Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Thirteen more skeletal remains were exhumed from the Chemmani mass grave on Monday and a further seven newly identified, bringing the total identified at the site to 412, of which 390 have now been exhumed, as the excavation, the largest at any mass grave on the island, entered its 31st day. Monday, the 31st day of the third phase of the court-supervised process, saw three sets of remains…

British MP calls out Tories’ ‘shameful silence’ on Sri Lanka

Writing for ‘Left Foot Forward’, British MP for Leicester East, Claudia Webbe, condemned Britain’s silence on Sri Lanka’s alarming human rights record and calls on the government to impose sanctions on Sri Lanka’s regime.

Sri Lanka looks to learn from China’s authoritarian governance

Last week Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had a phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping during which he lavished praise for the Communist Party of China (CPC) on its 100th anniversary since its founding and the “strong leadership” of President Xi Jinping.

During the call, he further expressed interest in expanding “expand cooperation in fields like infrastructure and tourism, and smoothly advance major projects such as the Colombo Port City”.

 

Denial of Human Rights

‘Rise of the Tigers’ – The early years of the LTTE

A newly published book from the Swiss-based Puradsi Media and ‘Phoenix - the Next Generation’, provides a historical look back through the early years of the armed struggle.

‘Rise of the Tigers’, the second publication from the organisations, compiles rare photographs, newspaper clippings and in-depth biographies to provide unprecedented details about the founding members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the formation of the leading Tamil armed movement.

Another Tamil father dies searching for missing son

Yet another Tamil father has died after spending over a decade demanding information about the whereabous of his missing son. 

Santhanam Raghavan, 65, from Talikulam, Vavuniya, joined other Tamil families of the disappeared for over 1,400 days in roadside protests in the district, demanding justice for his son Rajkumar who went missing in 2008.  

As Sri Lanka cracks down on Muslims, Pakistan hosts Shavendra Silva as ‘Guest of Honour’

Pakistan hosted the head of Sri Lanka’s army, and accused war criminal, Shavendra Silva, during their national military parade despite increasing discrimination against Muslims in Sri Lanka.

Tamil Nadu records 71.79% turnout in Assembly Elections 

Elections for the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly took place on April 6 with 71.79% of eligible voters casting their ballot in an electorate of over 62 million people. 

In a multi-pronged contest, the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allied parties, the Tamil Nationalist Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) led by actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan are the major contenders. 

Sri Lanka bans 11 Islamic organisations

Following the sudden and wide-reaching proscription of hundreds of individuals and several Tamil diaspora organisations, Sri Lanka’s Attorney General, Dappula de Livera,  has banned 11 Islamic organisations under accusations that they are linked to “extremist activities”.

UNICEF praises Sri Lanka’s COVID response despite human rights concerns

Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Sri Lanka, Emma Brigham, issued a statement with the Sri Lanka Ministry of Health praising the current regime’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic despite grave human rights concerns and the imposition of discriminatory legislation.

Sri Lanka to build 190 new police stations starting in the North-East

Minister of Public Security, Sarath Weerasekara attended the inauguration of a police station in Mullaitivu where he announced that 190 new police stations will be built in Sri Lanka, adding to the existing 494 police stations.

Maradankeni and Iyankkankulam located in the North were selected to build the first two police stations under the government programme, with the construction of Iyankankulam police station in Mullaitivu being completed on the 2 April. Weerasekara noted that the construction of the police stations was a measure taken to “create a society free of fear and suspicion for the people of this country”.

 

German Tamils ‘deeply shocked’ by deportations

Following the deportation of over 30 Tamil asylum seekers by Germany on 30 March, the People’s Council of Eelam Tamils has written to express their deep shock and disappointment at the government’s “incomprehensible decision”.