Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

A New Year celebration titled the ‘Tamil-Sinhala New Year,’ organised by the Umanthava Buddhist Village and the Sri Sathagam Ashram group, was held in Neduntheevu on Monday, raising concerns over the growing Sinhala-Buddhist presence and cultural encroachment in the Tamil homeland. The event took place at Maviddapuram Roman Catholic School in Neduntheevu (Delft Island), with around 350 Tamil…

JVP calls for rejection of LLRC, UNHRC resolutions and OHCHR report

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, an opposition Marxist party in Sri Lanka, has called upon all 'Sri Lankans' to completely reject the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Comission, a report by the Office of the High COmmissioner for Human Rights, and resolutions passed at the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2012 and March 2013.

Kollywood stars gather in solidarity

Prominent members of Tamil Nadu's film industry held a day-long fast on Tuesday, in solidarity with state-wide student protests.

The protest by the South Indian Artistes Association, led by Sarath Kumar, appealed to the Union government to recognise the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu assembly calling for a referendum on the issue of Eelam. Concerns about Tamil fishermen's grievances at the hands of the Sri Lankan navy were also voiced.

Attacks on Christians on increase in SL - Charity

The Barnabas Fund has reported that there has been a sharp increase in attacks on Christians by Buddhists in Sri Lanka.

The charity said there were 10 anti-Christian attacks in March alone, including the bruning down of a church and a “brutal attack” on the home of a pastor.

Police are also accused of threatening a pastor to stop holding Christian services.

Karunanidhi slams Delhi's 'discrimination' of Tamil Nadu fishermen

The leader of the DMK has slammed the Indian Central government for their 'discriminatory' approach, on the subjects of attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri lankan security forces.

Commenting on the contrasting approach that the Centre has used when Italian marines were accused of killing two fishermen from Kerala, DMK chief M Karunanidhi, said,

SL cricketer Chandimal rejects IPL offers

The Sri Lankan cricketer player, Dinesh Chandimal, has rejected two IPL offers from the Delhi Daredevils and the Pune Warriors, following the recent resolution passed in Tamil Nadu banning IPL matches involving Sri Lankan cricket players in Tamil Nadu.

 

Chandimal had been appointed the skipper for Sri Lanka in the Twenty20.

Sangakkara: here to play cricket representing SL and franchise

The Sri Lankan cricket player, and skipper for the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kumar Sangakkara, spoke out about the IPL controversy at the sidelines of an event in Hyderabad to NDTV.

"Politics in this case has affected/restricted our presence, our belief to play in every part of India. But I don't think, sports and spirit of cricket is ever going to be curtailed by such prejudice,"

400 'Sinha regiment' Sri Lanka soldiers leave for Haiti

400 soldiers from the Sri Lankan army's 'Sinha regiment' are set to leave for Haiti as part of a UN Peacekeeping mission later this week.

The deployment follows the expulsion of Sri Lankan troops for sexually abusing Haitian minors in 2007, with no prosecutions or punishments having taken place. 111 soldiers and 3 officers were repatriated back to Sri Lanka after being part of UN mission in Haiti and were accused of a string of sexual assaults, including rape of children as young as 7 years old.

Travel between SL and Chennai drops further

Travel between Colombo and Chennai has dropped by at least 30%, reported the Sunday Times, quoting travel trade sources.

Officials from the Defence Ministry have also advised Sri Lankans not to travel to Tamil Nadu, due to the recent protests in the state, according to the president of theTravel Agents Association of Sri Lanka, Saman Premakumara.

Minister to seek ban on BBS

The Minister for National Language and Social Integration, Vasudeva Nanayakara is to seek to ban Sinhala groups such as the Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana BAlaya and the Sinhala Ravaya.

A Cabinet paper will be submitted in two weeks time, reports Nanayakkara The Sunday Leader.

Nanayakkara said:

Chandrika, Ranil and Mangala hold 'secret discussions'

The opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, former president Chandrika Bandaranaike and United National Party MP Mangala Samaraweera reportedly held 'secret discussions' on 24th March - on Wickremesinghe's birthday - at the villa of the British expat Geoffrey Dobbs.

Geoffrey Dobbs, who owns hotels in Galle, is also the founder of the Galle Literary Festival.