Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

A new English-language print magazine has been launched in the Tamil homeland, with events in Jaffna and Batticaloa timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Vaddukoddai Resolution. The North-Eastern, a quarterly covering politics, arts and culture relevant to Eelam Tamils, was published last month. Both launch events drew lively exchanges between attendees and panellists, among them…

Ontario court upholds Tamil Genocide Education Week as Sinhalese challenge fails

A court in Canada has upheld the Tamil Genocide Education Week Act, which recognises the genocide against Tamils in Sri Lanka and aims to spread awareness about the atrocities, as a constitutional challenge by several Sinhalese groups was dismissed.

Elderly Eelam couple found unconscious on Tamil Nadu beach

An elderly couple from Tamil Eelam were found unconscious on a beach in Tamil Nadu and have been admitted into hospital where they remain in critical condition, as they become the latest asylum seekers to flee Sri Lanka for India.

TNA leader says diaspora will only assist in Sri Lanka if Tamil question is solved

R Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said that although the worldwide Tamil diaspora could contribute economically to alleviate the crisis in Sri Lanka, they would not do so unless the ethnic issue on the island is resolved once and for all.

Indian minister tells Tamil Nadu that economy will hit US$30 trillion ‘very soon’

India’s Union Minister Piyush Goyal told an audience in Tamil Nadu that the country would become a US$30 trillion economy “very soon” as it looks to “capture the world market”.

“In all sectors, we want to become a global industry,” Goyal said at an event in Coimbatore.

Modi highlights support for Sri Lanka during G7-meeting

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted his government’s support for Sri Lanka during its ongoing economic crisis whilst speaking at the G7 meeting.

Commenting on aid provided by India, Modi stated:

“We have dispatched about 35,000 tonnes of wheat as humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in the last few months. And even after the heavy earthquake there, India was the first country to deliver relief materials. We are also helping our neighbour Sri Lanka to ensure food security”.

Biden announces US will ‘feed over 800,000 Sri Lankan children’

US President Joe Biden announced US$20 million in “additional assistance to strengthen food security in Sri Lanka” which will reportedly feed over 800,000 children, as Colombo desperately looks for international assistance in the midst of its economic crisis.

Shouldn’t every Sinhala son of this country be ashamed?' - Sritharan calls for justice

Tamil National Alliance MP S Sritharan delivered a scathing address to Sri Lanka’s parliament last week, where he denounced the army’s attack on Tamils at a petrol station in Mullaitivu and state-sponsored Buddhist colonization of the North-East in defiance of court orders, and called for justice for both.

Speaking in parliament, the lawmaker described how “fellow citizens belonging to another ethnicity of this country has been savagely attacked by the Sinhala army and Sinhala police”.

‘Sri Lankan army get out of Tamil Eelam’- Hundreds of Tamils gather in Brussels

Outside the European parliament in Brussels, hundreds of Tamils gathered to demand an end to Sri Lanka’s ongoing military occupation of the Tamil homeland.

Front Line Defenders 'deeply concerned' over CID summoning of Sinhala journalist

Front Line Defenders said they were "deeply concerned" after Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) issued a summons to Sinhala journalist following a complaint made by the Intelligence Division of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).

Shutdown in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has shut down non-essential services until July 10th as the bankrupt nation's fuel supply runs dry amidst its worsening economic crisis. 

Cabinet spokesperson Bandula Gunawardane announced that fuel will only be supplied to essential services such as the health, defence, power and export industries, from midnight until July 10th.