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…

Fonseka wants reinstatement as a Member of Parliament

Feb 10, 2015
The former head of Sri Lanka's army Sarath Fonseka called to be reinstated as a Member of Parliament, stating he was prepared to go to court to gain his seat back.

“Our party members will be pleased if we are given back this seat because we too played a role in the victory of this Government,” said Mr Fonseka, highlighting Sri Lankan President Maithripalal Sirisena's election victory earlier this year.

Kilinochchi protest over land rights issue

Feb 10, 2015

Tamils living in villages in Kilinochchi demanded the Sri Lankan government issues them with certificates for their land, during a protest in the district capital today,

Residents accused the government of deliberately withholding the certificates, in some cases for 25 years, which they require in order to be eligible for funds from the housing scheme, to connect to the electrical grid and other development. The land concerned is in the villages of Nathakkudiyiruppu, Ulavanoor and Punnaineeraavi, all in the Kilinochchi district’s Kandaavalai regional secretariat division.

BTF urges UK to act on NPC resolution

Feb 10, 2015
The British Tamil Forum (BTF), in a statement released on Tuesday, welcoming the Northern Provincial Council resolution on the genocide of Tamils, called on the British government to take immediate steps to refer the Sri Lankan case of genocide to the International Criminal Court.

"BTF calls upon the UK government to take immediate diplomatic initiatives to ensure that the Sri Lankan government’s efforts to delay and derail the international investigation are defeated. Furthermore, as called for by the NPC resolution, BTF calls upon the UK government to take immediate diplomatic measures to refer the Sri Lankan case to the International Criminal Court so that the perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity are brought to justice," the statement said.

Local health workers in Jaffna protest unfair recruitment in hospitals

Feb 10, 2015
Health workers protested the government’s refusal to offer them permanent contracts at Jaffna Hospital despite working there for 10 years, for a second continuous day in Jaffna.

Protesting outside the  offices of the Northern Province Health Minister P Sathiyalingam and Secretary for the Ministry of Health, R Raveendran, the local health workers demanded a reason for not being given permanent post at the hospital over 127 other less experienced volunteers at Jaffna Hospital, reports Uthayan.

Hugo Swire discusses accountability and reconciliation with Sri Lanka's foreign minister

Feb 10, 2015
The British Foreign Office Minister for Asia, Hugo Swire met and discussed the “importance of Sri Lanka making progress on reconciliation and accountability,” with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Mangala Samaraweera, on Tuesday, the British Foreign office announced.

Recalling his visit to “Jaffna and Colombo”, Mr Swire said,

NPC passes resolution asking UN to investigate genocide of Tamils by Sri Lanka state

Feb 9, 2015
08:32 GMT

The Northern Provincial Council passed a resolution today calling on the UN inquiry to investigate the genocide of the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan government and recommend appropriate measures for the International Criminal Court, stating that the Tamil people have no faith in domestic commission.

The resolution, tabled by the chief minister of the province, Justice C V Wigneswaran, was passed with an overwhelming majority around 9.30am local time.

"This resolution provides as overview of the evidence demonstrating successive Sri Lankan governments' genocide against Tamils, and respectfully requests the ongoing United Nations Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) to investigate the claim of genocide and recommend appropriate investigations and prosecutions by the International Criminal Court (ICC)," the resolution read.

Stating that the "Tamils have no hope for justice in any domestic Sri Lankan mechanism, whether conducted by the Rajapaksa regime, Sirisena regime, or its successor" the resolution called for justice and accountability for the Tamil genocide "to be driven and carried out by the international community".

Genocide resolution is challenge to 'moral integrity' of Sinhalese and world – CM Wigneswaran

Feb 9, 2015

The Northern Provincial Council’s Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran said the resolution passed today by the Northern Provincial Council, calling on the UN to investigate genocide, is a challenge to "moral integrity and humaneness" of the international community and the Sinhala people.

Tamil Nadu government will fund lawyers to get boats back from Sri Lanka

Feb 9, 2015
The Tamil Nadu government stated it would hire lawyers if needed to secure the release of 81 fishing boats which were confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy, in a letter urging the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka to ensure the boats are returned.

No need to remove army camps in North to return land to Tamils says Sri Lanka minister

Feb 9, 2015
Sri Lanka's state minister of defence, Ruwan Wijewardene, said reiterated the government's refusal to remove army camps in the North, stating that there was no need to remove such camps in order to release land to the Tamil people.

Announcing the appointment of a committee by the new president intended to investigate land issues in the North in order to release land to civilians, Mr Wijewardene said "there would not be a necessity to remove army camps in the North in order to release lands required by the civilians".

Sri Lanka completes payments of $750,000 to former IMF chief DSK

Feb 9, 2015
Sri Lanka completed payments of $750,000 to former IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn this week, for his role as advisor in setting up the country's International Finance Centre.

Cabinet spokesperson Rajitha Senarathne confirmed that the payments had been made but stated the hiring of Mr Strauss-Kahn “has taken place without a cabinet approval.”

Mr Senarathne told reporters, "Our government does not feel it necessary to get his services. We can manage on our own."
Kilinochchi protest over land rights issue
BTF urges UK to act on NPC resolution
Local health workers in Jaffna protest unfair recruitment in hospitals
Hugo Swire discusses accountability and reconciliation with Sri Lanka's foreign minister
NPC passes resolution asking UN to investigate genocide of Tamils by Sri Lanka state
Genocide resolution is challenge to 'moral integrity' of Sinhalese and world – CM Wigneswaran
Tamil Nadu government will fund lawyers to get boats back from Sri Lanka
No need to remove army camps in North to return land to Tamils says Sri Lanka minister
Sri Lanka completes payments of $750,000 to former IMF chief DSK
New Sri Lanka govt needs to do actions not just words says NPC minister
Kilinochchi protest over land rights issue
BTF urges UK to act on NPC resolution
Local health workers in Jaffna protest unfair recruitment in hospitals
Hugo Swire discusses accountability and reconciliation with Sri Lanka's foreign minister
NPC passes resolution asking UN to investigate genocide of Tamils by Sri Lanka state
Genocide resolution is challenge to 'moral integrity' of Sinhalese and world – CM Wigneswaran
Tamil Nadu government will fund lawyers to get boats back from Sri Lanka
No need to remove army camps in North to return land to Tamils says Sri Lanka minister
Sri Lanka completes payments of $750,000 to former IMF chief DSK
New Sri Lanka govt needs to do actions not just words says NPC minister