Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

  Today, Tamils around the world are commemorating 16 years since the massacres at Mullivaikkal. Though more than a decade-and-half has passed, the situation on the island for Eelam Tamils seems as precarious as ever. There has been no accountability for the atrocities that took place. The seizure of historic Tamil land has continued unabated. And an enduring political solution that will…

Foreign Secretary asks Home Secretary to give Sri Lankan asylum seekers Diego Garcia safe haven in UK

British Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has formally requested the Home Secretary, Yvetter Cooper, to grant asylum to over 60 Tamils who have been stranded on diego Garcia, the largest island in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), since 2021. In his letter, Lammy emphasised the urgent and escalating risk of harm, particularly to children among the detainees.

Mass protests in Rameshwaram over Sri Lanka's arrests of Indian fishermen

A massive protest was held by fishermen from Rameshwaram and neighboring districts in Tamil Nadu last week over the arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy.

The protestors condemned the Indian central government for not looking into these arrests, with several political parties also joining the protests to show their solidarity with the cause. 

Sinhala politician and Tamil Eelam supporter Wickramabahu Karunaratne passes away

Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) leader Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne who called for the international recognition of the “ongoing” genocide of Tamils and the recognition of Tamil Eelam as a state has passed away in Colombo. He was 81 at the time of this death. 

We don't want a death certificate, we want a judicial investigation' - families of the disappeared demand in Batticaloa

The family members of the enforced disappeared gathered in Batticaloa in protest, demanding that the Sri Lankan government allow foreign experts to conduct a thorough judicial investigation. Young children and women were seen at the Gandhi Park in Batticaloa carrying placards and demanding the government deliver justice. "We don't want a death certificate or compensation, we want a judicial investigation,"  they demanded. 

Sri Lanka's former army chief and accused war criminal announces presidential bid

Sri Lanka's former army commander and accused war criminal Sarath Fonseka has announced his bid for the presidential elections which are to be held later this year.

Taking to Twitter to make the announcement, he claimed that for the last 76 years, Sri Lanka has "been led by an inept political group that has led us to bankruptcy. ". He went on to state that for Sri Lanka to grow it needs to "crush corruption" and "leverage our natural resources". 

Skeletal remains discovered in Colombo - again

Construction workers in Colombo who were at a site near the Old Secretariat in Colombo - Fort discovered human skeletal remains last week.

The workers who are attached to a private construction firm said the remains were found nearly 6 feet underground. 

I rescued 150,000 people in Mullivaikkal,' claims Sarath Fonseka

Former Sri Lankan army commander Sarath Fonseka claimed that allegations of war crimes and the number of casualties from the final phase of the armed conflict are grossly exaggerated, ahead of elections later this year. 

Fonseka has split from the Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and is tipped to make his own presidential bid later this month, according to sources. 

Speaking at a recent event, he dismissed allegations of war crimes adding that the figures are exaggerated.

Sri Lanka's police chief barred from functioning by Supreme Court

Sri Lanka's Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, whose appointment was tainted with controversy, has been forced to step away from performing his duties as the Inspector General of Police, following a Supreme Court decision to hear nine Fundamental Petitions that have been filed against him and his appointment to the post. 

23 years since the LTTE assault on Katunayake air force base

Today marks 23 years since a team of 14 LTTE commandos infiltrated and attacked the Sri Lankan Air Force Base in Katunayake, destroying several aircraft and causing over US$500 million worth of damage without a single civilian fatality.

Shooting in Mullaitivu seriously injures agricultural labourer activist

A Tamil agricultural labourer activist has been seriously injured after a shooting in Mullaitivu this week.

42-year-old Chelliah Krishnarajah, the secretary to the Kammakkara organization which looks after the welfare of agricultural labourers, was injured in the shooting that occurred in the Thunukkai area in the Mullaitivu district.

Krishnarajah had been resting after completing his paddy harvest at the time of the incident.