Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

The arithmetic of a grave
This week, the number of skeletal remains uncovered at Chemmani reached a stark record of 387. With that figure, a patch of earth on the edge of Jaffna town became the largest mass grave ever uncovered on the island, surpassing the 376 remains recovered at Mannar. Recent days alone have seen the bodies of several children exhumed, alongside beads and bangles. These are the contents of the…

Police destroy posters promoting self-determination in North-East

Nov 23, 2013

Police in the area of Velvettithurai have recently had to destroy posters and stickers on walls in support of a separate state for the North-East of Sri Lanka.

Credentials worthy of the SL Cabinet

Nov 23, 2013
The Deputy Minister S.M. Chandrasena, who organised the protests in Anuradhapura during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet which mobbed the Channel 4 news team who were on board a train towards the North, has been appointed a Cabinet Minister by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, reports the Colombo Telegraph.

Poet's arrest part of 'on-going witch hunt' - Jaffna Uni lecturer

Nov 23, 2013
Speaking to Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS) on the arrest of the Norwegian Tamil poet Jayapalan, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Jaffna, said that the arrest  “was part of the ongoing campaign of witch-hunt against Tamils journalists, university students and academics”.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the lecturer added,

Norwegian Tamil poet arrested by SL intelligence in Maankulam

Nov 22, 2013
The acclaimed poet and actor, Jeyapalan, was arrested in Maankulam on Friday by the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) at taken to the TID office in Vavuniya.

Jeyapalan, who resides in Norway having fled the ethnic conflict, had returned to pay his respects at his late mother's grave in Maankulam.

According to reports, at approximately 5pm, security forces arrested him stating he had violated visa regulations. He is understood to have entered Sri Lanka on a tourist visa.

However, according to PTI, the Sri Lankan police spokesperson Ajith Rohana said that Jayapalan had been arrested for holding seminars in Jaffna.

SL military seize 3200 acres in Mullaitheevu district

Nov 22, 2013
The Sri Lankan military has seized 3200 acres of land in Odduchuddaan DS division in Mullaitheevu district, reported TamilNet, citing sources in Vanni.

See here for more.

Rajapaksa blessed at the Sacred Tooth for assuming Commonwealth Chair post

Nov 22, 2013
Photographs News.lk


The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa received blessings from the Buddhist clergy at the Scared Tooth relic in Kandy on Friday, for assuming the post of Commonwealth Chair. 



Jet Airways cancels daily Chennai-Colombo flights

Nov 22, 2013
Jet Airways, India's largest domestic airlines, is due to cancel it's daily service from Chennai to Colombo, reported ColomboPage.

The daily service from Chennai is due to be stopped from the 3rd of January 2014, although flights from Mumbai will still serve Colombo.

Cricketer Murali criticised for remarks to Cameron

Nov 22, 2013
The Sri Lankan Cricker Muralitharan was criticised by members of the Chaavakachcheri Urban Council on Thursday for his comments to the British Premier David Cameron, asserting that reconciliation was well under way.

Passing a resolution, Councillor P Sritharan, said,

Jaya slams 'meek and pusillanimous' Indian government

Nov 22, 2013
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has slammed the Indian government for failing to respond to repeated attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Jayalalithaa said,
“The meek and pusillanimous response of the Indian government to these repeated instances of apprehension have emboldened the Lankan Navy to illegally arrest and detain more and more of our fishermen”.

Video emerges of TNA leader facing Tamils protesting against disappearances

Nov 22, 2013
A video has emerged from last week, of the TNA leader R Sampanthan facing distressed and angered Tamils, demanding that he get down from the car.

The Tamils had been demonstrating against the disappearances of their loved ones outside the Jaffna library during the British Prime Minister's visit to Jaffna, in the hope that they would get a chance to tell him their stories and express their desire for justice.

Credentials worthy of the SL Cabinet
Poet's arrest part of 'on-going witch hunt' - Jaffna Uni lecturer
Norwegian Tamil poet arrested by SL intelligence in Maankulam
SL military seize 3200 acres in Mullaitheevu district
Rajapaksa blessed at the Sacred Tooth for assuming Commonwealth Chair post
Jet Airways cancels daily Chennai-Colombo flights
Cricketer Murali criticised for remarks to Cameron
Jaya slams 'meek and pusillanimous' Indian government
Video emerges of TNA leader facing Tamils protesting against disappearances
Ananthy Sasitharan threatened over Jaffna protests
Credentials worthy of the SL Cabinet
Poet's arrest part of 'on-going witch hunt' - Jaffna Uni lecturer
Norwegian Tamil poet arrested by SL intelligence in Maankulam
SL military seize 3200 acres in Mullaitheevu district
Rajapaksa blessed at the Sacred Tooth for assuming Commonwealth Chair post
Jet Airways cancels daily Chennai-Colombo flights
Cricketer Murali criticised for remarks to Cameron
Jaya slams 'meek and pusillanimous' Indian government
Video emerges of TNA leader facing Tamils protesting against disappearances
Ananthy Sasitharan threatened over Jaffna protests