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…

Sri Lanka airlines to scrap plans to reduce flights to Europe

Feb 21, 2016
Sri Lanka Airlines has cancelled plans to reduce flights to European destinations reports Sundaytimes.lk.

The airline in a statement issued on Sunday added that London will remain Sri Lanka’s main gateway to Europe.

The airline said that India and China had remained  the top two revenue generation markets in 2015.

Sri Lankan Airlines losses increase by 24% (05 Mar 2015)

Sri Lanka will not return Katchatheevu islet to India

Feb 21, 2016
Sri Lanka reiterated that it will not return the islet Katchatheevu to India, reports the Economic Times of India.

Speaking to press Sri Lanka’s deputy Minister for Child and Women’s Affairs Vijaayakala Maheswaran said,

“Katchatheevu is part of Sri Lanka according to an agreement and hence it was not possible to give it back to India.”

In 1974 India ceded the Katchatheevu islet to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has no enemies says Sirisena

Feb 20, 2016
Sri Lanka has no enemies in the world, said Preident  Sirisena addressing Sri Lankan expatriates in Vienna.

Speaking at the Austrian National Library in Vienna, Mr Sirisena said,

Sri Meenakshi Amman temple festival celebrated in Chavakachcheri

Feb 19, 2016

Tamils in Chavakachcheri celebrated the Sri Meenakshi Amman temple's annual festival.

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Austria pledges to assist Sri Lanka in regaining GSP+ trade concession

Feb 19, 2016
Austria has pledged to assist Sri Lanka in removing the European Union’s ban on fishery exports and regain the GSP+ trade concession reports Colombo Page.

President Sirisena who arrived in Vienna for a two day visit on Friday, met with Austrian President Heinz Fischer.

The two counterparts agreed to increase economic cooperation and with the Austrian president pledging to help Sri Lanka regain GSP+ trade concession from the EU.

Sri Lanka and Germany sign bilateral agreements

Feb 19, 2016
Sri Lanka and Germany agreed to strengthen bilateral relations by signing an array of agreements that covered education, language, museology, heritage and art conservation, higher education and sports, reports Colombo Page.

The two sides also agreed to foster and improve the volume of Sri Lanka’s exports to Germany.
The agreement followed President Sirisena’s visit to Berlin.

In the run-up to his visit Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany alleged that the nation would initiate a resolution to support the reinstatement of the GSP+ trade concession to Sri Lanka.

Those opposed to India trade agreement are 'traitors' says Sri Lanka Prime Minister

Feb 19, 2016
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterating his commitment to signing a trade agreement with India called any one that opposed it a ‘traitor.’

Speaking to reporters in Hambantota, Sri Lanka’s prime minister said,

“I will tell you one thing. We will take this agreement forward. We have a majority in parliament.”

The prime minister has faced strong opposition to signing a bi-lateral trade agreement with India and enhancing further trade ties with the neighbouring nation.

India framework agreement not finalised says Sri Lanka minister (25 Jan 2016)

Sri Lanka to finalise India trade agreement by mid-2016 announces ministry (30 Dec 2015)

See our editorial:

Sri Lanka’s Indophobia (07 Aug 2015)

North-East has highest poverty levels in Sri Lanka finds World Bank

Feb 19, 2016
A World Bank Report entitled ‘Sri Lanka: Ending Poverty and Promoting Shared Prosperity’ found that the Tamil North-East stood out as regions with high concentrations of poverty.

The report found that Sri Lanka’s Tamils “had the highest rates of poverty among ethnic groups,” with double the poverty rate of the ethnic Sinhala community on the island.

Sri Lankan military inspect house by house for dengue

Feb 19, 2016
The Sri Lankan military led the government's operation to combat dengue fever by inspecting house by house across the North-East, said locals.

The army in Jaffna, the air force in Batticaloa and the navy in Puttalam engaged in inspection activities this month.

Visiting every house the military asked for lists of those living in the household as well as carrying out a full inspection of the property and lands.

Tamil Nadu fishermen threaten to 'lay siege' to Sri Lankan High Commission

Feb 19, 2016
Fishermen in Tamil Nadu on Saturday threatened to "lay siege" to Sri Lanka's Deputy High Commission in Chennai on February 29, in protest at the ongoing arrests and detention of fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy.

The decision came after a meeting between fishermen from Tuticorin, Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Karaikal, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram, PTI reported.

"Seventy eight fishing boats have been seized by Sri Lankan naval personnel in 2015 and had not been released yet. The boats are valued at between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 30 lakh each, depending on their size," the president of the Nagapattinam fishermen's group, Mr Rajendran was quoted by PTI as saying.

Sri Lanka will not return Katchatheevu islet to India
Sri Lanka has no enemies says Sirisena
Sri Meenakshi Amman temple festival celebrated in Chavakachcheri
Austria pledges to assist Sri Lanka in regaining GSP+ trade concession
Sri Lanka and Germany sign bilateral agreements
Those opposed to India trade agreement are 'traitors' says Sri Lanka Prime Minister
North-East has highest poverty levels in Sri Lanka finds World Bank
Sri Lankan military inspect house by house for dengue
Tamil Nadu fishermen threaten to 'lay siege' to Sri Lankan High Commission
TNA councillor attacked in Vavuniya
Sri Lanka will not return Katchatheevu islet to India
Sri Lanka has no enemies says Sirisena
Sri Meenakshi Amman temple festival celebrated in Chavakachcheri
Austria pledges to assist Sri Lanka in regaining GSP+ trade concession
Sri Lanka and Germany sign bilateral agreements
Those opposed to India trade agreement are 'traitors' says Sri Lanka Prime Minister
North-East has highest poverty levels in Sri Lanka finds World Bank
Sri Lankan military inspect house by house for dengue
Tamil Nadu fishermen threaten to 'lay siege' to Sri Lankan High Commission
TNA councillor attacked in Vavuniya