India jails asylum seekers fleeing from Sri Lanka

A court in Tamil Nadu has sentenced five Eelam Tamil asylum seekers to two years imprisonment for illegally entering India, after the group fled Sri Lanka with their five children last year. The group of asylum seekers, consisting of three men, two women and five children, had arrived in Dhanushkodi in May 2014. Originally from Mullaitivu and Jaffna, the group went to Mannar, where they boarded two boats taking them across the Palk Strait. One of the men, a former LTTE member from Mullaitivu, told of how the Tamils had feared for their lives following a crackdown by Sri Lankan security forces...

Hugh crowds gather as Pope visits Vanni church

Hundreds of worshipers gathered at the Madhu Matha church in Vanni to witness Pope Francis' visit and prayers. TNA MPs, the Northern Province's Chief Minister and councillors attended the event the church, which honours Our Lady of Madhu and is over 450 years old.

Military recruits Tamil youths to work in army farm

The Sri Lankan military recruited nineteen Tamil youths to work at an army run farm in the Vellamkulam region of Kilinochchi, reported the military's news site on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka military hands out chickens in Kilinochchi

Sri Lankan army personnel handed out 25 chickens in Kilinochchi on Monday to a widow with eight children, reported a military aligned news site . The military's ongoing deployment across the Tamil areas and its continuing partaking in civilian economic and humanitarian affairs has faced extensive criticism.

'Why Sirisena’s Victory is Not a Victory for Sri Lanka’s Tamils'

Despite Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's surprise election victory, there is little to suggest change in government policy towards the island's indigenous Tamil and Muslim communities, said Tamil Civil Society Forum spokesperson Kumaravadivel Guruparan. Writing in The Caravan , Guruparan said that Tamils “voted for Sirisena not because they liked his candidacy but because they wanted to oust Rajapaksa”. “As far as this electorate was concerned, their vote for Sirisena was the only way in which they could voice their anger against a regime that had inflicted enormous suffering on them, almost threatening their very existence,” said Guruparan. On Sri Lanka's new president, Guruparan added, “Sirisena was an integral part of the Rajapaksa regime that unleashed a horrendous war, a war that was waged not just against the LTTE, but also against the Tamil citizens of Sri Lanka. He was a part of the Rajapaksa regime that not so long ago used the military to take over vast amounts of private land belonging to the Tamils in the regions dominated by them.The regime initiated a rapid process of demographic change in the northeast in favour of the Sinhalese, and endorsed the maltreatment of ex-LTTE cadres.”

NGO Secretariat to be under Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry

Sri Lanka's Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) secretariat is to be within the purview of the country's Ministry of Defense, following the election win of President Maithripala Sirisena. President Sirisena announced his decision , a day after taking oath, to retain the Ministry of Defense under his remit and appointing himself as Defence Minister. A gazette notification issued on January 10, confirming the move, places the Secretariat for NGOs under the Defence Ministry's ' Departments, Statutory Institutions & Public Corporations ' along side the army, the navy and the air force.

Former key Rajapaksa ally supports 100 day programme

The National Freedom Front (NFF), a key partner of the defeated Rajapaksa coalition, said that it fully supported the new government’s 100 day program for reform. Expressing commitment to the programme, the NFF spokesperson, Muhammed Muzammil, said, “we will not pose any impediments while on their way to fulfilling the recommendations." "We will render our utmost support. We will not only render our support, we will also monitor whether or not the task is carried out as promised to the people,” he added.

Canadian Prime Minister wishes Tamils for Thai Pongal

Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper marked the Tamil harvest festival of Thai Pongal this week, by expressing his wishes to all Tamil Canadians celebrating the occasion. "I am certain that this year’s festivities will be a worthy reflection of the pride felt by Tamil Canadians and highlight the community’s important contributions to Canadian life," Prime Minister Harper said.

Canadian mayors praise Tamil community on Thai Pongal

The mayors of the cities of Toronto and Brampton in Canada praised the Tamil Canadian community, wishing them a warm and happy Thai Pongal this week. "Thai Pongal vaazhthukkal! As you gather with your families to celebrate this traditional festival at the end of the harvest festival it is a great time to appreciate and be thankful for the many blessings we enjoy," said the Mayor of Toronto, John Tory in a special video message. "Diversity is one of those blessings. It is one of the reasons why Toronto is such a dynamic city, and a big of that is our Tamil community, with strong values of family and hard work. Thank you for the many ways you make Toronto a better city."

Pope tells Sri Lanka justice essential for peace

Pope Francis with President Sirisena and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera Justice for crimes committed during the island's ethnic conflict is crucial for promoting peace, said Pope Francis after arriving in Sri Lanka for his week long visit on Tuesday. "Sri Lanka for many years knew the horrors of civil strife, and is now seeking to consolidate peace and to heal the scars of those years. It is no easy task to overcome the bitter legacy of injustices, hostility and mistrust left by the conflict. It can only be done by overcoming evil with good (cf. Rom 12:21) and by cultivating those virtues which foster reconciliation, solidarity and peace," he said.

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