Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed Sri Lanka earlier this month, New Delhi’s media was already hailing the visit as a diplomatic triumph. A raft of development projects had been announced and a significant new defence pact between the two governments signed. Images broadcast showed Modi beside a smiling Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, arms raised aloft in symbolic…

Man abducted by white van in Jaffna

A Tamil man was abducted by men claiming to be from the Terrorism Investigation Department on Sunday.

According to Ceylonews, Rajadurai Jeyanthan was at his house in Nunavil South, Chavakachcheri when the men took him in a white van. The white van abduction culture was very common over the past decades and came to be feared as many of those abducted never returned.

The sources told Ceylonews that Rajathurai Jeyanthan was among those who had gone through the government’s ‘rehabilitation’ programme after the end of the war.

His wife said that the abductors have only given her a telephone number and when contacted she was asked to come the CID office in Ariyalai, near Jaffna town.

Tamils in Jaffna protest against Sri Lankan military land grabs

UPDATED 1435 GMT

Protestors staged a sit in at the Jaffna Government Agent District Secretariat office in Jaffna today, demanding the Sri Lankan military halt ongoing land surveys.

The protest began after a reported attempt by the Sri Lankan military to survey 16 acres of land in Anaikottai, in the northern peninsula.

Upon hearing news of the surveying taking place, Tamil protestors, including politicians from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), arrived at the scene.

TNA Northern Provincial Council member Balachandran Gajatheepan said the military had also attempted to seize land owned by the Sivapoomi Trust, a charity organisation that supports handicapped children. As protestors gathered, the military began videotaping the demonstration.

“Our land is our culture,” said M K Shivajilingam Northern Provincial Council member. “No Tamil citizen can tolerate his homeland being eradicated at the hands of Sinhalese Chauvinists. We will continue our fight against this. We will expose the true face of the government that is claiming to provide good governance.”

Sri Lankan military continues to occupy Tamil land despite president’s pledges

Though one month has passed since Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena announced the release of land in Jaffna back to civilian ownership, the Sri Lankan military continues to deny Tamil villagers access to their land.

Mr Sirisena held a grand ceremony last month, where he announced the release of over 700 acres of land at Nadeswara College in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna. Ahead of his visit, the barbed wire fencing that ringed of the area had been moved back, in a sign that the military may be ready to release land back to its rightful owners.

However, despite the promise, Sri Lankan military checkpoints remain across the college and gaining access to the land has become no easier.

Armed soldiers continue to man checkpoints, including one prominent post by the Kankesanthurai cement factory, say villagers. Access to an entertainment club, which itself is run by the army, is also restricted, they said, stating that all entrants must pass through another military check post.

Meanwhile, other areas of land that have reportedly been released continue to house military bases said sources from the Tellipalai Divisional Secretariat.

Buddhist monk calls for release of detained Sri Lankan military personnel

A prominent Buddhist monk has called for the release of Sri Lankan military intelligence officers, who are currently being investigated for the disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda.

"They have been held on remand without charges for over 300 days," said Bengamuwe Nalaka, president of the National Movement for the Protection of War Heroes.

Addressing reporters in Colombo alongside National Freedom Front MP Jayantha Samaraweera, the monk went on to state, "Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government in order to fulfil its obligations to the LTTE backers and the international community for bringing it to power, were harassing the state intelligence officers."

"They are behind the prolonged detention of the brave intelligence officers," he added, stating that intelligence personnel had played a vital role during the armed conflict, which saw the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians in its final stages.

UK opposition leader reiterates Labour Party commitment to justice and self-determination for Tamil people


Photograph: Tamil Guardian

The leader of the British opposition Jeremy Corbyn reiterated the Labour party’s commitment to achieving justice and self-determination for the Tamil people.

(See live tweeting from the event here. Video extract of statement produced below)

After being received with a standing ovation at a meeting of the Labour party with the Tamil community in the Houses of Parliament, Mr Jeremy Corbyn, in his concluding, remarks said,

“We as a party are very committed to the issues of human rights and justice. We are very committed to the rights of peoples, Tamil people, in this case, to achieve their justice, their self-expression and their self-determination.”

Sri Lanka relaunches controversial Sinhala settlement scheme in North-East

The Sri Lankan government has opened a new village in the Tamil North-East of the island, as part of a revival of a controversial Sinhala colonisation program.

The ‘Village Reawakening’ program was declared open by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Housing and Construction Sajith Premadasa at Weli Oya today. Houses were constructed on land gifted to villagers by the Sri Lankan government and with loans provided at concessionary rates of interest.

The scheme is an apparent relaunch of a program started by Mr Premadasa’s father, former president Ranasinghe Premadasa. Weli Oya has been the site of a Sri Lankan government orchestrated project for decades, where Sinhala farmers from the South were settled to the North-East.

Sri Lanka will be more united under federal system says TNA MP

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, Mavai Senathirajah called for the new Sri Lankan constitution to push a federal solution to the ethnic conflict, stating that the country would be more united under such a system.

"Under the present unitary resolution, we cannot find an answer to our issues," Mr Senathirajah explained in an interview with Sunday Leader.

"We need to bring all communities under one country, but these bankrupt politicians say if a federal solution is sought, it will divide the country. I think the country will be more united under a federal system."

IMF calls for reduction in Sri Lanka's fiscal deficit & public debt

Concluding a visit to Sri Lanka a delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday called for a "durable reduction of the fiscal deficit and public debt".

"The fiscal deficit expanded, public debt increased, and the balance of payments position deteriorated despite an improvement in the terms of trade," the IMF said in a statement, highlighting the need for "removing bottlenecks to trade and investment."

"Key objectives underlying the reform agenda include: (i) improving revenue administration and tax policy; (ii) strengthening public financial management; (iii) state enterprise reforms; and, iv) structural reforms to enable a more outward-looking economy, deepen foreign exchange markets, and strengthen financial sector supervision."

Sri Lanka hopes to be bailed out by IMF by next week

Sri Lanka's finance minister declared his government is expecting a bailout package from the International Monetary Fund to come into place next week, as Sri Lanka faces a worsening economic crisis.

"The good news is that it could be forthcoming next week," said Ravi Karunanayake after meeting with IMF representatives on Saturday.

Sri Lanka is reportedly hoping to receive a $1.5–2 billion bailout package, as it struggles to cope with a budget deficit, dwindling foreign reserves and a currency crisis. State Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said at least $1 billion would be granted.

Mr Karunanayake though remained upbeat, telling reporters, "it is better to have the IMF endorsement than to be without it".