deeply disappointed' by UN inquiry delay says TAG
Batticaloa mothers demand Sri Lanka govt releases detained children
Tamil Nadu political parties welcome NPC resolution, call on India to take action
Wigneswaran calls for further devolved power to address issues in Northern Province
Tamil protesters sign petition demanding release of political prisoners and disappeared
Tamil diaspora orgs urge UN human rights chief to release Sri Lanka inquiry report
Sri Lankan president arrives in India for official visit
India must support UN investigation adoption says DMK chief