Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Dissanayake pledges land restitution and 'reconciliation' during Vavuniya rally
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed a campaign rally in Vavuniya this week, making a series of pledges ranging from land restitution to “national reconciliation”, ahead of local government elections next month. Dissanayake announced that all lands marked by the Sri Lankan Forest Department using Google Maps—including farmlands and reservoirs—would be re-evaluated and…

No justice 21 years after bombing of Navaly church by Sri Lanka Airforce

Jul 8, 2016
Tamil families in the North-East remember those that perished in the bombing by Sri Lanka's armed forces

Sri Lanka's president reiterates rejection of international judges in presence of prime minister

Jul 8, 2016
Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday reiterated that there will be no foreign judges in an accountability mechanism reports Ceylonews.

Addressing a Buddhist religious event in Panadura in the presence of Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mr Sirisena said,

“As long as I am President I will not allow foreigners or organisations to interfere in the internal affairs. I will not give room for any foreign organisation to mount pressure on our judiciary or meddle with internal affairs.”

Exiled victims cannot testify in Sri Lanka's embassies says ITJP

Jul 8, 2016

The International Truth and Justice Project  (ITJP) welcomed media reports that Sri Lanka’s cabinet had recognised that  “exiled victims and witnesses have a key role in terrifying to the country’s future transitional justice mechanisms” adding concerns that Sri Lanka had not addressed “genuine concerns of witnesses and victims abroad who fear reprisals either against themselves or their families in Sri Lanka.”

International element needed in accountability process stresses UK govt

Jul 8, 2016
Addressing a UK parliamentary debate on Sri Lanka on Thursday, the minister of state, Hugo Swire, stressed the need for an international element to any accountability mechanism in order for it to be a credible process.

"To reassure the communities in Sri Lanka and to show the international community that this is a credible process, there needs to be an international element," Mr Swire said in response to the Labour MP for Ilford North, Wes Streeting's question regarding statements by the Sri Lankan president and prime minister rejecting international involvement.

"That is what we continue to stress with the Government, with Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister, with Mangala Samaraweera, the Foreign Minister, and through Prince Zeid. I am hopeful that the message is getting through and think that something will happen in that respect."

"The British Government have always been clear that any accountability mechanism needs to be credible and meet international standards. We therefore welcomed Sri Lanka’s co-sponsorship of UNHRC resolution 30/1. We have reiterated our commitment to its full implementation on a number of occasions, most recently in Geneva last month."

China to help Sri Lanka become shipping centre of Indian Ocean

Jul 8, 2016
China's foreign minister, Wang Yi said the country would help Sri Lanka build itself into a shipping centre in the Indian Ocean.

"We'll take the building of the maritime silk road as a priority to better align our development strategy including your five-year development plan so that we can come up with a comprehensive blue print for future cooperation, so that we can help Sri Lanka build itself into a shipping center in the Indian Ocean," Wang said whilst on a visit to Sri Lanka on Friday.

Mr Wang met with Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera as well as the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Rejecting fears that Sri Lanka's ties with China had a negative impact on other countries, Mr Wang said, "there is a consensus between China and Sri Lanka that our cooperation does not target any third country nor will it affect our respective relations with other countries."

Government intends to divide Sri Lanka warns Rajapaksa

Jul 7, 2016
The former president Mahinda Rajapaksa warned the new government was attempting to divide the country by introducing the new constitution.

“We have come to know that the government is trying to pass a new constitution. The constitution may include some hidden terms and clauses that will only divide the country and which are detrimental to Sri Lankan Buddhists and Buddhism. The People and especially the Buddhist clergy must be alert to this situation,” he was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying.

Tamil refugees return to find army assisting southern settlers in homes says Wigneswaran

Jul 7, 2016
Eelam refugees who have returned from India after years of displacement to find the Sri Lankan army assisting settlers from the South to live in their homes, the chief minister of the northern province, C V Wigneswaran warned.

"When those in possession of land permits visit their lands, they find that people from southern parts of the country have occupied their properties. They are also accusing the Army of supporting such occupants,” Mr Wigneswaran was quoted by The Hindu as saying at a gathering near Vavuniya last Thursday. 

"Those who have returned from India are saying that they have not received any aid from the government or non-governmental organisations," he added.

Highlighting pervasive discrimination, Mr Wigneswaran also said that "children of the refugees who were born in India were encountering difficulties in getting government jobs in Sri Lanka, despite having the necessary educational qualifications".

Cabinet approves IDPs task force

Jul 7, 2016
Sri Lanka's cabinet this week approved the establishing of a task force to resettle "protracted internally displaced persons" within the Northern province.

“IDPs were seen since the 1980s due to the conflict situation. These include Tamil as well as Sinhala and Muslim families in the Northern Province,” the cabinet paper said, reported LBO.

Tamil killed in Sinhala mob attack

Jul 7, 2016

Photo: Lankasri

A Tamil man was killed by a group of Sinhalese in the Batticaloa district on Thursday.

Thambipillai Pakkiyarasa, 51, was attacked in Kalkudah as he was returning home from the grocery store. A group of SInhalese, reported to be under the influence of alcohol, attacked him after an argument broke out, leaving him with fatal head injuries.

Eight suspects have been detained by Batticaloa police. One other person was admitted to Batticaloa teaching hospital.

China's Foreign Minister to visit Sri Lanka for bilateral cooperation talks

Jul 6, 2016
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to make an official visit to Sri Lanka upon the invitation of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Minster Magnala Samaraweera.

Mr Yi will meet with Sri Lanka’s president, prime minister and hold talks with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson.
Sri Lanka's president reiterates rejection of international judges in presence of prime minister
Exiled victims cannot testify in Sri Lanka's embassies says ITJP
International element needed in accountability process stresses UK govt
China to help Sri Lanka become shipping centre of Indian Ocean
Government intends to divide Sri Lanka warns Rajapaksa
Tamil refugees return to find army assisting southern settlers in homes says Wigneswaran
Cabinet approves IDPs task force
Tamil killed in Sinhala mob attack
China's Foreign Minister to visit Sri Lanka for bilateral cooperation talks
Minister says VAT will be revised, amidst protests
Sri Lanka's president reiterates rejection of international judges in presence of prime minister
Exiled victims cannot testify in Sri Lanka's embassies says ITJP
International element needed in accountability process stresses UK govt
China to help Sri Lanka become shipping centre of Indian Ocean
Government intends to divide Sri Lanka warns Rajapaksa
Tamil refugees return to find army assisting southern settlers in homes says Wigneswaran
Cabinet approves IDPs task force
Tamil killed in Sinhala mob attack
China's Foreign Minister to visit Sri Lanka for bilateral cooperation talks
Minister says VAT will be revised, amidst protests