Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sri Lankan police arrest Tamil farmers in Kurunthurmalai
Mullaitivu police arrested Tamil farmers who were cultivating farmland at the foothills of Kurunthurmalai, where a Buddhist temple has been illegally constructed.  The farmers were cultivating the privately owned land when they were obstructed by a Buddhist monk, Galgamuwa Shantha Bodhi, police and Department of Archaeology officials before they were arrested.  Bodhi, the head…

India, China, Russia to attend Sri Lanka's defence chiefs' conference

Nov 17, 2014
India, China and Russia are to attend Sri Lanka's South and Southeast Asian Nations (SASEAN) Defense Chiefs' Dialogue at the end of this month in Colombo.

The conference, held on November 27th till 29th, will include defence heads from eight SAARC and ten ASEAN nations, the Sri Lankan government's official news site reported.

Bangladesh, the Maldives, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei are amongst other nations attending.

JHU quits ruling alliance, calls on Rajapaksa to follow 'teachings of Buddha'

Nov 17, 2014

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) announced that it will be quitting from the ruling Sri Lankan government coalition on Tuesday, in protest against President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

JHU leader Omale Sobitha, who announced the split on Rajapaksa’s birthday, told reporters,

"This (quitting) is not a challenge from an enemy force.”

"This is a birthday gift to the president to correct his ways. This is the advice of a friend given according to the teachings of the Buddha."

Technology and Research Minister Champika Ranawaka, a senior JHU member who previously warned that Sinhalese were becoming a minority, also announced his resignation on Tuesday.

The move led to National Freedom Front national organiser Jayantha Samaraweera to call on the JHU to reconsider its decision, stating that western factions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were attempting to “destroy national forces” on the island.

Protest prevents Sri Lankan military land grab attempt in Jaffna

Nov 17, 2014

A protest held by villagers in Mathakal, Jaffna prevented the Sri Lankan navy from surveying lands which were to be acquired by the military this week.

When surveyors from the military arrived at the area, villagers protested against their presence, reports Uthayan. The villagers, who were told to produce documents confirming their ownership of the land by surveyors, refused to allow the military personnel on to their property, stating they would not allow any surveying to take place.


Gendered Genocide: Sri Lanka’s War Against Tamils

Nov 16, 2014
Tasha Manoranjan
 

The following address was delivered by Tasha Manoranjan, a graduate from Yale Law School, and founder and director of People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), at the 'Feminisms, Structural Violence and Transitional Justice Conference' held at York University, Toronto last month.
"Tamil women have suffered disproportionately throughout Sri Lanka’s decades-long ethnic conflict. They have faced both the structural collapse of communities as well as the erosion of societal norms. In response, an increasing number of women joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) starting in the 1980s and throughout the years prior to 2009, and became an integral part of the armed resistance against the government.

Indian govt is betraying Tamils by indulging Sri Lanka - Vaiko

Nov 16, 2014
The leader of the MDMK, Vaiko, accused the central government, led by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), of "betraying Tamils by showing indulgence to the island nation", reports the Times of India.

Speaking to journalists in Chennai on Monday, Vaiko criticised the NDA government's "proximity to the Mahinda Rajapaksa dispensation in Sri Lanka".

Peiris slams 'unprofessional manner' of OISL to UN official‏

Nov 16, 2014
Sri Lanka's Minister of External Affairs, G. L. Peiris criticised the UN inquiry into mass atrocities in Sri Lanka - the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) - to the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations, Subinay Nandy on Monday, a statement released by the ministry said.

Accusing the OISL of acting in an "unprofessional manner" by extending the deadline for the submission of evidence unofficially, Peiris also "pointed out that what was particularly disturbing was that this development took place while a campaign to collect fabricated evidence was under way in Sri Lanka with the collusion of both local and foreign parties".

"During this period, evidence was being concocted fraudulently in Sri Lanka on blank sheets of paper, with signatures procured under false pretences and with financial inducements.  One of the main agents in this criminal enterprise was arrested, while another has left the country unlawfully," the statement went on to say.

