Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Kanji distributed across the East to remember victims of Tamil genocide
Tamils across the Eastern province served kanji in memory of the Tamils that perished at Mullivaikkal in 2009.  Kanji - a porridge of rice and water - was the only food available during the final months of the armed conflict as the Sri Lankan government had restricted food from entering the Vanni. Tamils in the North-East and the diaspora distribute kanji during Mullivaikkal Remembrance…

Sri Lanka's foreign minister visits China

Feb 25, 2015
Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera left for China on Thursday, for a two day visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.

Mr Samaraweera is expected to meet with his counterpart in China. The visit comes ahead of the Sri Lankan president's expected visit next month.

"The expectation of this visit is to strengthen relations," the deputy minister for Policy planning and Economic Affairs, Harsha de Silva was quoted by Colombo Page as saying.

BBS chief Gnanasara may contest general elections

Feb 24, 2015

The head of the Bodu Bala Sena, a Buddhist group led by monks, says he is considering entering politics and contesting the general elections in summer.

Speaking to Colombo Gazette, BBS General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara said he had been requested several times to enter politics.

In January the Buddhist organisation announced it would form a party to “protect Buddhism form minority threats”.

Senior UN official to visit Sri Lanka this week

Feb 24, 2015

The UN’s Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman will visit Sri Lanka on Saturday, his first visit to the island.

Mr Feltman will meet with senior officials of the government, political parties and civil society groups.

The spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, Stéphane Dujarric, said the under-secretary “looks forward to discussing with Sri Lankan leaders various issues of mutual concern.”

Sri Lankan court extends detention of Jeyakumari

Feb 24, 2015
Tamil disappearances activist Balendran Jeyakumariy has had her detention extended by a court in Colombo on Tuesday after a request from Sri Lanka’s anti-terrorism police, reports Colombo Mirror.

The campaigner, who was detained by Sri Lankan security forces ahead of the UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka in March 2014, will continue to be held in custody until March 10.

Wigneswaran tells Sri Lanka PM nothing racist about demanding truth

Feb 24, 2015
Criticising the Sri Lankan prime minister's statement that a resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) calling for an international investigation in genocide as "racist", adding that the UN Human Rights council's decision to defer the publication of a report examining mass atrocities against the Tamil people was intended as a slap in the face to the NPC.

“Asking that the truth should come out cannot be racism,” the Northern Provincial Council's chief minister, C V Wigneswaran told reporters on Wednesday. 
 
“If only the truth is first learnt, a path for reconciliation can be created,” he pointed out.
 
“The prime minister saying that [us] revealing what happened to our people is racism gives [us] great sadness. Saying the truth can never be racism. Real racism can be pointed out. That is what the resolution we brought to the Northern Provincial Council showed."
 

South African delegation visits Sri Lanka

Feb 24, 2015
A South African delegation visited Sri Lanka this week, discussing cooperation in areas such as defence, trade and the zoological gardens, as well as sharing the country's experience of reconciliation.

The delegation is led by South Africa’s deputy minister for International Relations and Cooperation, Nomaindia Mfeketo.

The countries initiated the Declaration of Intent in the Field of Sustainable Tourism Development and the Memorandum of Understanding- between the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa and Department of National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry's website, reported.

UK Tamils demonstrate in solidarity with Jaffna protesters

Feb 24, 2015
Photographs Tamil Guardian

Tamils in London held a demonstration on Wednesday in solidarity with Tamils in Jaffna, who a few hours before had come out in their thousands to call for the immediate release of the UN inquiry into mass atrocities against the Tamil people and reject a domestic Sri Lankan inquiry as a means of delivering justice.

Eastern province teachers demand schools taken over by navy returned

Feb 23, 2015
The Eastern Province Tamil Teachers' Association (EPTTA) has demanded the Sri Lankan navy return two schools that were seized and turned into navy camps since 2006, reports Ceylon Today.

S Jeyarajah, the EPTTA General Secretary, met with the Sri Lankan State Minister for Education Radhakrishnan at his Colombo office and told of how the Sampur Maha Vidiyalayam and Sri Murugan Vidiyalayam in Muttur have been taken over by the Sri Lankan security forces.

Tamil Nadu youth march in solidarity with Eelam Tamils

Feb 23, 2015
 

Almost 100 youth in Tamil Nadu held a demonstration expressing solidarity with protestors in Jaffna, demanding the release of the report from the United Nations inquiry into mass atrocities committed against Tamils.

Holding placards that said placards reading “#TamilLivesMatter” and “Justice delayed is justice denied”, the protestors gathered in front of the UNICEF office in Chennai. They handed in a petition demanding an immediate release of the inquiry findings, as well as a full investigation into genocide and a referendum to determine the Tamils people's right to self-determination.

The delay in releasing the report “protracts the genocide of the Tamil people” said V Prabhakaran of the Tamil Youths and Students Federation. “This delay only encourages the ethnic cleansing that is taking place today,” he told the Tamil Guardian.

“The report must be released immediately.”

World Bank pledges continued support for Sri Lanka

Feb 23, 2015

The World Bank reaffirmed its commitment to support Sri Lanka to help “shape and implement policies”, to reduce poverty and promoting sustainable growth.

World Bank Vice President for the South Asia Region Annette Dixon, met with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake during her visit to Colombo, according to a press release published on Tuesday.

“The Government has laid out an ambitious reform agenda aimed at improving governance, transparency and accountability and establishing strong institutions for that purpose within its first 100 days. This is no small feat and the Bank stands ready to provide support to the government to help achieve these goals,” Ms Dixon said as she concluded her first visit to Sri Lanka.

BBS chief Gnanasara may contest general elections
Senior UN official to visit Sri Lanka this week
Sri Lankan court extends detention of Jeyakumari
Wigneswaran tells Sri Lanka PM nothing racist about demanding truth
South African delegation visits Sri Lanka
UK Tamils demonstrate in solidarity with Jaffna protesters
Eastern province teachers demand schools taken over by navy returned
Tamil Nadu youth march in solidarity with Eelam Tamils
World Bank pledges continued support for Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan PM says NPC's call for genocide investigation is 'racist'
BBS chief Gnanasara may contest general elections
Senior UN official to visit Sri Lanka this week
Sri Lankan court extends detention of Jeyakumari
Wigneswaran tells Sri Lanka PM nothing racist about demanding truth
South African delegation visits Sri Lanka
UK Tamils demonstrate in solidarity with Jaffna protesters
Eastern province teachers demand schools taken over by navy returned
Tamil Nadu youth march in solidarity with Eelam Tamils
World Bank pledges continued support for Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan PM says NPC's call for genocide investigation is 'racist'