Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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…

Seeman states Vetrimaaran will direct film on Prabhakaran

The leader of Tamil Nadu’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Seeman claimed that celebrated film director Vetrimaaran will work with him to create a movie about the life of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

In a tweet on his social media account, Seeman said he would produce the movie whilst the acclaimed Vetrimaaran would direct it. The movie will reportedly look at the lives of both ancient Tamil ruler Raja Raja Cholan, as well as Prabhakaran.

‘If we miss, our identities will be taken from us’ – Vetrimaaran says Tamil cinema must be political

National Award-winning film-maker Vetrimaaran called on the Tamil film industry to remain political and “connected”, as he slammed attempts to distort the secular nature of Tamil Nadu.

Speaking at the 60th birthday celebrations of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, the celebrated film director said “constantly our identities are being taken away from us”.

Sri Lankan army accused of protecting fishermen involved in illegal activities

Sri Lankan soldiers have been accused of providing protection for fishermen who have been involved in illegal activities in Mullaitivu, after police fired tear gas at demonstrators this week.

‘A threat to our lives’

Sumanthiran speaks on genocide, a political solution and broader US  involvement in Sri Lanka | Tamil Guardian

Tamil National Alliance MP MA Sumanthiran said that he and fellow party member Shanakiyan Rasamanickam had been followed by a Sri Lankan intelligence officer as they left for a meeting in Colombo, labelling the move “a threat to our lives”.

Speaking in parliament Sumanthiran spoke of how an unidentified man had followed them on motorbike as they left parliament on Wednesday.

No deal – Ranil forced to backtrack after Japan denies pact with Sri Lanka

The return of Ranil Wickremesinghe - Sri Lanka appoints a ...

Sri Lanka’s president was forced to backtrack this week, after his claim that Japan had agreed to co-chair a meeting with negotiators over Colombo’s international debt was denied by government officials in Tokyo.

"We have not reached such an agreement. It might be their wishful thinking but the situation remains unchanged," a senior Japanese government official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister knew he would lose vote at UN

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister told Economy Next that he expected that a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on accountability for mass atrocities would be passed, despite lobbying member states to water down the text of the document.

“This is nothing unexpected,” Ali Sabry said from Geneva. “There was so much pressure on some countries to vote in favour of the resolution. So we knew this… The composition has changed and some of our friendly nations are not there and some abstained.”

British minister says UN resolution on Sri Lanka is 'integral' in establishing truth and lasting justice

Reacting to the latest UN resolution on Sri Lanka, UK Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, and the UN, Lord Tariq Ahmad said it was "integral to establish truth and achieve lasting justice and reconciliation."

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted resolution 51/L1 on Sri Lanka yesterday, which will “extend and reinforce the capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve” evidence that may be used in future war crimes trials.

Sri Lanka blames ‘Tamil diaspora’ for UN resolution ahead of crucial vote

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister slammed an upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council resolution that is due to be voted on today and blamed the Tamil diaspora for “heavy lobbying” for such moves at the global body.

Speaking to Sri Lankan journalists this week, Ali Sabry reportedly claimed that the member states driving the resolution “are greatly influenced by domestic-level lobbying by pressure groups from the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora”.

UN passes resolution on collecting evidence for Sri Lankan war crimes trials

The UN Human Rights Council has adopted resolution 51/L1 on Sri Lanka, which will “extend and reinforce the capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve” evidence that may be used in future war crimes trials.

The resolution was passed with 20 votes in favour, 7 against and 20 abstentions.