A Sri Lankan minister said his government would consider hiring hangwomen for executioner posts for the first time in its history, if the order to execute was given by the president.
A family of four Eelam Tamils including two children from the same family reached Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu after undertaking a journey by boat from Mannar to seek refuge in Tamil Nadu. Muruganandan, was accompanied by his wife Rita Mary, and their two children from Thiruketheeswaram Mannar District, the four of them had undertaken a journey by boat until they were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard from Mandapam, in Ramanathapuram. Muruganandan had told officials who boarded them onto a hovercraft vessel and taken to Dhanushkodi that he was barely able to afford a single meal and could not find...
The Sri Lankan Teachers' Association vice president Theepan Thileesan has condemned the investigation and surveillance by Sri Lanka's security forces over a decoration that replicated the Tamil national flower at a school sports competition. Over the weekend, a decorative battle tank and a karthigai poo - the Tamil national flower - was put on display at Thellipalai Union College's sports competition. Sri Lanka's military and police visited the school premises where they took photographs and videos of the displays. The senior management of the school was also instructed to visit the police...
Tamil livestock farmers in Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai, Batticaloa, marked 200 days of continuous protest today, against state-sponsored Sinhalese settler violence. The Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai Livestock Farmers Society organised a mass protest on 23 December 2023, to highlight the longstanding grievances of Tamil cattle farmers and their families who have been suffering from the violent encroachment by Sinhalese settlers on the grazing lands traditionally used by the Tamil farmers. Tamil cattle farmers have been calling on the Sri Lankan government to intervene and address their...
Sri Lankan police have initiated investigations into a decorative battle tank and a karthigai poo - the Tamil national flower - that were put on display at Thellipalai Union College's sports competition. On Saturday, Sri Lanka's military and police visited the school premises where they took photographs and videos of the displays. The senior management of the school was also instructed to visit the police station where a statement was recorded from the principal. Whilst the oppressive surveillance by Sri Lanka's security forces in the North-East is not new, they have extended their clampdown...
Imperial College London’s Tamil Society celebrated the 30th anniversary of Mega Maalai, Europes's largest annual Tamil student-led cultural showcase. The showcase was held earlier this month at the ExCel London, their largest venue to date, and with over 300 performers, the event has reached unprecedented heights, delivering a spectacle of dance, music and fashion.
Sri Lanka and China have signed nine agreements following the prime minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s recent visit to China this week. Gunawardena stated that China has offered to “assist Sri Lanka debt restructuring” while “extending assistance to develop Katunayake International Airport, Hambantota Sea Port, and the Port City in Colombo.” A communique on the Prime Minister’s Media Unit stated that nine agreements were signed during this official visit however it failed to state what the agreements were for. Meanwhile, details on the discussions held between Gunawardena and Chinese President Xi...
Sri Lanka's national security advisor Sagala Ratnayaka has stated that Sri Lanka will begin repaying its debt from 2028 following negotiations with it's creditors as the island continues to suffer from its worst financial crisis. In an interview with Nikkei Asia , Ratnayaka said: “We are hoping that it [a detailed announcement] will take place in the next few weeks." The repayment period will be for 15 years, from 2028 to 2042, with the interest rate newly set at around 2%. Ratnayaka said that there would be no further debt reduction, despite a request by Sri Lanka. In April 2022, Sri Lanka...
Tamil families of the disappeared staged a protest in front of the Vavuniya bus stand, demanding justice and the intervention of the international community. The protest, spearheaded by women, saw impassioned calls for answers regarding the whereabouts of their disappeared loved ones. "Ranil we don't want your money, we want our children back," read one placard, while another questioned, "How did our children who trusted the army and surrendered, disappear." Speaking to the media, protestors expressed deep-seated distrust in any truth-seeking mechanisms instituted by Sri Lanka, emphasising...
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been urged to “leverage US leadership within the United Nations” and advocate for the rights of the Eelam Tamils to self-determination, by a group of ten members of congress this week.