Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

A protest march was held last month opposing limestone excavation, mineral sand mining and a proposed wind power project across the villages of Veravil, Valaipadu, Ponnaveli and Kiranchi, in the Poonakary Divisional Secretariat division of Kilinochchi. The demonstration was organised against plans to establish wind power stations and to carry out mineral sand and limestone extraction in the…

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). 

UN passes resolution on Sri Lanka, granting two year extension

The United Nations Human Rights Council has adopted a new resolution on Sri Lanka, granting it a further two years to implement a previous resolution from 2015 that mandates a hybrid accountability mechanism.

Resolution L.1 was adopted at the council in Geneva earlier today without a vote, after Sri Lanka announced it would be co-sponsoring it.

Woman found stabbed to death in Vavuniya

A mother of two children was found stabbed to death in Vavuniya yesterday. 

2 policemen arrested in Vavuniya over treasure hunting

Two police officers were arrested in Vavuniya on March 19, following the earlier arrest of five men two days prior for treasure hunting near the Poompukar Crematorium in Vavuniya. 

UN human rights chief warns impunity may fuel further violence in Sri Lanka

The UN human rights chief called on Sri Lanka to ensure “consistent, comprehensive and accelerated” implementation of a resolution on accountability in an address to the Human Rights Council today, where she urged Colombo to hold perpetrators of crimes to account.

Presenting her report to the council in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said her office “encourages” Sri Lanka ”to implement a detailed and comprehensive strategy” for the transitional process with a fixed timeline”. 

India urges Sri Lanka to fully implement 13A

Thanking the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for her report, India said it looked forward to "the implementation of its other important commitments made to the international community, including the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka."

UN member states call for justice in Sri Lanka through time-bound strategy

Member states urged the UN Human Rights Council to ensure justice is delivered on in Sri Lanka through a time-bound strategy during today's interactive dialogue on the report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, with Canada reiterating the call for international judges. 

Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada calls for universal jurisdiction on Sri Lanka

Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) called on members of the international community to exercise universal jurisdiction “to hold perpetrators of atrocity crimes in Sri Lanka accountable,” in a statement delivered at the UN Human Rights Council today.

Killings, torture and sexual abuse highlighted in US report on Sri Lanka

The US State Department released its 2018 report on the human rights this month, raising ongoing concerns in Sri Lanka of impunity, arbitrary detention, unlawful killings, torture, sexual abuse and media intimidation.