Sri Lanka HC in Australia tries to block book on war crimes - TRC

Nov 16, 2014
The Sri Lankan High Commission in Australia has tried to block a new book on war crimes committed by government forces against the Tamil people being endorsed by Melbourne's Monash University, said the Tamil Refugee Council in a statement on Monday.
The book, 'Sri Lanka's Secrets: How the Rajapaksa regime gets away with murder' by the journalist Trevor Grant, was published by Monash University Publishing, and released in August. "It is understood that at two meetings with senior university administrators, including vice-chancellor, Professor Margaret Gardner, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Admiral Thirasa Samarasinghe, questioned the university's selection and approval processes for the book. He also wanted it to issue some form of apology for allowing it to be publiched," the TRC said.

"The University's links with Monash College in Colombo, a pathway school to Monash campuses in Australia, was believed to have been brought up in the discussions," the group added.

"Admiral Samarasinghe wrote to Monash University about the book on 27 August. The letter contained a request to meet with the vice-chancellor," Dr Nathan Hollier, director of Monash University, said, confirming that Admiral Samarasinghe had met with the university's senior administrators on two occasions in September.

Solheim rejects Rajapaksa's accusations

Nov 16, 2014
The former Norwegian peace envoy to Sri Lanka, Erik Solheim, rejected accusations made by Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday that Solheim had funded the LTTE, designated by the Sri lankan state as a terrorist organisation.

In a statement released on Monday, Solheim said he had no intention of getting caught up in the upcoming election, but would "only restate obvious facts well known to everyone - President Rajapaksa included".

"Norway as the third, facilitating party to the Sri Lankan peace process financed neither the LTTE in general nor its military operations in particular. - Norway made economic resources available to the LTTE peace secretariat in order to assist them in engaging more fully with the ongoing peace process. This included a radio transmitter. This, moreover, was done with the full knowledge of the Government of Sri Lanka under different leaders, including during the period when Mahinda Rajapaksa was prime minister. As with all our peace efforts in Sri Lanka, transparency with respect to the government in Colombo was total," the statement said.

Army hosts military exhibition in Mullaitivu playground

Nov 16, 2014

The Sri Lankan army showcased held a military exhibition, showcasing its “soft capabilities” at a school playground in Mullaitivu this week, reports Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence.

According to the MoD website, the Sri Lankan military displayed its exhibition at the “Oddusuddan Maha Vidyalaya play ground” last week, noting that the Sri Lankan Security Force Commander Maj Gen N.A.J.C Dias “graced the glorious occasion as the Chief Guest”.

Foreign election observers will be invited says Sri Lanka

Nov 15, 2014
Foreign observers will be invited to Sri Lanka once the president officially declares elections announced Sri Lanka’s election commissioner on Sunday.

 “It has been the general practice in the recent part to invite foreign election monitors for a general election or a presidential election. Accordingly, if there is a presidential election next we will invite foreign observers,” said Mahinda Deshapriya.
JHU quits ruling alliance, calls on Rajapaksa to follow 'teachings of Buddha'
Protest prevents Sri Lankan military land grab attempt in Jaffna
Gendered Genocide: Sri Lanka’s War Against Tamils
Indian govt is betraying Tamils by indulging Sri Lanka - Vaiko
Peiris slams 'unprofessional manner' of OISL to UN official‏
Sri Lanka HC in Australia tries to block book on war crimes - TRC
Solheim rejects Rajapaksa's accusations
Army hosts military exhibition in Mullaitivu playground
Foreign election observers will be invited says Sri Lanka
Tamil man arrested under PTA
JHU quits ruling alliance, calls on Rajapaksa to follow 'teachings of Buddha'
Protest prevents Sri Lankan military land grab attempt in Jaffna
Gendered Genocide: Sri Lanka’s War Against Tamils
Indian govt is betraying Tamils by indulging Sri Lanka - Vaiko
Peiris slams 'unprofessional manner' of OISL to UN official‏
Sri Lanka HC in Australia tries to block book on war crimes - TRC
Solheim rejects Rajapaksa's accusations
Army hosts military exhibition in Mullaitivu playground
Foreign election observers will be invited says Sri Lanka
Tamil man arrested under PTA