Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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  The lawyer representing detained Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeskumar challenged allegations that his client sought to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during proceedings before the Jaffna Magistrate's Court this week, arguing that the material cited by police contains no reference to the organisation or its leadership. Sangeethsan, better known by his stage name…

On this day – Tamil Red Cross volunteers abducted and killed in Colombo

On June 3rd 2007, two Tamil Red Cross volunteers who were abducted whilst they were in Colombo for a tsunami relief program were found shot dead.

The two Tamils, 38 year old Sinnarajah Shanmuganathan and 28 year old Karthigesu Chandramohan, were both from Batticaloa.

Sri Lanka to join world’s largest navy exercise in USA

The Sri Lankan navy will join the US-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) navy exercise for the first time later this month – the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise.

“Twenty-six nations, 47 surface ships, five submarines, 18 national land forces, and more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will participate,” said an official US navy website.

Sri Lankan president threatens to block social media

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena warned that he may unilaterally block social media access across the island if it were to be ‘misused’ citing “national security” and “ethnic harmony”.

The Daily Mirror quoted Mr Sirisena as stating that he had “summoned a team of experts who work in a global institution in the US that attend to issues pertaining to social media”. He added,

“I discussed with them the influence of the social media has on social and national security, ethnic harmony, integrity of a family and so on because social media has influenced them badly. I also told the US experts that if they could not control what was going on in Sri Lanka,

Sirisena blames UNP for election defeat

The Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena told the SLFP's Central Committee that the party's alignment with the UNP was the cause of its election failings at the local government elections. 

All parties had been affected by internal divisions and factions, he was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

"Nobody can single out a party unaffected by internal squabbles," he added. 

Tensions between the ruling coalition partners have increased since the polls delivered a win to the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

Sri Lankan police photograph Tamils demonstrating against Thoothukodi shootings

Tamils protesting in Jaffna against the killing of Thoothukodi protesters in Tamil Nadu faced police intimidation as officers and security personnel photographed participants. 

Sri Lankan Army and Archaeology Dept. destroying ancient Tamil remains in Kilinochchi

Residents of a Kilinochchi village have said that the Sri Lankan Army and Archaeology Department are destroying signs of ancient Tamil civilisation in the area.

Mullaitivu families of the disappeared boycott and protest OMP meeting

Families of the disappeared from Mullaitivu boycotted a meeting with the Office for Missing Persons (OMP) on Saturday, and instead staged a protest outside the meeting which was held at the Mullaitivu District Secretariat.

Three soldiers arrested for possession of cannabis in Poonakary

Three Sri Lankan soldiers based in Poonakary were arrested on Thursday for possession of cannabis.

The arrested were members of the 5th Division of the General Service Corps based in Nachikuda - Ponnaveli.

They were released on bail by the Kilinochchi Magistrate Court, with the case set to be heard on June 5th.

The three soldiers have also been temporarily suspended from duty.

Tamils 'will be forced to rethink position’ TNA leader tells US delegation

The leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) told a visiting U.S. House of Representatives delegation that “our people will be forced to rethink our position” if Sinhala leaders continue to ignore the Tamil political question.

Tamil Eelam lose to highly rated Barawa in CONIFA opener

A highly rated Barawa team managed to beat Tamil Eelam in their opening match of the 2018 CONIFA World Cup campaign in London this week.

The opening game of the tournament, the match highly anticipated match was a great spectacle, with supporters of both sides in the crowd. To add to the  occasion, the game was officiated by former Euro 2016 and Champions League Final referee, Mark Clattenburg, at the Bromley FC Stadium.