Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sinnathurai commemorating Maaveerar Naal in London, 2022. Selvachandran Sinnathurai, the father of Lieutenant Shankar, the first fighter from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to be killed in the Tamil armed struggle, passed away in London earlier this month. Lieutenant Shankar holds a significant place in Tamil history as the first cadre to sacrifice his life in the early…

United States urges Sri Lanka to ensure 'timely action'

The United States urged Sri Lanka to ensure 'time action' on justice, accountability and reconciliation, responding to the passing of a co-sponsored resolution at the UN Human Rights Council this week. 

"We welcome #SriLanka’s renewed commitment to #reconciliation, #justice, and #accountability.  Timely action to address these issues will secure a peaceful and prosperous future for all Sri Lankans," the US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs tweeted. 

The resolution was passed amid a number of member states expressing disappointment over Sri Lanka's failure to make sufficient progress over the past four years. 

Army official arrested over drugs in Vavuniya

A Sri Lankan army official was arrested last Saturday over being in possession of drugs for supply. 

Key Tamil diaspora orgs urge acceleration of resolution implementation

<p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/images/icons/UNHRC.jpeg"></p> <p>Six key Tamil diaspora organisations said they were disappointed by the failure to secure a time bound pathway of implementation of Sri Lanka's co-sponsored UN Human Rights Council resolution, ensuring accelerated progress.&nbsp;</p>

Jaffna uni students demand Sri Lanka be referred to ICC for genocide

Students at the University of Jaffna joined families of the disappeared last Saturday to demand Sri Lanka be referred to the International Criminal Court for committing a genocide against the Tamil people. 

Students condemned the UN Human Rights Council's decision to grant an extension to the government to implement the co-sponsored resolution. 

The protest began in front of the university and ended at the municipality council sports grounds.

2 arrested over Mullaitivu journalist robbery

Two men have been arrested on Sunday over the robbery which took place at the home of a prominent Mullaitivu journalist, Kumanan. 

Sumanthiran warns of taking Sri Lanka to International Criminal Court

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliament M A Sumanthiran warned that unless Sri Lanka agrees to include international judges in a accountability mechanism, his party would "take steps to move Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court".

Speaking to Sri Lanka’s parliament earlier today, Sumanthiran said "the state of Sri Lanka cannot be an independent arbiter".

"If the government of Sri Lanka does not adhere to this commitment of including independent foreign judges in the judicial mechanism, then we the Tamil people will be left with no alternative but to move towards and entirely international judicial mechanism," he said.

TNPF calls for international criminal tribunal in Sri Lanka

The leader of the Tamil National Peoples’ Front (TNPF) called for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) or the setting up of an ad hoc international criminal tribunal, in order to to obtain justice for Tamil victims, in an address to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) this week.

Gajen Ponnambalam said that the OISL report had found “a domestic accountability mechanism would not suffice due to the lack of capacity owing to the   distortion and corruption of the security sector and judicial system in Sri Lanka”.

International NGOs reiterate calls for international accountability in Sri Lanka

Several international NGOs have criticised Sri Lanka’s unwillingness to hold war criminals to account through an accountability mechanism with international involvement, as a resolution was passed giving the government two more years to do so this week.

CID says navy hierarchy knew of 2009 Colombo abductions

Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department yesterday said the navy hierarchy, including Navy Commander Jayantha Perera and Intelligence Division Director Ananda Guruge knew about the abductions that occurred in Colombo during 2008 - 2009. 

Australian Tamils call for Sri Lanka to be referred to ICC

Tamils in Australia expressed disappointment over the UN Human Rights Council's decision to grant Sri Lanka a two year extension to implement resolution 30/1, and called for alternate avenues to be explored, including referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC).