Diaspora

Clashes continue in Mannar

Jan 22

Clashes continued in Mannar over the past two weeks, with over eighty fighters killed in the region according to the claims by the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers.

On Saturday January 19, a massive ground operation, by the SLA against LTTE bases in Paalaikuli and Adampan, was defeated after fierce resistance by LTTE cadres.

Civilians targeted in Vanni, schools remain closed

Schools in Kilinochchi closed last week after a Sri Lanka Air Force bombing narrowly missed a primary school, forcing parents, children and teachers to flee to bunkers.

790 schoolchildren and 22 teachers at the Kanakapuram Maha Viththiyaalayam school narrowly escaped as four Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) fighter jets dropped bombs barely 100 meters away from their school in the Kilinochchi suburbs Thursday morning.

Tamil Diaspora calls for SriLankan boycott

Tamils around the world have called for a global boycott of SriLankan Airlines, the island nation’s main international carrier, in protest at the Colombo government's decision to unilaterally end the Norwegian facilitated ceasefire agreement between the government and the LTTE.

We send them the money: so don’t complain

So Mahinda Rajapakse has abrogated yet another solemn pact with the Tamils for peace. And, we the Tamil expatriates keep sending his government billions of dollars every year with our spending habits. Our grocery spending is the most grotesque.

There are those who ask why?

“Why boycott ONLY the Sri Lankan groceries?” Why not the other ways in which the Tamil expatriates are sending money to Sri Lanka?

A game that will speak not its name

The Sri Lankan government is not declaring formally that a military operation into Vanni has already begun.

iTRO urges countries to allow Diaspora help

Allow space for the Tamil Diaspora to provide much needed humanitarian assistance to their people'

Pathetically unenforceable' – Colombo's reply to UN war crimes warning

We will not be deterred by thinly veiled threats, trying to undermine the morale of the military and save separatist terrorism'

The War against LTTE: Can it be a pathway to Eelam?

The undeniable consequence is a strong sense of confidence among Tamils that they can perform better on their own and that secession is not too risky.

Japan 'reviews' aid to Sri Lanka

The Japanese peace envoy to Sri Lanka, Yasushi Akashi, has said that the breakdown of the ceasefire may make it necessary to review Tokyo's aid.

Mr Akashi said he was worried that the end of the ceasefire may lead to more violence and more civilian casualties.

Japan is Sri Lanka's largest foreign donor, giving about $9bn in grants, loans and aid since 1985, including around $400m in 2007.

Emerging Mayhem

The world will come to face a choice: perpetual conflict in the island or a two-state solution.

UK: world must act to protect threatened peoples

In a keynote speech Monday during his official visit to India, Britain’s Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, called for the shaping of a “new world order” in which the international community intervenes where populations are being threatened by "genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes or crimes against humanity, and the state is unwilling or unable to halt or prevent it." The world has "a responsibility to protect" Mr. Brown said.

India-UK summit: 'No military solution in Sri Lanka'

A joint statement signed by the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and India, at the UK-India annual Summit held in New Delhi Monday, said they agreed that there is no military solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka and urged the Sri Lankan government to put forward a credible devolution package as a key contribution to finding a political settlement acceptable to all communities within the framework of a united Sri Lanka.