Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sri Lankan minister’s driver assaults Tamil fisherman during visit
A fisherman in Keppapulavu, Mullaitivu, was assaulted during a visit by Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister, Ramalingam Chandrasekaran, as tensions flared during the Minister’s local government election campaign on 24 April. Chandrasekaran, who was touring the North-East with National People’s Power (NPP) candidates, visited Keppapulavu where he met with representatives of the Keppapulavu Fishermen…

Thai refugee detention centres 'brutal' for children says HRW

Sep 1, 2014
Detention facilities in Thailand for refugees are "no place for children", said the New York based rights organisation, Human Rights Watch, in a report - 'Two Years with No Moon' - published Monday.

Condemning Thailand's arbitrary detention of thousands of children in overcrowded and dangerous conditions as "brutal", HRW called on Thailand to "immediately cease detention of children for reasons of their immigration status".

The facilities, which predominantly house Rohingya asylum seekers, also include over 2000 refugees who have fled non-neighbouring countries, including Sri Lanka.

"Thailand’s use of immigration detention violates children’s rights, immediately risks their health and wellbeing, and imperils their development. Wretched conditions place children in filthy, overcrowded cells without adequate nutrition, education, or exercise space. Prolonged detention deprives children of the capacity to mentally and physically grow and thrive," HRW said.

SLFP is the only party that can guarantee the freedom of Sri Lanka says President

Sep 1, 2014
The Sri Lankan President on Tuesday said only the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) could free the country as it was created to establish national freedom and protect national heritage, reports Colombo Page.

Addressing crowds gathered to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the SLFP, Mahinda Rajapaksa said the party had “historic heritage” from the Uva province where battles were fought for “freedom of the country” and deemed the party as the only way to “consolidate freedom for the whole nation.”

Mullaitivu family intimidated after British High Commissioner visit

Sep 1, 2014


Photograph Uthayan

A family in Mullaitivu were threatened by Sri Lankan military intelligence officers following a visit to their home by the British High Commissioner John Rankin.

Rankin travelled to the Puthukkudiyiruppu region of Mullaitivu on Tuesday, to speak directly to Tamil families about the problems they faced.

Following his visit intelligence officers arrived at the house and "threatened" the family, the Jaffna based newspaper, Uthayan, reports.

The family was one of three households visited by the High Commissioner during his trip.

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 15 Indian fishermen and sinks fishing boat

Sep 1, 2014
15 fishermen from India have been arrested and detained by the Sri Lankan Navy in two separate incidents on Tuesday, which also saw a Sri Lankan Navy vessel collide with an Indian fishing boat causing it to sink.

According to a police inspector from Tamil Nadu's Q branch, the Sri Lankan Navy vessel collided with the Indian fishing boat near Katchatheevu, splitting it in two. As the 6 fishermen on board jumped into the sea to abandon the sinking boat, they were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Meanwhile, a further 9 fishermen were detained by Sri Lankan authorities, with fishing Association President T Jesuraja saying another two boats had sunk in the encounter.

The latest arrests follow a long history of the Sri Lankan Navy detaining Indian fishermen for alleged border violations. Talks between the two countries on the issue ended with Sri Lanka rejecting Indian proposals.

School principals in Kilinochchi interrogated by anti-terror squad over Mullivaikkal book

Aug 31, 2014
Three principals from schools in Kilinochchi were called in for questioning by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) this weekend over a book allegedly distributed in schools, the Uthayan reports.

The three were released following a lengthy interrogation at the TID office by the Kanthasamy temple. Principals from other schools in the region have also been summoned for questioning by the TID.

LSE lecturer detained and questioned

Aug 31, 2014
A lecturer at the London School of Economics, Dr Rajesh Venugopal, was detained by Sri Lankan immigration officers and questioned by police, who allege he violated his visa regulations.

Dr Venugopal, a British Indian lecturer in South Asian affairs, had travelled to Sri Lanka to attend the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) 13th annual symposium, on post-war development in Asia and Africa, taking place 1-3 September in Colombo.

