Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Displaced residents of the Valikamam North region of Jaffna held protests on Monday, in front of the Jaffna District Secretariat and near Palaly Junction, marking 36 years since their forced displacement and demanding the right to return and resettle in their lands. The people of Valikamam North were displaced from their homeland on 15 June 1990 by the Sri Lankan military. Thirty-six years on…

China largest foreign investor in Sri Lanka

China now supplies the largest amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Sri Lanka, accounting for 24% of the total inflow of $1.2bn, reported Xinhua.

Hong Kong invested 12% and Singapore 10% of the total FDI, with the Netherlands and Malaysia making up the rest of the top 5.

Sri Lankan forces responsible for massacre, no prospect of justice - ACF

Action Contre la Faim (ACF) has concluded that Sri Lanka's security forces were most likely responsible for the massacre of 17 of its Tamil aid workers, and that justice will not be reached internally due to interference and cover-ups by top Sri Lankan authorities.

The French NGO has released a report on its findings investigating “the truth about the assassination of 17 aid workers” on 4th August 2006 in Muttur, Trincomalee.

Northern Province Chief Minister calls for international action to stop colonisation of the North-East

The Chief Minister of the Northern Province, C.V. Wigneswaran, called Monday for the international action against the Sri Lankan government’s program of settling Sinhalese families on Tamil-owned land forcibly appropriated by the military.

Saudi Arabia calls for investigation into diplomat's death

Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Abdulaziz Abdul Rahman Al-Jammaz has called for a 'full-scale' investigation into the death of a Saudi diplomat in Colombo on Sunday, reports Arab News.

The call comes despite Sri Lankan police stating the diplomat had suffered a heart attack.

The diplomat, thiry-two year old Hussain Al-Heej was found dead in a swimming pool at the Adamaly Place complex in the Colombo 4 area.

He had been attached to the Saudi mission in Colombo for over two years.

Body of disappeared found hanging behind temple

The body of a recently disappeared student, was found hanging from a tree behind Kavaththiri temple in Thirukkovil, Mandani, on Sunday, reported Tamilwin.

Relatives of the 19 year old student, Inthiran Ramesh, had been searching for him since the 26th of November, after he failed to return home that evening.


A post-mortem of the body, to determine the exact nature of the student’s death, has been ordered by the local magistrate court judge, Justice J.N Riswan.

Manmohan Singh visiting Jaffna is 'unacceptable' - UNP

Sri Lanka’s main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP), speaking in parliament today, condemned the Indian premier, Manmohan Singh's potential visit to Jaffna, as "unacceptable".

A senior leader of the UNP, John Amaratunga, was incredulous as to how such a visit would be allowed, without an invitation from Sri Lanka's president and warned it was an attempt to separate the country.

Amaratunga said,

SL foreign policy has failed, focus should be on West – UNP

UNP MP and former foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera has lamented Sri Lanka's foreign policy, arguing that it should focus on western countries, rather than Africa.

Jaffna Uni students protest at continuing closure

Photographs Tamilwin

Students at the University of Jaffna protested today over the on-going closure of the university by Colombo, reports Tamilwin.

Global Tamil News


Unlike other universities across the island, which recommenced following vacation period on November 18th, teaching remains suspended at Jaffna University with a further vacation have been granted until December 1st. 

SL military watch over Othiyamalai massacre remembrance

Residents at Othiyamalai, faced increased scrutiny from the Sri Lankan intelligence officers and military today as they held a remembrance event to mark the Othiyamalai massacre of Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan military in 1984, reports Tamilwin.

Recognition of and justice for genocide vital for lasting peace' - Uthayan editorial

Reflecting on the Indian minister P Chidambaram's recent statement that 'none can deny there was a genocide' during the final stages of the armed conflict, in its editorial today entitled, 'After Indira's, a bold decision', the Jaffna based newspaper Uthayan welcomed the move, stressing the importance of the international community acknowledging the genocide before being able to provide a just solution to the Tamils.

The editorial is translated in full below:

After Indira's, a bold decision

The Indian government's sudden decision to accept that what happened at the final conflict was a genocide for the first time has caused astonishment and bewilderment. 

The Central government minister P. Chidambaram announced this position of the Indian government about the final conflict, at the event which took place in Chennai on Saturday evening. This announcement - this position of India's central government - is a very, very important milestone in the Eelam Tamil struggle. 

Going one step further Chidambaram announced that the Indian government would not rest until those responsible for the genocide on the island are brought to justice, reported the Tamil version of the newspaper, 'The Hindu'.

There is no doubt that if this is the true position of the Indian government on the final conflict, then this is to be praised and welcomed.

If a lasting peace is desired on the island, then it is vital that the international community accept that what is taking place here is a genocide, and those responsible for the war crimes committed during the final conflict are identified and brought to justice. 

Only when the fact that a genocide is being committed against Tamils is accepted, can the international community provide a true, just and fair solution to them. Similarly, it is only when those involved in the war crimes and genocide are brought before the law that afflicted Tamils will find solace, and confidence in the majority community can be found.