Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

EDITORIAL - A shaky bridge across the Palk Strait
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…

New Tamil Nadu CM writes to Modi urging fishermen's release

Sep 30, 2014
The new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O. Panneerselvam, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, seeking the release of 20 fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan navy this week and urging that New Delhi take "positive and concrete steps", reports The Hindu.

"The traditional rights of fishermen from Tamil Nadu to fish in the waters of Palk Bay is continuously being infringed upon by the Sri Lankan Navy," wrote Panneerselvam in a letter dated September 30, also praising the former Chief Minister Jayalalitha's "untiring and relentless efforts" to release Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by Sri Lanka.

Whilst commending Modi's efforts in securing the release of over 70 fishermen previously, Panneerselvam said "unfortunately, 71 fishing boats of these fishermen have not yet been released by the Sri Lankan Government and are falling apart from disuse there itself."

Senior Tamil journalist detained by CID officers in Jaffna

Sep 30, 2014
12:53 BST

A senior Tamil journalist, Ratnam Thayaparan, was detained by Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers earlier today, said the Jaffna based media group, the Jaffna Press Club.

Thayaparan, who is also a prominent campaigner for press freedom for Tamil journalists in the North-East, was interrogated by special CID officials based in Kankesanturai.


Sri Lankan and Burmese Buddhist groups sign agreement to work together

Sep 30, 2014

(DailyMirror)

Buddhist nationalist groups from Sri Lanka and Burma have signed a deal, agreeing to work together to protect Buddhism.

Why Sri Lanka's detention of Balenderan Jayakumari is so sinister' - Callum Macrae

Sep 30, 2014
Documentary maker Callum Macrae says Sri Lanka has continued with its “particularly sinister” arrest and intimidation of possible witnesses to a United Nations investigation into mass atrocities in Sri Lanka – including of Tamil disappearances activist Balendran Jayakumari - in a piece in the Huffington Post.

Macrae, director of the documenatary 'No Fire Zone', added that whilst the intimidation of witnesses continued, Sri Lanka was “carrying out an ongoing campaign whose aim is nothing less than to permanently change the ethnic make-up of the Tamil areas in the north and east.”

He added that “through the use of major strategic land-grabs, systematic sexual violence, political repression, enforced disappearances and wholesale plantation by non-Tamil families and businesses they are assaulting Tamil identity and ethnically re-engineering the entire region.”

They have the guns, we have only pens' - Uthayan journalist

Sep 30, 2014
A Tamil journalist for the Jaffna daily Uthayan described the ongoing intimidation faced by the newspaper, in a video profile by Al Jazeera.

Documenting the challenges faced by journalist Thadsa in writing about the abduction of Vadivel Nimalarajah in 2007, in Sri Lanka - one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. The profile by Kannan Arunasalam is part of the Viewfinder Asia program for Al Jazeera.


Sri Lanka denies torture and rape of deported Tamil asylum seekers

Sep 30, 2014
Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to Australia rejected findings in a SBS investigative report that documented evidence of torture and rape of Tamil asylum seekers deported from Australia to Sri Lanka.

Speaking to the SBS news channel after the report aired on Australian TV, Thisara Samarasinghe, suggested that the evidence of rape and torture was self-inflicted and labelled the documentary as a "doctored, orchestrated, biased documentary which is absolutely baseless, that is trying to portray an absolutely wrong picture of Sri Lanka."

Samarasinghe further added that the documentary was "an attempt to support separatism in Sri Lanka."

SBS Dateline documentary with interview of Sri Lanka's high commissioner to Australia

Man found dead with throat slit in Batticaloa

Sep 29, 2014
A man was found dead with his throat lacerated inside a house in Batticaloa, Kaluvanjikudi Makiloor on Sunday.

The body, identified as 68 year old Sellathambi Thangavel, has been taken to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital for further investigations, reports BattiNews.

Kaluvanjikudi Magistrate court judge Thiyogeswaran arrived at the scene to investigate. Kaluvanjikudi Police are reportedly investigating the incident.

The police have however already highlighted his separation from his family for the past 35 years.

Complaint made against Tamil councillors for letter to Pillay condemning genocide

Sep 29, 2014
Complaints have been made to the Court of Appeal against 33 Tamil councillors in the Northern and Eastern provinces for a letter to the UN High Commissioner condemning the genocide of Tamils by Sinhala state forces, reports the Island.

Petitioners, including P.G. Ravindra Nirosha of Nugegoda as well as others, complained to Court of Appeal that the IGP and Attorney General had failed to take action against the councillors under Provision 120 of the Penal Code.

According to the Island, the petitioners accused the Tamil councillors of making "false claims" that "Sinhalese settlements are being set up in Tamil areas".

The letter, dated 17 August 2014 and signed by 33 Tamil councillors across the North and East, was addressed to the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, and called on the UN to investigate the crime of genocide.

Sri Lanka's rejection of ESVC summit will 'become more and more obvious' - William Hague

Sep 29, 2014
Thusiyan Nandakumar

William Hague opening the End Sexual Violence in Conflict summit in London earlier this year.

Former British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Sri Lanka's refusal to participate in the End Sexual Violence in Conflict summit was an “obvious gap”, adding its rejection of the campaign will become “more and more obvious” in the months ahead.

Speaking at the sidelines of the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Mr Hague hailed the countries who attended the summit in London earlier this year, calling it a “summit like no other”.

Responding to a question from the Tamil Guardian, Mr Hague said, “Sri Lanka is an obvious gap particularly since so many of these crimes have taken place there, despite all our encouragement to the Government of Sri Lanka.”

Nonis resignation rejected by Mahinda after thrashing by MP

Sep 29, 2014

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has refused to allow Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK Chris Nonis to resign, after he was assaulted by UPFA MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena.

Nonis was at a dinner with the president and several other members of the Sri Lankan delegation, when an intoxicated Gunawardena abused him and delivered a “thundering slap”, causing him to fall to the ground where Nonis was kicked several times by the MP, reported Colombo Telegraph.

Senior Tamil journalist detained by CID officers in Jaffna
Sri Lankan and Burmese Buddhist groups sign agreement to work together
Why Sri Lanka's detention of Balenderan Jayakumari is so sinister' - Callum Macrae
They have the guns, we have only pens' - Uthayan journalist
Sri Lanka denies torture and rape of deported Tamil asylum seekers
Man found dead with throat slit in Batticaloa
Complaint made against Tamil councillors for letter to Pillay condemning genocide
Sri Lanka's rejection of ESVC summit will 'become more and more obvious' - William Hague
Nonis resignation rejected by Mahinda after thrashing by MP
People in North-East 'too scared' to meet with British official
Senior Tamil journalist detained by CID officers in Jaffna
Sri Lankan and Burmese Buddhist groups sign agreement to work together
Why Sri Lanka's detention of Balenderan Jayakumari is so sinister' - Callum Macrae
They have the guns, we have only pens' - Uthayan journalist
Sri Lanka denies torture and rape of deported Tamil asylum seekers
Man found dead with throat slit in Batticaloa
Complaint made against Tamil councillors for letter to Pillay condemning genocide
Sri Lanka's rejection of ESVC summit will 'become more and more obvious' - William Hague
Nonis resignation rejected by Mahinda after thrashing by MP
People in North-East 'too scared' to meet with British official