Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Remembering Sivaram - 20 years since the killing of leading Tamil journalist
Today marks the 20th anniversary since the abduction and murder of Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram. Sivaram, popularly known under his nom-de-plume Taraki, was abducted in front of Bambalipitiya police station in Colombo on April 28 and was found dead several hours later in a high security zone in Sri Lanka's capital, which at the time had a heavy police and military presence due to the…

2009 was a genocide says former UK home secretary

Sep 14, 2014
The former British home secretary, David Blunkett described what took place during the final stages of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka in 2009 as a "genocide" and called for it to be "properly investigated", meeting with members of the Tamil community at an Advice Surgery last Saturday.

Mr Blunkett said he "believed genocide had taken place on the island of Sri Lanka and that evidence that human rights violations had occurred during the armed conflict in 2009 must be properly investigated."

He went on to express "disappointment at Sri Lanka’s obstruction of the currently ongoing UN Human Rights Council mandated investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Sri Lanka" and adding his support "to the need for an independent international investigation on abuses that have happened in Sri Lanka."

Mr Blunkett, who is currently the Labour MP for Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough, was the UK home secretary from 2001 to 2004.

The Tamil community representatives, also members of the British Tamils Forum (BTF) said they had met with Mr Blunkett "to garner support for UK Tamil organisations and individuals that have been targeted by Sri Lanka’s efforts to silence dissent through the use of UN Security Council Resolution 1373."

Mr Blunkett meets with the Tamil community 

Army organises children’s sports meet in North-East

Sep 14, 2014

The Sri Lankan army organised a sports meet for the Vazhaham Children’s Home earlier this month.

The event took place with the “full patronage” of the 14th Gemunu Watch, an army division based in the area, at the Maraththanamadam Girls’ School, a school for those with sight impairments, reported the website of the Civil-Military Coordination – Jaffna.

SL to discuss Free Trade Agreement with China

Sep 14, 2014
Sri Lanka and China will launch negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement, during the Chinese Premier’s visit to Colombo on Tuesday, reports Colombo Page.

The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a “Joint Working Group on Trade” which, in March, concluded a Free Trade Agreement would be beneficial to both countries.

India to step up surveillance of Eelam Tamil refugees fleeing from Sri Lanka

Sep 14, 2014

The Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Home Minister N. Chinarajappa said surveillance was to be stepped up in an attempt to stop boats of Eelam Tamil asylum seekers leaving the Indian coast towards Australia.

Speaking to reporters in Andhra Pradesh, Chinarajappa said more marine police stations would be opened up to stop the Eelam Tamils, who have fled from Sri Lanka, from boarding boats along the coast in a bid to reach countries such as Australia.

Earlier this year, a group of over 150 Tamil asylum seekers were stranded at sea, after they left the South Indian coast attempting to reach Australia. After more than a month of being held at sea by Australian authorities, the group were brought to a detention centre in Western Australia before being transferred to Nauru.

Sri Lanka has ‘assured and re-assured’ us on implementation of 13A, says India

Sep 14, 2014

The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly re-assured India of its commitment to implement the 13th Amendment, stated a spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) today.

Responding to a question on India’s stand on the 13th Amendment at a media briefing on Monday, spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said,

“Our stand is that any decision that has been taken by the Sri Lankan people and which their leaders have assured to us on repeated occasions (that it) should be implemented.”

“And we have been assured and re-assured by the leaders of Sri Lanka that they are committed to full implementation of the 13th Amendment and we will go by what they have told us.”

See from 42:30 onwards below.

Despite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to go beyond the 13th Amendment, Rajapaksa has repeatedly stated that he would refuse to devolve land and police powers to the Tamil North-East of the island, a key component of the amendment.

Thousands demonstrate in Geneva demanding justice for genocide and independence referendum

Sep 14, 2014

Thousands of Tamils from across Europe demonstrated in Geneva on Monday, demanding justice for the genocide and a referendum on independence.



Canada denies Sri Lankan prison officials visas over human rights violations

Sep 13, 2014

The Canadian government has denied visas to two of Sri Lanka’s leading prison department officials, due to the country's human rights violations, The Island reported on Friday.

A senior prison officer told The Island he was surprised that the Canadian High Commission had made such an allegation as the prison officers were engaged in rehabilitating LTTE cadres and reintegrating them into society.

Sri Lankan president to address 69th session of UN General Assembly

Sep 13, 2014
The Sri Lankan president, will address the UN General Assembly and chair two Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meetings at the side-lines of the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly, reports Colombo Page.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, is due to chair a meeting on reform within CHOGM and address the General assembly on the post-2015 development agenda in New York on September 25.

The Commonwealth has faced staunch criticism, by British and Canadian government officials, over the appointment of the Sri Lankan president as the chair of the Commonwealth.

Western forces trying to destabilise Sri Lanka says Minister Weerawansa

Sep 13, 2014
Western forces are trying to destabilise the country using the upcoming presidential election charged Minister Weerawansa, accusing the West of imposing the name "Sri Lanka" on what he described as the "lion blood" nation.

"We have to be very careful. The Western countries need only a weak President for Sri Lanka. I don’t think that even the government has realized this danger," he told The Nation in an interview published Sunday.

See here for full interview. Extracts of his responses reproduced below:
"At the last presidential election, Western countries had a plan and they worked and funded it. It was finding a person who could give a good fight to President Mahinda Rajapaksa there by diverting the support of the parties like the TNA and JVP to that candidate. They found former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and went according to the plan, but failed as the people had confidence in the President," he added.

Tourists resorts required to inform police of all domestic guests

Sep 13, 2014
Tourist resorts on the island are now required to inform their local police station regarding all bookings made by domestic guests, reports Sri Lanka's Sunday Times.

Details including the names, addresses and dates of arrival and departure of the guests will be passed on to the police.

The data is passed on to the State Intelligence Service (SIS) at Cambridge Place, Colombo, via the District Intelligence Bureau (DIB), the paper said citing a well-informed source.

"we don’t like the idea of compromising the privacy of our clients. However, that is a new requirement by the Police and we have to comply. Otherwise they find fault with us," a resort manager told the paper.

Army organises children’s sports meet in North-East
SL to discuss Free Trade Agreement with China
India to step up surveillance of Eelam Tamil refugees fleeing from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has ‘assured and re-assured’ us on implementation of 13A, says India
Thousands demonstrate in Geneva demanding justice for genocide and independence referendum
Canada denies Sri Lankan prison officials visas over human rights violations
Sri Lankan president to address 69th session of UN General Assembly
Western forces trying to destabilise Sri Lanka says Minister Weerawansa
Tourists resorts required to inform police of all domestic guests
Non-violent protests if government doesn’t address issues by the end of the year – Sumanthiran
Army organises children’s sports meet in North-East
SL to discuss Free Trade Agreement with China
India to step up surveillance of Eelam Tamil refugees fleeing from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has ‘assured and re-assured’ us on implementation of 13A, says India
Thousands demonstrate in Geneva demanding justice for genocide and independence referendum
Canada denies Sri Lankan prison officials visas over human rights violations
Sri Lankan president to address 69th session of UN General Assembly
Western forces trying to destabilise Sri Lanka says Minister Weerawansa
Tourists resorts required to inform police of all domestic guests
Non-violent protests if government doesn’t address issues by the end of the year – Sumanthiran