Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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…

Sri Lankan police file PTA case against Uthayan newspaper over LTTE leader photos

Sri Lankan police have filed a case under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) against the Jaffna-based Uthayan newspaper, for publishing images and quotes of Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on his birthday, November 26.

The case, which was filed by the police earlier this month in the Jaffna Magistrate's Court, has been adjourned till March 21.

Two areas in Trincomalee placed under lockdown following rise in COVID-19 cases

<p>Following a rapid rise in the number of coronavirus cases, Sri Lanka has imposed a lockdown on the &nbsp;Abhayapura Grama Niladhari region and Dinanagar region in <u><a href="https://colombogazette.com/2020/12/24/two-areas-in-trincomalee-placed-u…">Trincomalee</a></u>.</p>

Former Kilinochchi JMO among Tamil political prisoners to contract COVID-19

File photo: Welikada (Magazine) Prison, Colombo 

Foreign Defence attachés tour occupied Tamil homeland

Defence attachés of Seven High Commissions met with Jaffna and Vanni Security force commanders at their respective headquarters earlier this month.

A delegation of Defence attachés from the embassies of Australia, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States toured Jaffna and the Vanni. A meeting was held with the Jaffna security commander, Major General Senarath Bandara where issues related to COVID-19, general security and civil-military projects were discussed.

Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary claims time is needed to combat coronavirus as case numbers rise

Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne and accused war criminal has told the public that it may take some time to eliminate the coronavirus and stressed the role of the military in this.

Sri Lanka remains a human rights priority for the UK

Responding to a question posed by Baroness Richie of Downpatrick, Lord Ahmad, Britain's Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth, maintained that Sri Lanka is a “human rights priority country for the UK.

His statement highlighted issues of “increased harassment of civil society, the militarisation of civilian functions, and the government's withdrawal of support for the UN Human Rights Council resolution”.

European Union provides 22 million euros to Sri Lanka despite human rights concerns

The European Union has announced that it will provide Sri Lanka 22 million euros in aid, targeting the health, agriculture, and tourism industries, despite concerns that Sri Lanka has abandoned its commitments to human rights under the co-sponsored UNHRC resolution 30/1.

This aid was agreed upon following a meeting on the 8 April 2020 between the Ambassador of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, and Sri Lanka’s Task Force Chair Basil Rajapaksa.

SL government to register social media users – SL mass media minister

SL Mass Media Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella,

Sri Lanka’s Mass Media Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, says the government plans to register local users of all social media platforms, insisting that social media needs to be regulated to curb inappropriate digital content the country.

Mortar shell recovered in Vavuniya

An undetonated mortar shell was recovered in Vavuniya by Sri Lankan authorities on Tuesday.

The Sri Lankan State Intelligence Service was informed by local sources that explosive shell devices had been discovered in a field.

Sri Lanka in discussions with Pakistan over maritime security

Sri Lanka High Commissioner to Pakistan, vice-admiral Mohan Wijewickrema, has held discussions with Pakistan’s Navy chief Admiral Amjad Niazi over maritime security and bilateral cooperation.