Ahead of the conference he is understood to have visited Batticaloa, where police allege he enquired about the military presence and military reprisals.

Modi 100% with the Tamils says TNA

Aug 31, 2014
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he is 100 percent behind the Tamils following a meeting with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in New Delhi last week.

"We are 100 per cent with you, Modi said at the end of the meeting,” TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran confirmed to the New Indian Express.

In a press conference following the visit, TNA leader R. Sampanthan told journalists that his party was very happy with the visit, reports Colombo Gazette.

See related articles:

TNA calls on India to help release seized land North-East (31 Aug 2014)

Muslim students arrested after Buddhist monks pressure Aluthgama police

Aug 31, 2014
Police in Aluthgama arrested 4 Muslim students after Buddhist monks visited a police station in Welipitiya to call for action against the students, reports the Uthayan.

The students were involved in violent clashes with Sinhalese youth after a football game. The two parties were made to speak to each other by police after the violent clashes and encouraged to not make claims against each other.

MoD regulations widen beyond NGOs to foundations, trusts and societies

Aug 30, 2014
Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence is to impose regulations on foundations align with recent restrictions placed on NGOs.

The regulations will require all non profit organisations, trust and some societies to be registered with the NGO Secretariat, the Sunday Times reports.

 “Under the proposed amendments, they will have to register with the Secretariat or lose the right to receive foreign funds and conduct local monetary transactions,” said the director of the National NGO Secretariat, Saman Dissanayake, was quoted by the paper as saying.

“They will have to submit reports to us every three months about their activities. They will have to sign standard Memorandums of Understanding with us like NGOs do. The current provision for lifetime registration will be replaced by annually renewable registration.”

Talks fail as Sri Lanka rejects India's fishing proposals

Aug 30, 2014
Talks between the governments of Sri Lanka and India over the issue of fishing around the Palk Straits this week ended without conclusion after Sri Lanka rejected India's proposals to allow Indian fishermen to enter Sri Lankan waters three times a week.

Tamil Nadu's demands on Sri Lanka to return the fishing boats impounded by authorities were also rejected.

“They came up with an MoU and wanted to pursue the matters which we discussed in the 2012 Joint Working Committee. Our representatives told them that it was not necessary,” Fisheries Minister Rajitha Dr. Senaratne was quoted by the Sunday Times as saying.

"There would be no change in the Sri Lankan policy not to release Indian boats in Sri Lankan custody," he reportedly added.

The District Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Coastal Fishermen’s Association told the New Indian Express:
“The actual proceedings of the meeting are being kept under wraps, with the press release saying nothing. But we hear that the issue of the release of boats created a deadlock."

SLFP is the only party that can guarantee the freedom of Sri Lanka says President
Mullaitivu family intimidated after British High Commissioner visit
Sri Lankan Navy arrests 15 Indian fishermen and sinks fishing boat
School principals in Kilinochchi interrogated by anti-terror squad over Mullivaikkal book
LSE lecturer detained and questioned
Modi 100% with the Tamils says TNA
Muslim students arrested after Buddhist monks pressure Aluthgama police
MoD regulations widen beyond NGOs to foundations, trusts and societies
Talks fail as Sri Lanka rejects India's fishing proposals
President Rajapaksa must be protected – Minister
SLFP is the only party that can guarantee the freedom of Sri Lanka says President
Mullaitivu family intimidated after British High Commissioner visit
Sri Lankan Navy arrests 15 Indian fishermen and sinks fishing boat
School principals in Kilinochchi interrogated by anti-terror squad over Mullivaikkal book
LSE lecturer detained and questioned
Modi 100% with the Tamils says TNA
Muslim students arrested after Buddhist monks pressure Aluthgama police
MoD regulations widen beyond NGOs to foundations, trusts and societies
Talks fail as Sri Lanka rejects India's fishing proposals
President Rajapaksa must be protected – Minister