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…

Sri Lankan military opens canteen in Mullaitivu

The Sri Lankan army declared open a newly constructed canteen at its 59 Division headquarters in Mullaitivu last month.

Sri Lanka imposes sanctions on North Korea

The Sri Lankan government on Friday adopted santions against the Democratic People's Rupublic of North Korea, as outlined in the UN Security Council resolution. 

The regulations were issued by the country's foreign minister Tilak Marapana. 

"All Security Council member countries are bound to implement the SC's resolutions and so, Sri Lanka made it effective locally to implement the UN sanctions on the DPRK as per the resolution," Mr Marapana was quoted by Ceylon Today as saying. 

Tamil political prisoners on hunger strike in Anuradhapura urge govt to charge or release

Three political prisoners detained at Anuradhapura prison have urged the government to charge or release them. 

The men, who have been accused by the Sri Lankan authorities of links to the LTTE, have been on hunger strike since September 23. 

Reiterating their demands on Sunday, the men have threatened to stop taking fluids as well.

Asylum seeker from Sri Lanka shot dead by Swiss police in altercation

Swiss police on Saturday shot dead an asylum seeker from Sri Lanka during an altercation in the refugee detention centre. 

The 38 year old asylum seeker is reported to have been armed with a knife. Police were called after he charged at two other asylum seekers. 

The incident occurred in Brissago, Switzerland. 

“To guarantee the safety of all those present, a cantonal police officer fired his gun and seriously injured the aggressor,” Ticino police were quoted by Reuters as saying in a statement.

Sri Lankan police officer assaults protester in Hambantota

A video has emerged of an Assistant Superintendent of Police assaulting an arrested protester in Hambantota on Friday. 

The National Police Commission on Saturday announced it had launched an investigation into the alleged assault. 

See video here

Sri Lankan govt making progress on land release, Northern Province governor tells UK minister

The British minister for Asia and the Pacific met with the Sri Lankan government-appointed governor of the Northern Province during his trip to Jaffna on Friday.

The minister, Mark Field, and governor, Reginald Cooray, are reported to have discussed the current situation in the Northern Province and steps needed to achieve reconciliation.

NPC urges Sri Lankan government to intervene in case of hunger-striking Tamil political prisoners

The Northern Provincial Council has urged the Sri Lankan government to intervene in the case of Tamil political prisoners hunger striking in Anuradhapuram prison.

Following a resolution passed at the 107th sitting of the council on Friday, the council chair C. V. K. Sivagnanam wrote to the Sri Lankan President, Prime Minister and Minister of Resettlement and Prison Reforms.

The NPC urged the government to cancel the transfer of the political prisoners’ cases to Anuradhapuram courts which the detainees have been hunger striking against. The NPC requested that the trials be allowed to continue in Vavuniya.

UN Rapporteur on truth, justice and reparations to visit Sri Lanka next week

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on truth , justice, reparations and guarantees of no recurrence Pablo de Greiff is to carry out an official visit to Sri Lanka, from 10 to 23 October 2017.

UK FCO minister visits Jaffna

The UK’s Foreign Office Minister for Asia and the Pacific visited Jaffna today, as part of an official visit to the island.

Sri Lankan navy detains 4 Indian fishermen

The Sri Lankan navy on Thursday detained four Indian fishermen and confiscated their boat, for allegedly entering the island's waters. 

The fishermen have been identified as Tamilselvan (50), Appadurai (52), Rangasamy (45) and Jeeva (55). 

The men have been taken to Karainagar in Sri Lanka, Times of India reported.