Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Namal Rajapaksa demands summoning of Canadian High Commissioner over Tamil Genocide Monument
Namal Rajapaksa, parliamentarian and son of accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa, has called on the Sri Lankan government to summon the Canadian High Commissioner to formally protest the unveiling of a Tamil Genocide Monument in Brampton, Canada, claiming it promotes a “false genocide narrative” and “distorts history.” In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), Rajapaksa accused the…

Father of three found dead in Vavuniya

Jan 1, 2015
The body of a family man was found in a house in Kanagarayankulam region in Vavuniya district on Thursday evening, reports Uthayan.

The man, identified as a 37 year old father of three, named Deni, was originally from Maharampaikulam and worked as a mason in Kanagarayakulam for a long time.
 
He was found dead by a neighbour who went out to his house to see him.

Kanagarayankulam Police are reportedly investigating the death.

TNA begins campaigning for Maithri in Batticaloa

Jan 1, 2015
Photograph Uthayan


The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) began campaigning for the common opposition's presidential candidate, Maithripala Sirisena in Batticaloa district on Thursday.

Fonseka booed by voters in Jaffna

Jan 1, 2015
The former army general Sarath Fonseka, and key member of the common opposition's presidential campaign, was booed at an election rally in Nallur in Jaffna on Tuesday, reports Ceylon Today.

Fonseka who was seeking support for the common opposition's candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, faced outcry after telling voters in Jaffna that he had carried out the military campaign against the LTTE with "only a few human casualties in Vavuniya".

"Don't lie, don't lie!" shouted Tamils who had gathered at the rally. 

See more here.

Stones thrown at Sirisena during election rally

Jan 1, 2015

Sri Lanka’s opposition candidate for the upcoming presidential elections escaped injury after stones were thrown at him, whilst he addressed an election rally in the south of the island.

Maithripala Sirisena was addressing a rally in Pelmadulla on Friday when an unknown group of people threw stones towards the stage.

Sirisena’s security guards and Sri Lankan troops stepped in to ensure he escaped unharmed but approximately 20 of his supporters who were present at the rally suffered injuries.

‘No room for anyone to take the country back’ warns Rajapaksa

Dec 31, 2014

Incumbent Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa warned that he will not allow anyone to “take the country back” after victory against separatism, in his New Year’s message.

“The separatism that was defeated with great commitment and sacrifice is raising its head again in different forms,” said Rajapaksa, in a statement released on Thursday.

“All those who value national unity and the sovereignty of the country should look far ahead with single-minded determination to protect the nation.”

Army bases in North will not be removed - Maithri

Dec 31, 2014
Sri Lanka’s common opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena, dismissing allegations that a future government under him would allow ‘terrorism’ to rise again, said that he would not remove any military camps from the North.

Addressing a public rally in Puttalam on Wednesday, Sirisena said that his government would keep army bases in the North to ensure an environment conducive to all Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims.

"One of Mahinda’s allegations is that if I became President, I would withdraw the army from Jaffna. But it’s a blatant lie since I have never said such a thing," he told voters in Puttalam.

“We will not remove any army barriers from North. However, we will make an environment for the Sinhalese, Tamils and the Muslims to live peacefully,” he added.

Earlier in the week Sirisena had stressed that common opposition was supported by people responsible for the defeat of the separatists militants, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Second NPC councillor refuses to endorse Maithri

Dec 31, 2014
A second Tamil National Alliance (TNA) councillor of the Northern Province has publicly stated he will not be backing the common opposition's presidential candidate, Maithripala Sirisena at the election on January 8.

"I cannot campaign endorsing any of them," Councillor Ravikaran told the Uthayan.

"I cannot vote or sing praise to them, stepping on the emotions of our people who died. I am not going to campaign for anyone, except those who honestly speak for Tamils from the Tamil homeland. This is my decision based on my aspirations."

We never wanted a separate district - SLMC

Dec 31, 2014
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), which recently defected from the ruling government to endorse the common opposition's presidential candidate, Maithripala Sirisena in the election on January 8, rejected the government's allegations that the party wanted a separate Muslim district in the East.

“The government is making allegations that the SLMC and the TNA have secret agreement to amalgamate the North and the East. We strongly reject that allegation and regret even the President is making such allegations on stage. We do not have any hidden agendas between us. We left the government to uphold good governance in the country,” the SLMC leader and former government minister, Rauf Hakeem was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying.

2014 in photographs

Dec 30, 2014
Here is our look back at 2014 and some of the year's most significant images:


 
Tamils remember Murugathasan Varnakulasingham, who self-immolated outside the UN Human Rights Council five years ago, protesting against the international community's inaction at the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka.


 

Sri Lanka attacks UN Secretary-General over election comments

Dec 30, 2014
Sri Lanka's ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has slammed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, after he stated he “strongly expects” the upcoming presidential elections to be “peaceful and credible” in a telephone conversation with Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister GL Peiris.

In a statement released on Wednesday the UPFA expressed “strong resentment” over the Secretary-General's comments, saying,
“In fact this country has been enjoying democratic voting rights many decades before Mr Ban-Ki-moon’s country.”

TNA begins campaigning for Maithri in Batticaloa
Fonseka booed by voters in Jaffna
Stones thrown at Sirisena during election rally
‘No room for anyone to take the country back’ warns Rajapaksa
Army bases in North will not be removed - Maithri
Second NPC councillor refuses to endorse Maithri
We never wanted a separate district - SLMC
2014 in photographs
Sri Lanka attacks UN Secretary-General over election comments
I cannot vote against my conscience' – Ananthy Sasitharan
TNA begins campaigning for Maithri in Batticaloa
Fonseka booed by voters in Jaffna
Stones thrown at Sirisena during election rally
‘No room for anyone to take the country back’ warns Rajapaksa
Army bases in North will not be removed - Maithri
Second NPC councillor refuses to endorse Maithri
We never wanted a separate district - SLMC
2014 in photographs
Sri Lanka attacks UN Secretary-General over election comments
I cannot vote against my conscience' – Ananthy Sasitharan