Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

A fisherman in Keppapulavu, Mullaitivu, was assaulted during a visit by Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister, Ramalingam Chandrasekaran, as tensions flared during the Minister’s local government election campaign on 24 April. Chandrasekaran, who was touring the North-East with National People’s Power (NPP) candidates, visited Keppapulavu where he met with representatives of the Keppapulavu Fishermen…

Mannar MP tells Sri Lankan president to release Tamil land occupied by navy

Member of Parliament from Vanni Selvam Adaikalanathan has written to Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake calling on his government to release several swathes of land in the North-East that are being occupied by Sri Lanka's Navy. 

Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division summons Tamil woman activist in Trincomalee

Sri Lanka’s Terrorism Investigation Division has summoned Navarathnarasa Anjalidevi, a 60-year-old Tamil female social activist residing in Narayanapuram, Palathadichchenai, for an inquiry scheduled on December 4, 2024.

Sinhalese men amongst those arrested for sharing 'LTTE content' on Facebook

Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) have arrested at least two Sinhalese men, in a spate of arrests related to the sharing of LTTE-related content on social media. The arrests of the Sinhalese men however come amidst reports that they shared material critical of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and of Tamil nationalism.

Sri Lanka arrests British citizen at Colombo airport claiming alleged fundraising for LTTE

Sri Lankan police have arrested a 43-year-old British citizen for allegedly raising funds for the LTTE, despite having been in the United Kingdom since the organisation was militarily defeated.

Authorities allege the British Tamil man, who fled the island in the wake of the Mullivaikkal genocide in 2009 which saw tens of thousands of Tamils slaughtered by the Sri Lankan state, had been collecting money for the organisation whilst abroad.

Sri Lanka's OMP looks to hire more people despite no progress on disappearances

Despite Sri Lanka's Office of Mission Persons (OMP) failure to address the issue of enforced disappearences on the island. the office has issued a job advertisement for several open positions at the office, calling on individuals to help with victim support, protection and communications. 

Sri Lanka reiterates commitment to chemical weapons convention despite allegations of wartime use

Sri Lanka reaffirmed its dedication to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) at the 29th session of the Conference of State Parties (CSP-29) in The Hague last week, despite allegations of having used chemical weapons against Tamils during the 2009 Mullivaikkal genocide.

Sri Lanka undecided over Adani's project calls for tender for yet another Mannar power project

The Sri Lankan government has launched an investigation into local projects undertaken by India's Adani Group following bribery charges filed in the United States against its founder, Gautam Adani.

UK Foreign Secretary faces calls to fulfil pledge and refer Sri Lanka to the ICC

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy was questioned on upholding his previous commitments on accountability and referring Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC) this week, as he faced questions from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Labour MP Uma Kumaran questioned Lammy and pressed him on the lack of accountability for mass atrocities committed in Sri Lanka.

“Today marks an important day for Tamil people around the world,” began Kumaran, speaking on Maaveerar Naal, a day of remembrance for Eelam Tamils worldwide.

Sri Lanka arrests Tamil man under PTA for Facebook post

Sri Lanka has arrested a young Tamil father in Jaffna under draconian anti-terrorism laws, over a Facebook post. Manoharan Kajendroopan, from Inuvil West, Chunnakam, has been arrested under the much criticised Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) reportedly detained Kajendroopan for uploading a photo of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran on Facebook. This arrest, which comes shortly after the commemoration of Maaveerar Naal, marks the first such detention under Sri Lanka’s anti-terrorism framework following the annual remembrance event.

Lessons from 2015

Hopes placed on Sri Lanka's new government under Anura Kumara Dissanayake mirror the promises of the 2015 "Good Governance" regime. For Tamils and the international community, only tangible actions can ensure this administration does not repeat the same cycle of impunity.