Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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…

America affirms support for ‘Sri Lanka’s maritime sovereignty’

Despite the alarming human rights record of Sri Lanka’s navy, the US has donated a colossal naval vessel, the second 'Hamilton Class- High Endurance Cutter'.

On Twitter, US Ambassador for Sri Lanka Julie Chung, affirmed US support for “Sri Lanka’s maritime sovereignty stating”.

Remembering Thamilselvan 15 years on

 

Today marks fifteen years since S. P. Thamilselvan, the head of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was assassinated by the Sri Lankan air force (SLAF).

Jaffna university students remember former union leader killed by Sri Lankan army

University of Jaffna's Art Faculty students held a memorial service yesterday to mark the 14th year death anniversary of former student union leader Sellathurai Purusothaman, who was killed along with another Tamil youth during a clash with the Sri Lankan Army.

The students paid tribute to Purusothaman as a popular and courageous student leader, leading the arts faculty students union at Jaffna University between 2006 and 2007, during the height of Sri Lankan military hostilities against Tamil students.

We want our land!' - Jaffna University students demand return of occupied land

Jaffna University students are protesting through Tellippaalai this morning demanding the return of land to villagers in Valikamam which is currently occupied by the Sri Lankan Army.

Protestors held  placards that read: “Give back our lands, stop the encroachment on our Homeland, Vali North is our native land!” 

Carrot or stick? – Europe’s difficult decision on Sri Lanka

Following a whirlwind tour of Sri Lanka, where she met Sri Lanka's political leaders, the Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service’s (EEAS) Asia and Pacific division, Paola Pampaloni reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka during this “difficult period” but stressed the need to see progress on accountability and the protection of democratic freedoms.

The interviews come as news breaks that Sri Lanka’s Presidential Envoy to Europe and Commonwealth, Niranjan de Silva Deva Aditya (Nirj Deva), is reportedly seeking for Sri Lanka to join the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), expand concessions for Sri Lanka under the GSP+ agreement with the EU, and to strike a free trade agreement.

Maaveerar Naal preparations continue in Koppay despite intimidation by Sri Lankan army

Plainclothed Sri Lankan military officers took photographs of Tamils preparing for Maaveerar Naal at Koppay Thuyilum Illam. 

Maaveerar Naal - or Great Heroes Day - remembers those who sacrificed their lives in the Tamil liberation struggle, and is marked on November 27, in memory of the first death of a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadre, Lt Col. Shankar who died in combat on November 27, 1982. 

Jaffna University students pay tribute to Maaveerar

Students at the University of Jaffna paid tribute to those who gave their lives to the Tamil liberation struggle today. 

With the beginning of month of November, commemoration events have commenced to mark Maaveerar Naal.

We must fight to get back our lands' - Jaffna students demand return of land

Responding to continuing land grabs by Sri Lanka's regime, Jaffna University's Student Union has organised a sit-in protest in Tellippalai to demand the return of land to villagers in Valikamam.

The protest will be held tomorrow. Student organisers have called on all political parties and civil society organisations to participate in the demonstration.

“There are many lands in North-East which were grabbed by the Government. We should fight back to get our lands”, a representative of the student union told the media.

Sri Lanka is where Rishi can flex his muscles on the world stage

Not only does acting on Sri Lanka provide Sunak the opportunity to re-establish Britain’s presence internationally, it also remains entirely in British interests to do so. Successive Sri Lankan regimes have shirked off the building of any rules-based international order and refused to comply with global norms. Holding the state to account will be a demonstration that to the British government, values matter. The UK will not condone mass atrocities or genocides from Bucha and Xinjiang to Jaffna and Mullivaikkal.

Sri Lanka is not Sunak’s toughest test on the global stage at present. In fact, it should be his easiest. If Sunak wants to build a Global Britain, this is where he should start.

Tamil families of the disappeared protest Sri Lankan justice minister's visit to Jaffna

Tamil families of the disappeared protested against Sri Lanka’’s justice minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe's visit to Jaffna earlier today.