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…

Civil society groups write to Commonwealth Sec Gen on SL

Seven international civil society and rights groups have urged the Commonwealth Secretary General to re-examine Sri Lanka in light of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2013 (CHOGM) due to be held in Sri Lanka in March.

See here for full letter.

Strongly criticising reports that the Secretary General was urging the Canadian prime minister to change his mind on a threatened boycott of the event, the groups said,

"The Commonwealth Secretariat must lay down benchmarks of discernible, quantifiable and measurable steps that the government of Sri Lanka must take before it can hope to host a CHOGM that has the wholehearted participation of both Heads of Governments and civil society".

The groups, including Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Human Rights Law Centre (Australia), Human Rights Watch, Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace & Justice and United Nations Association of the UK, listed a 'minimum' benchmark as:

1.       Fully restore the rule of law;

2.       Lift restrictions on the enjoyment of all fundamental freedoms for all people within its borders ;

Yet to see' progress says Canadian minister

Speaking to Tamil Canadian, Canadian MP for Ajax - Pickering, Chris Alexander, expressed scepticism of Sri Lanka's claims of change, asserting that Sri Lanka's "there is a new action plan put forward by the government this summer – but has not translate into change in the ground".

See here for full interview by Tamil Canadian, extracts reproduced below:

US Congress members express concern over lack of progress

Thirty-one members of the US Congress have written to Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, expressing their concern over Sri Lanka's lack of progress towards reconciliation and accountability, despite the resolution passed by the UNHRC earlier this year.

See here for letter in full, extracts reproduced:

"The resolution [UNHRC 19th Session] signaled an important step forward in placing additional pressure on the Government of Sri Lanka to implement constructive recommendations contained in the LLRC report, while also noting that the report failed to adequately address serious allegations of violations of international law."

"Despite these initial steps toward reconciliation and accountability, we remain concerned that the Government of Sri Lanka will resist taking the good faith steps necessary to implement both its obligations under the UNHRC Resolution and the LLRC report."

Sri Lankan President assures ‘equal’ benefits for 'North and South'

Addressing the alleged 'final' group of resettled internally displaced civilians in the Mullativu district, Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, exemplified the government’s notion of assurance by imploring the people to work hard for the welfare of their own families and future generations.

Rajapaksa encouraged the 'resettled' internally displaced persons to "work hard" for his future generations.

Madras High Court urges protection of fishermen

The Madras High Court directed the Indian Coast Guard to file an affadavit on plans to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Justice Vinod K Sharma, and Justice A Selvam, asked the state and central government to produced details of future steps, though made clear that the court could not direct the Indian government to protect fishermen in Sri Lankan waters. The judges said, "You should ensure that they do not cross the International Maritime Boundary Line. Tell us the steps taken to protect them,"

3 Tamil men abducted by SL Navy in Vadamaradchi

Three Tamil youths were abducted by members of the Sri Lankan Navy during the early hours of Monday morning reported Uthayan. 

Dressed in civilian clothes and riding motorbikes, the Sri Lankan navy personnel arrived at the houses of the victims and demanded the men come with them for questioning.

Relatives of the victims have reported the men where beaten by the navy whilst being taken away.

UN still “concerned” for displaced Tamils

Welcoming the announced closure of Menik Farm camp the United Nations has stated that they remained concerned for the last remaining families who cannot return to their homes.

The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a statement today with Sri Lanka co-ordinator Subinay Nandy saying,
“there are still some people who are unable to return to their homes and a solution urgently needs to be found”.

A Sri Lankan minister’s wisdom

Sri Lankan Minister Wimal Weerawansa has again attacked Google, this time blaming it for the current upheaval and protests against the anti-Islam movie.

Weerawansa said Google was responsible for the circulation of the video and that US authorities use the search engine to ‘suit their whims and fancies’, according to the Daily Mirror.

Government funds new chapters for Mahavamsa

The Sri Lankan Treasury has announced that they have allocated supplementary funds to help finance new chapters in the Buddhist chronicle, the Mahavamsa.

The new chapters are set to include 3 dedicated to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, more than any of the predecessors in the text, according to reports. One official reportedly said earlier this year,

Keppapulavu IDPs appeal for international intervention to go home

Tamils from Keppapulavu who were moved out of the Cheddikulam IDP camp by the military this weekend, have appealed to the international community to intervene and allow them to go their original homes, reported TamilNet.

Although the government has proclaimed that there are now no IDPs, many of those who were supposedly 'resettled' have not been allowed to return to their homes, but have instead been moved on to effectively another camp.