Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sri Lanka claimed it is committed to repealing the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), during the latest round of human rights discussions with the European Union, a move tied to its continued access to preferential trade benefits under the GSP+ scheme. At the eighth meeting of the Working Group on Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights under the EU-Sri Lanka Joint Commission,…

Media minister says Tamil journalists are 'threat' to national security

The Sri Lankan Minister for Media, deemed Tamil media and journalists were a "threat" to Sri Lankan national security and the country's "integrity", Global Tamil News reported.

Sri Lanka forced to apologise to India over MoD article

The Sri Lankan government was forced to offer an  "unqualified apology" to the Indian Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, over a derogatory op-ed article that was posted on the Defense Ministry website this week.

See full text of the MoD's article here and accompanying illustration below:

Journalists protest against media repression in North

11:19 BST

Photograph Tamil Guardian

Journalists protested today in Jaffna, against the ongoing media repression of press in the island's North. 

Carrying placards calling for an end on the war against the media, Tamil journalists together with locals and Tamil politicians, staged a protest by the main bus stand in Jaffna at 12pm local time.

Photograph Tamil Guardian

The protest was organised by the Jaffna Press Club (JPC), and endorsed by journalists from the South.

"Even after the armed conflict in the North has ceased, as the intimidation of journalists has increased, many journalists are fleeing the country having received death threats. Meanwhile, those journalists who continue to work on the ground, continue to have death threats sent to them. In these circumstances, the media community is gripped with fear over the dangers that journalism is going to face in coming days," said the JPC said in a statement published shortly after the protest.

UNP seeks to 'save' Buddha Sasana from Rajapaksa regime

The leader of the United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka’s opposition, Wednesday, urged the abolition of the executive presidency and proposed that the Sri Lankan government look to setup up a committee to address and monitor ‘threats’ faced by the Buddha Sasana, reports DailyMirror.lk.

“We have already suggested the setting up of a parliamentary committee to monitor the development of various important sectors and it would be possible to set up such a monitoring system to look into the threats faced by the Buddha Sasana,” said Ranil Wickremesinghe during a public consultation on the need to protecting the Buddhist Sasana.


Sri Lanka accuses US of hampering reconciliation efforts

The Sri Lankan government said the actions of the United States could seriously hamper reconciliation efforts, rejecting the US embassy statement made on July 28, expressing concern over the lack of press freedom.

"Given the sensitivities involved when the country is going through a sensitive process of national reconciliation, restrictively targeting a specific group of people from a particular community or region can lead to a perpetuation of mistrust among communities, seriously hampering reconciliation efforts," Sri Lanka's External Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, Colombo Page reported. 

Business man slashed with machete in Chunnakam

A Tamil business man was attacked in Chunnakam town on Tuesday evening, suffering severe lacerations, the Uthayan reported.

The 38 year old man, Rajaraththinam Rajakumar, was reportedly walking on Kangesanthurai street around 9pm local time after locking up his store in Chunnakam town, when two men on motorcycles attacked him with a machete as they drove by. Their faces were covered.

The victim has been admitted to a hospital in Thellipalai.

Vatican confirms Pope visit to Sri Lanka

The Vatican confirmed on Tuesday that Pope Francis would be visiting Sri Lanka in January along side a visit to the Philippines.

He will be in Sri Lanka from January 12th till the 15th, before travelling to the Phillipines where he will be until the 19th, UCA News reported. An itinerary for his trip is yet to published.

Earlier this month, Tamil civil society groups urged the Pope to visit the North-East and to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government to stop colonising Tamil land, account for the war-dead and disappeared, and ensure a political solution for the Tamil people.

Tamil Nadu to issue biometric ID cards to Eelam refugees

Tamil Nadu state government is to issue biometric identity cards to Eelam Tamil refugees living within camps, the Hindu reports.

According to officials the new system, due to start in September, is to ensure cash hand outs are given to the correct individual.

The cards will contain biometric information such as the fingerprints of the individual. All adults in the refugee camps will also have an account registered with the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), the paper reported.

MoD rejects US concerns, accuses embassy being led by 'pro-LTTE diaspora'

Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence rejected concerns expressed by the US embassy this week, accusing embassy officials of fashioning their perceptions on Sri Lanka "primarily on the interests of pro-LTTE diaspora and likeminded elements within the country."

"The government of Sri Lanka rejects unreservedly these baseless and uncorroborated statements and repeated attempts by the US Embassy in Colombo to malign the conduct of Sri Lanka’s security forces," said the military spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya in a statement published in the pro-government paper, Island on Wednesday.

Accusing the US of "departing from all accepted norms of respectful engagement, which should characterise diplomatic exchanges between countries", Wanigasooriya said the embassy appeared to be attempting to "sensationalize issues rather than find answers".

"It appears the US Embassy officials are unaware of the factual position with regard to strengthening of democratic freedoms since the end of the conflict in May 2009," directing them to "revisit the 1987-89 period" and warning them to "desist from indulging in exaggerated statements".

"In this context, it is particularly unfortunate to note that perceptions of the US Embassy officials about reconciliation in Sri Lanka seem to be fashioned primarily on the interests of pro-LTTE diaspora and likeminded elements within the country. Such perceptions largely ignore the ground realities as well as the tremendous progress that has been made in Sri Lanka in recent years," he concluded.

British tourist sexually harassed in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan police have arrested a person on suspicion of sexually harassing a 20 year old British woman, in Arugam Bay, according to Sri Lanka Mirror.

According to the police, the incident took place near the Kudakalli area of Arugam Bay on Tuesday night and the suspect will be produced before the court today.