Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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…

Pakistan Navy chief arrives in Sri Lanka

The head of the Pakistan Navy arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday evening, amidst the Sri Lankan Navy's mass arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen earlier this week. 

Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila is to launch a 'Pakistan Navy War College Alumni Chapter in Sri Lanka' for officers who have been trained at the Pakistan Navy war college.

He commanded Pakistan's fleet during the period of October 2008 to November 2009.

Sinhala Archbishop - 'foreigners should not tell us what to do'

The Sinhala head of the Catholic Church, Malcolm Ranjith, slammed any notion of foreign intervention, warning that the government's failure to resolve "issues", could trigger international investigations, reported Adaderana.  

In a pastoral letter issued today, the Archbishop wrote,

"Foreigners should not tell us what to do... We are not a pack of fools"

"But if we do not resolve these issues, then we open ourselves to foreign intervention."

SL Navy arrest over 300 Tamil Nadu fishermen

The Sri Lankan Navy arrested over 300 Tamil Nadu fishermen on Wednesday reports Deccan Chronicle. Whilst over 200 were later released, reports suggest 100 remain in custody and have been taken to Trincomalee.

Issuing a statement on its website, the Sri Lankan Navy said it had arrested 110 fishermen and 15 trawlers, which it claimed were found fishing illegal in the East.

TNA NPC called to heel

The Northern Province’s governor, Major General Chandrasiri, has warned the TNA to abide by the constitution and national policy of Sri Lanka, according to state-owned Daily News.

"Acting against the Constitution, the Tamil National Alliance has prepared budget proposals to initiate departments in the Northern Province at their inaugural budget. I made a note that they can only establish Authorities in the Province according to the Constitution,” he said.

"I had to tell them that they are expected to uphold the Constitution and the National Policy as the councillors. They have attempted to set up a department of housing and a department of transport. There are some administrative units and structures which require the approval of the President, the governor and the Chief Minister of the Province,

Military training from India ‘nothing new’

The Sri Lankan Army has stated that military training received from India has been ongoing for more than four decades and the continuation of the program was “nothing new”. 

Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya told the Sunday Leader,

“India providing training opportunities for Army, Navy and Air Force personnel is nothing new”.

PPT finds Sri Lanka guilty of genocide

The Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT) has unanimously ruled that Sri Lanka is guilty of genocide, at its second high profile session in Bremen, Germany. Photograph: Twitter @Nirmanusan

EU calls for more UN access in Sri Lanka

The European Union has called on Sri Lanka to allow visits to the island from UN special mandate holders, in a statement released to mark World Human Rights Day.

Welcoming visits to the island by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Envoy on Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, the statement urged to government of Sri Lanka to further grant outstanding requests for UN access, highlighting in particular the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.

The statement also noted that,

Bell Pottinger criticises David Cameron's stance on Sri Lanka

The Guardian, today, interviewed the private public relations and marketing known for working with the Sri Lankan government and many other regimes, Bell Pottinger.

When asked if Bell Pottinger was still working for the Sri Lankan government, the chairman, Tim Bell, said,

IDPs urge TNA to reclaim their appropriated land

Displaced Tamils vented their anger at the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R. Sampanthan, on Monday, whilst he was visiting the Kattai Parichchan IDP camp near Sampoor.

Families of disappeared attacked by masked men during demonstrations in Trincomalee

Families of the disappeared protesting at the Trincomalee Bus Station were attacked by masked men, today.

The demonstrators, whose protest coincided with international Human Rights Day, sustained several injuries, resulting in the organiser, Sundara Mahendran, being admitted to hospital.