Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sri Lankan military helicopter crash kills six soldiers
At least six Sri Lankan military personnel were killed on Friday after a helicopter assigned to a training exercise crashed into the Maduru Oya reservoir in the Eastern Province. The Bell 212 helicopter, which was carrying a dozen armed forces personnel, was reportedly conducting a grappling exercise linked to a passing-out parade when the crash occurred. “Four special forces personnel and…

Intervening in domestic affairs against international law says SL envoy in US

Aug 12, 2014
Sri Lanka's ambassador to the United States, Prasad Kariyawasam, said intervening in a country's domestic affairs was against international law, reported Sri Lanka's state media, SLBC.

"It against international law and practice to intervene in countries before domestic efforts and domestic processes are allowed time to fully flourish and mature," he said.

UNP MP to defend Sri Lanka's security forces at UNHRC war crimes probe

Aug 12, 2014
An opposition MP, on Wednesday, said that he would testify before the UN inquiry investigating mass atrocities in Sri Lanka to protect the country’s reputation and that of its armed forces, reports the Dailymirror.lk.

“I would probably testify before the commission in order to safeguard the country’s reputation and the dignity of security forces," said Mangala Samaraweera.

President Rajapaksa orders release of Tamil Nadu fishermen, as India pledges commitment to Sri Lanka

Aug 12, 2014

Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the release of all Indian fishermen in a message on his Twitter account.

The tweet said that the president ordered the release of the fishermen in Sri Lankan custody “on the occasion of India’s Independence Day", coming up later this week.

93 fishermen, arrested for allegedly poaching in Sri Lankan waters, are currently in prisons on the island, according to Colombo Page.

Meanwhile the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka expressed his gratitude to the government for enabling the smooth implementation of Indian projects on the island and said India remained committed to assist Sri Lanka in its endeavours of rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation.

BBS attempt to disrupt pro-Palestine protest

Aug 12, 2014

The Bodu Bala Sena attempted to disrupt a pro-Palestinian protest, organised by Thowheed Jamath, in a Muslim-majority area of Colombo, reported Colombo Page.

Colombo Magistrate Court obtained an injunction to prevent protests by the Thowheed Jamath, BBS and Sinhala Ravaya in Colombo Fort and Pettah, after the BBS strongly condemned the initial permission to protest given to the Muslim group.

UNHCR accuses Sri Lanka of violating international law

Aug 12, 2014
The United Nations Refugee agency has accused Sri Lanka of violating international law by forcibly deporting asylum seekers who may face persecution on their return.

Sri Lanka currently houses 157 asylum seekers according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, mostly from Pakistan. Since August 1st over 88 refugees have been deported, despite warnings that they may face persecution in their home country.

Adrian Edwards, a spokesperson for the UNHCR, slammed the deportations saying,
"Fundamentally, this is a breach of the principle of no forced returns. That's a clear violation of international law."

India committed $1.3 billion for 'post-conflict' Sri Lanka since 2008

Aug 12, 2014
The High Commission of India has renewed its support for Sri Lanka, stating it has committed an estimated US$1.3 billion towards supporting the country's development post-armed conflict.

Speaking at an event celebrating the relationship between the two countries, the High Commissioner of India, Y. K. Sinha said,
“As Sri Lanka strives towards a peaceful future, the Government and the people of India remain committed to assist Sri Lanka in its endeavours of rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation.”
A press release from the High Commission noted that “India’s assistance in post-conflict recovery commenced in 2008 even before the armed conflict came to an end”. It went on to add,

Police to take action against attacked Tamil student for 'false complaint'

Aug 11, 2014

Sri Lanka’s police have claimed that the injuries a Tamil student received in an attack at Sabaragamuwa University were self inflicted and said they would take action against him for making a false complaint, reported the Daily Mirror.

Santhirakumar Sutharshan, who originally hails from Muhamalai in the northeast of the island, was attacked earlier this month by masked men, leaving him with injuries requiring hospital treatment.

He was arrested on his return from hospital last week by Sri Lanka’s Terrorist Investigation Division. According to the police the student admitted that the injuries were self-inflicted.

Chair of govt commission accuses NGOs of inflating disappearance numbers

Aug 11, 2014
The chair of the government's commission into disappearances accused civil society organisations of falsely inflating numbers of those missing in the North of the island.

“After all the publicity that was given, we only received about 375 complaints from Mannar,” said Maxwell Paranagama. The commission held public sittings in Mannar last week.

“When we asked the organisation to forward the family members of those who went missing, if there is such high number, the organisation failed to do so,” he added.

The Tamil National Alliance, the Tamil National People's Front, and the prominent civil society campaigner, the Bishop of Mannar, have criticised the domestic inquiry, stating it is unable to provide justice to the Tamils.

Sri Lanka invites Kerry to visit and see for himself

Aug 11, 2014
Extending an invitation to the US Secretary of State John Kerry, Sri Lanka's Minister of External Affairs said he should visit to see for himself.

“I invited him to visit Sri Lanka and see what we have accomplished on the ground during the past five years after the war was over,” Minister GL Peiris told the Daily Mirror.

The invitation comes after Peiris last week warned foreign envoys to be impartial and refrain from interfering within Sri Lanka's domestic affairs.

MoD's National Secretariat to investigate 4 NGOs

Aug 11, 2014
The National Secretariat, which works under Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence, is to investigate four NGOs, after they allegedly failed to comply with recently introduced government restrictions, the Daily Mirror reports.

“We are carrying out investigations at the moment. Once investigations are over, we will decide on the action to be taken against them,” the chair of the Secretariat, Saman Dissanayake, said stating that some of the NGOs had been banned previously.

In July Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence sent letters to all non-governmental organisations, demanding that they refrain from activities beyond their mandate, including press conferences, workshops, training for journalists, and the publication of press releases.

UNP MP to defend Sri Lanka's security forces at UNHRC war crimes probe
President Rajapaksa orders release of Tamil Nadu fishermen, as India pledges commitment to Sri Lanka
BBS attempt to disrupt pro-Palestine protest
UNHCR accuses Sri Lanka of violating international law
India committed $1.3 billion for 'post-conflict' Sri Lanka since 2008
Police to take action against attacked Tamil student for 'false complaint'
Chair of govt commission accuses NGOs of inflating disappearance numbers
Sri Lanka invites Kerry to visit and see for himself
MoD's National Secretariat to investigate 4 NGOs
Failure to support presidential development projects is a sin says chief monk
UNP MP to defend Sri Lanka's security forces at UNHRC war crimes probe
President Rajapaksa orders release of Tamil Nadu fishermen, as India pledges commitment to Sri Lanka
BBS attempt to disrupt pro-Palestine protest
UNHCR accuses Sri Lanka of violating international law
India committed $1.3 billion for 'post-conflict' Sri Lanka since 2008
Police to take action against attacked Tamil student for 'false complaint'
Chair of govt commission accuses NGOs of inflating disappearance numbers
Sri Lanka invites Kerry to visit and see for himself
MoD's National Secretariat to investigate 4 NGOs
Failure to support presidential development projects is a sin says chief monk