Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Jaffna commemorates Black July victims
Commemorations were held across Jaffna over the weekend to mark 43 years since the Black July pogrom, honouring the thousands of Tamils killed in the anti-Tamil violence of July 1983 and the Tamil political prisoners massacred while in state custody. At the Thanthai Selva Auditorium in Jaffna, a common flame of remembrance was lit on Saturday, 25 July, and candles were lit in memory of the…

Mullaitivu farmers want army to release agricultural tanks

Jul 15, 2016
Farmers in Mullaitivu have urged the Sri Lankan government to push the army to release agricultural tanks currently under its occupation, Ceylon Today reported.

The demand comes after requests to date have proved futile, with no action taken.

“Southern fishermen are poaching in our waters," the farmers were quoted by the newspaper as saying.

"Ancient lands of farmers have been occupied under the Mahaweli Zone. This had now extended up to the borders of our ancient lands. Thousands of acres of prime land have been taken over such as the Kent and Dollar farms,”  the farmers added.

Kilinochchi IDPs demand land back from Sri Lankan military

Jul 15, 2016

Tamil internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Paravipanchan, Kilinochchi this week requested government to take action to allow them to be settled into their own homes.

The Sri Lankan military continues to occupy 17.2 acres of land owned by the 52 families, who remained displaced since the end of the armed conflict.

Paravipanchan, an area within Kilinochchi town, was previously the site of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) political headquarters, including the organisation's peace secretariat as well as media and educational offices.

Thousands of acres in Mullaitivu used for Sinhalese settlements – NPC member

Jul 15, 2016
Since the armed conflict ended in 2009, the Sri Lankan military has occupied thousands of acres of land for Sinhalese settlements stated Northern Provincial Council member T Ravikaran.

Approximately 4712.5 acres of land has been grabbed by the military in the district alone, said the NPC member, with 9 Buddhist viharas constructed and 794 Sinhalese families settled in the region.

Sri Lanka Navy Commander attends 'Leaders Symposium' in United States

Jul 15, 2016

Photograph: ColomboPage

The Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne attended a military symposium at California last week, at the invitation of the US military.

Sri Lankan intelligence officer arrested over murder of Sunday Leader editor

Jul 15, 2016

A Sri Lankan military intelligence officer has been arrested over the murder of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickramatunge.

The officer, identified as P Udalagama, is reportedly a sergeant attached to the military intelligence unit. He is due to be produced before an identity parade, reports Hiru News.

Tamil schoolchild raped and then beaten by Sri Lankan police for reporting crime

Jul 15, 2016

A 14 year old Tamil school child who was raped last month was beaten by Sri Lankan police officials as she tried to report the crime, reports Colombo Telegraph.

The girl, who was reportedly abducted and raped by her school bus driver on June 19th, attempted to report the crime to Haputale police on the 7th of July.

A woman police constable proceeded to beat the child, warning her not to reveal details of the rape to the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO). If the child spoke, the constable “threatened to kill the victim’s parents and everyone else in the family,” according to reports.

China ready to support Sri Lanka in every way possible claims minister

Jul 15, 2016
The Chinese Government said it will assist Sri Lanka in any way possible, claimed Sri Lanka’s Ministry of National Policy and Economic affairs on Friday.

Quoting the commercial counsellor at the Chinese embassy Wang Yingqi, Siri Lanka’s Minister of National Policy and Economic Affairs Niroshan Perera, said China was fully involved in the development of the country.

The Minister added that Sri Lanka had opened Chinese language training centres to help assist the tourism industry deal with Chinese visitors.

Welsh town rallies to save Tamil man from deportation to Sri Lanka

Jul 14, 2016
A Tamil man who feared for his life after facing deportation from the United Kingdom has won the right to stay in the UK, after residents in his Welsh village rallied around him.

Rakuvaran Parameswaran, a 25 year old man who fled the island in 2005, has been in the UK since he was 13. Originally from Puthukkudiyiruppu, his parents sent him from the island as fighting began to intensify, with the Sri Lankan military preparing to launch a major offensive in the Tamil North-East.

“My parents sent me to the UK when I was 13 to keep me safe,” said Mr Parameswaran. “I never heard from them again.”

Sri Lanka ‘will never bring down foreign judges’ declares FM

Jul 14, 2016
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera told a crowd in Colombo that his government “will never bring down foreign judges” to prosecute for violations of international humanitarian law, reports the Sri Lanka Mirror.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the mayors’ conference in Colombo, Mr Samaraweera was reported to have said that “war crimes allegations will be investigated and resolved through a local mechanism”.

Sri Lanka Mirror went on to add that the foreign minister said this was the “firm stance of both president Maithripala Sirisena and prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe” and that “certain media and groups were painting a wrong picture when the government was acting with transparency”.

‘Erosion of confidence’ in Sri Lankan courts, requires international involvement – US official

Jul 14, 2016

US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski reiterated the importance of international involvement in an accountability mechanism to prosecute for violations of international humanitarian law, in a press roundtable in Colombo on Thursday.

“An erosion in the confidence" of Sri Lanka's courts led to the call for foreign judges to become involved said Mr Malinowski. “Sri Lanka itself has contributed judicial expertise to other countries and it has perhaps benefited from that.”

"These are complicated issues and there needs to be a process of consultation with all in order to ensure these things are done in a way that earns confidence of the people," he added, speaking alongside US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, Nisha Biswal.

After his meeting, he tweeted,

“In Colombo, stressed US support for #SriLanka democratization, reconciliation and fully seeing through Geneva commitments.”

Kilinochchi IDPs demand land back from Sri Lankan military
Thousands of acres in Mullaitivu used for Sinhalese settlements – NPC member
Sri Lanka Navy Commander attends 'Leaders Symposium' in United States
Sri Lankan intelligence officer arrested over murder of Sunday Leader editor
Tamil schoolchild raped and then beaten by Sri Lankan police for reporting crime
China ready to support Sri Lanka in every way possible claims minister
Welsh town rallies to save Tamil man from deportation to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka ‘will never bring down foreign judges’ declares FM
‘Erosion of confidence’ in Sri Lankan courts, requires international involvement – US official
Sri Lankan army’s list of 'surrendered LTTE cadres' rejected by court
Kilinochchi IDPs demand land back from Sri Lankan military
Thousands of acres in Mullaitivu used for Sinhalese settlements – NPC member
Sri Lanka Navy Commander attends 'Leaders Symposium' in United States
Sri Lankan intelligence officer arrested over murder of Sunday Leader editor
Tamil schoolchild raped and then beaten by Sri Lankan police for reporting crime
China ready to support Sri Lanka in every way possible claims minister
Welsh town rallies to save Tamil man from deportation to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka ‘will never bring down foreign judges’ declares FM
‘Erosion of confidence’ in Sri Lankan courts, requires international involvement – US official
Sri Lankan army’s list of 'surrendered LTTE cadres' rejected by court