India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santhosh Jha met with several Tamil political leaders during his first visit to Jaffna this week, where issues ranging from land grabs to fishing were discussed. Alongside political leaders from various parties, the Vice Chancellor of Jaffna University Professor S. Srisatkunarajah, was also present in discussions. The Tamil politicians spoke to reporters after the meeting and shared some insights into their discussions. Fisherfolk issue to the forefront TMTK parliamentarian C V Wigneswaran said he had discussed the issue of d land grabbing around Palaly...
Tamils in Nochikulam launched a protest on Tuesday after a farmer survived being shot at, in what locals describe as the latest in repeated incidents of targeted gun violence. Residents of Nochikulam blocked the Mannar-Medawachchiya main road, along Uyilankulam – Nochikulam. It is reported that the individual, a farmer had been watering the field near his home when two people arrived on motorcycles and fired at him with a T-56 Rifle. The farmer survived the shooting, but this is not the first such incident residents claim. Locals said that such attacks on villagers have become commonplace,...
(File Photo) The Sri Lankan army has granted conditional access to seven temples out of 21 located within the high-security zone in Jaffna, mandating worshippers must use army transportation and provide their home address to reach the temples. Accordingly, anyone intending to visit any of these Hindu temples must provide their names, addresses, identification card numbers, and telephone numbers to the management of the Temple, which will share it with the district and divisional secretariat before they can even be allowed to visit. Among the list of temples included, is the Amman Temple -...
TNA MP Nirmalanthan has opposed plans by the Sri Lanka Intelligence Service to build an office in Vavuniya. It has come to light during the Vavuniya district coordination committee meeting that the Sri Lanka Intelligence Services (SIS) has sought land to establish an office along the parkway in Vavuniya, which the governor recommended. Co-Chairman of the Coordinating Committee Hon. Thileepan and ITAK MP Charles Nirmalanathan staunchly opposed the move adding the work of the agency can be carried out without the need for an office. “The Intelligence Unit can operate from anywhere, their work...
Tamil families of the disappeared in Kilinochchi are marking seven years of continuous roadside protests, as they demand to know the whereabouts of their forcibly disappeared family members.
Tamil Nadu fishermen from the village of Rameswaram have launched landmark mass protest against the continued detention of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and have declared their intention to boycott the religious St Anthony’s festival. In the last two months, over 69 Tamil Nadu fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, reports ABP News. This includes 23 fishermen who were arrested on a single day, 3 rd February. These arrested have been linked to accounts of torture and extrajudicial killings. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to India’s Prime Minister,...
A damning report released by the UN refugee agency has called for an “immediate relocation” of the 61 asylum seekers who have been stranded on the remote island for more than two years and have experienced violence, abuse and arbitrary detention. The inspection report from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, marked “confidential” and disclosed only to the Guardian and the BBC by the supreme court of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), is the first to be carried out since a group of asylum seekers, mainly Tamils who fled Sri Lanka, arrived on the island in October 2021. They were rescued and...
Protests have been held in Thailaimannar in front of the Mannar Magistrate Court by residents calling for justice to be swiftly delivered in the case of 10-year-old Yasi Warnakulasuriya who was raped and murdered, 300 meters away from her home in Urmanani.
Residents in Puthukudiyiruppu (PTK) protested over the alleged diversion of Rs.1.7 million allocated for the development of Sunnampusulai Road which requires urgent repairs. Yesterday, the residents marched towards the PTK West Office Division demanding that the funds be routed back to the development of the road, adding that the decision to re allocate the funds was not done without their consent. Rs.115 million has been allocated to the Mullaitivu district for development purposes, of which Rs 22.5 million has been allocated to PTK Divisional Secretariat. Following a meeting with local...
File photograph - Tamil families of the disappeared in Vavuniya call on the EU to engage with the Tamil community Sri Lanka will continue to benefit from the GSP+ Scheme until December 2027 although it continues to use the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The Daily FT reported that the EU-Sri Lanka Working Group on Trade and Economic Cooperation met with Sri Lankan authorities recently where they discussed economic and trade policy developments, regulatory and deforestation regulation. A meeting was organised by the Department of Commerce which was held last week saw the...