Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Environmentalists and civil society activists protested at Galle Face in Colombo on 17 June against proposed heavy mineral sand mining along the eastern coastline from Oluvil to Pothuvil, warning that the project threatens the land, fisheries and livelihoods of Tamil and Muslim communities across the Eastern Province. According to the People's Alliance for Right to Land (PARL), exploration…

Strong winds wreck homes in Mullaitivu

Strong winds have devastated a series of temporary houses belonging to 141 families, housing 454 people, in Mulliyawalai, Mullaitivu.

Cold weather devastates Tamil homeland - Hundreds of cattle die in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu

Roughly 600 cattle have died due to cold weather in Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi, as temperatures have dropped as low as 17 degrees in the past few days.

Naai Sekar Returns - No bark, no bite

Overall, ‘Naai Sekar Returns’ is an underwhelming effort and not the re-entry into Tamil cinema a comedic legend like Vadivelu deserves.

Tamil parties split on Wickremesinghe’s budget

 

Last week saw Tamil National Alliance MP, M.A. Sumanthiran, meet with Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to discuss the political aspiration of Tamils on the island.

The meeting follows the passage of the proposed 2023 budget which will see the island military budget further increased whilst simultaneously slashing funding to the public sector and incentivizing international trade.

US sanctions another Sri Lankan war criminal

On the eve of International Human Rights Day, the United States has imposed Magnitsky-style sanctions on the former head of a clandestine Sri Lankan Army platoon, known as the “Tripoli Platoon”, Prabath Bulathwatte.

Revisiting Baba - 20th anniversary re-release

Baba is a strange yet singular film, which reveals a lot about its writer. It is an unmissable film for a Rajini fan. Unfortunately, the re-release has toned down the aspects which make the film unique.

Rajapksas wiped out Rs.40mn from state in 2021

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa dropped more than Rs. 40 million in 2021 on official overseas visits, Daily Mirror reported based on details provided by the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Details furnished by the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office under the RTI revealed that the two Rajapaksa brothers had spent a total sum of Rs. 44,739,184.91 for five official visits abroad last year.

Tamils celebrate Karthikai Deepam

The Tamil festival of lights known as Karthikai Deepam or Karthikai Villakkeedu was celebrated in the North-East this weekend.

The festival falls each year on the full moon night of the Tamil month of karthikai and celebrates the creation of the Tamil god Murugan, although the celebration of a festival of lights precedes Hindu canonisation.

It was observed this year on December 7th.

Tamil people observed the night by lighting lamps in houses, streets and temples.

Locals demand road repairs in Jaffna

Protests were held on November 29th at the Moolai Arasadi Junction and in front of the Chankanai bus station demanding the reconstruction of roads in Valikamam West, Jaffna.

The protest was carried out demanding the reconstruction of the Jaffna - Manipay - Kaarainagar Road, Mavadi - Moolai Road, Vattukkottai - Ponnalai Roads.

The protestors said that those areas were completely blocked during the monsoon season. The public blamed government officials and politicians for not taking any actions to rectify the situation.

Vavuniya residents remember Semamadu massacre

 

An event was held in the Vavuniya village of Semamadu to remember a massacre by the Sri Lankan army in 1984.

Twenty-eight Tamil men and boys in Semamadu were woken up from their sleep and rounded up by the army, taken away in military vehicles never to be seen again, assumed to have been massacred.