Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Hundreds march in Kilinochchi against limestone, sand mining and wind turbines
A protest march was held last month opposing limestone excavation, mineral sand mining and a proposed wind power project across the villages of Veravil, Valaipadu, Ponnaveli and Kiranchi, in the Poonakary Divisional Secretariat division of Kilinochchi. The demonstration was organised against plans to establish wind power stations and to carry out mineral sand and limestone extraction in the…

Challenges Ahead: Sri Lanka's mass atrocities and international justice

Jan 5, 2015
Nirmanusan Balasundaram
Detailing the difficulties faced by Tamil voters in the North-East during Sri Lanka's presidential election on January 8, the exiled journalist Nirmanusan Balasundaram, called for a strong international justice mechanism to be set up, stating that regardless of who wins the election, Tamils could not expect justice through a domestic process.

"A gruelling battle is taking place in Sri Lanka between both leading presidential candidates despite certain factors which keep them united, such as ‘war victory’, denial of mass atrocities and rejection of an international investigation into such atrocities. Disturbingly all leading figures in the presidential debate are in competition with each other for self-proclamation and self-promotion in terms of credibility for the war victory, and complete denial of responsibility or acknowledgement of mass atrocities during the war," Mr Balasundaram wrote.

"Regardless of which leading candidate is to win Sri Lanka’s seventh presidential election, victims and survivors of mass atrocities will find it difficult to expect justice or a genuine and credible domestic mechanism into these heinous crimes. Considering Sri Lanka’s political dynamics, the culture of impunity in Sri Lanka will remain unchanged regardless of the outcome of the election. The colour may change but the cage will remain the same," he added.

Sritharan and Maavai campaign for Maithri in Kilinochchi

Jan 5, 2015


The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs S. Sritharan and Mavai Senathirajah held a campaign rally in Kilinochchi on Monday, urging locals to come out and cast their vote.

The rally took place at the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi's Kilinochchi office.



Army attack in Killinochchi injures two children

Jan 5, 2015
An adult and two children were admitted to hospital after being injured after army soldiers attacked a shop owner in Killinochchi reports the Uthayan.

A 46 year old man, who runs a sewing shop in the region, was attacked by an Sri Lankan army on Sunday night, resulting in injuries to his head.

When locals gathered at the scene to find out what had happened, and seek justice, further army soldiers were called to the area, resulting in a further 2 children being injured during consequential scuffles.

Indian foreign minister orders return of mistreated workers in Sri Lanka

Jan 5, 2015
Indian workers in Sri Lanka will be returned home after the Indian high Commission in Colombo intervened following allegations of mistreatment by management in Sri Lanka, reports The Hindu.

The Indian foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, issued the directive, after relatives of the workers appealed to the central government to secure the return of the mistreated workers.

Sri Lankan navy chase away Tamil Nadu fishermen

Jan 5, 2015
The Sri Lankan navy reportedly threatened and chased away a group of Tamil Nadu fishermen at gunpoint, early on Tuesday.

The president of the Rameswaram Fishermen Association stated that over 1,000 boats had left Tamil Nadu to fish near Katchatheevu.

The fishermen were subsequently chased away by the navy, who damaged the nets of more than 20 boats in the process.

No justice for assassinated human rights lawyer Kumar Ponnambalam, 15 years on

Jan 4, 2015
Kumar Ponnamabalam, assassinated 5 Jan 2000.


Fifteen years after Kumar Ponnambalam, a prominent human rights lawyer and leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) was assassinated in a busy Colombo suburb during Chandrika Kumaratunge's government, his killers have not been brought to justice.

Mr Ponnambalam, who was renowned for his pro bono work in defending Tamil and Sinhala youths detained under Sri Lanka's draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, had filed reports in important human rights cases that incriminated the Chandrika government, including the gang rape and murder of the Tamil girl, Krishanthi Kumaraswamy and mass graves in Chemmani. 

He was shot dead by unidentified gunman on January 5th, 2000, whilst in his car on Ramakrishna Lane, in the Tamil area of Colombo, Wellawatte.

No demilitarisation of North, no agreement on devolution - Maithri

Jan 4, 2015
Reiterating his earlier statements vowing to ensure the military remained in the Tamil areas, the common opposition's presidential candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, said he had "no intention of withdrawing the army from the north" if he wins the election on January 8.

International pressure for accountability will not go away whoever wins election says ICG

Jan 4, 2015
The International Crisis Group (ICG) warned that international pressure on Sri Lanka to ensure accountability for the mass atrocities against the Tamil people at the end of the ethnic conflict in 2009 would not go away whoever won the presidential election on January 8.

"Sirisena [the common opposition's presidential candidate] has promised to continue the current government’s policy of rejecting efforts by the international community to ensure accountability for the thousands of civilian deaths incurred at government hands at the end of the civil conflict in 2009," the ICG's senior Sri Lanka analyst, Alan Keenan, wrote on Monday.

"These efforts have not gone away, even five years after that bloody denouement, but rather have intensified."

"Thus whether Rajapaksa or Sirisena, whoever wins will need adequately to address the many credible allegations over the army’s conduct at the end of the war if they are effectively to reduce international pressure."

TNA yet to decide on whether to join govt if Maithri wins

Jan 4, 2015
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has not reached a decision on whether to join a government led by the common opposition's candidate Maithripala Sirisena if he should win the presidential election on January 8, said the TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran.

Asked by LankaSri whether the TNA would join the government, Sumanthiran replied: "When a question was asked regarding this at a press conference the other day, [TNA leader] Sampanthan said we [TNA] had not made a decision on this yet."

"However, until the party takes a decision I would like to state my own views. My view is that we should not take part in such a government. There are many reasons for this," he said.

Body found in Eravoor

Jan 4, 2015
The body of a man in his late 30s was found in the Murakkoddanchenai river in Eravoor, reports BattiNews.

The body, which has not been identified was spotted by locals on Saturday morning.

Eravoor police are reportedly investigating the death.


Sritharan and Maavai campaign for Maithri in Kilinochchi
Army attack in Killinochchi injures two children
Indian foreign minister orders return of mistreated workers in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan navy chase away Tamil Nadu fishermen
No justice for assassinated human rights lawyer Kumar Ponnambalam, 15 years on
No demilitarisation of North, no agreement on devolution - Maithri
International pressure for accountability will not go away whoever wins election says ICG
TNA yet to decide on whether to join govt if Maithri wins
Body found in Eravoor
Stones thrown at Ananthy Sasitharan's house
Sritharan and Maavai campaign for Maithri in Kilinochchi
Army attack in Killinochchi injures two children
Indian foreign minister orders return of mistreated workers in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan navy chase away Tamil Nadu fishermen
No justice for assassinated human rights lawyer Kumar Ponnambalam, 15 years on
No demilitarisation of North, no agreement on devolution - Maithri
International pressure for accountability will not go away whoever wins election says ICG
TNA yet to decide on whether to join govt if Maithri wins
Body found in Eravoor
Stones thrown at Ananthy Sasitharan's house