Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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The number of skeletal remains identified at the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna has risen to 366, as excavators uncovered further remains of children on Tuesday, at one of the largest mass graves unearthed on the island and a site long tied to the enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing of Tamils by the Sri Lankan military. Six sets of skeletal remains, including those of children,…

Sri Lankan police assault on Tamils under investigation by Human Rights Commission

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has launched an inquiry after Sri Lankan police officers assaulted at least three Tamil men in Mullivaikkal last month.

The attack, which took place on May 6, saw police officers broke into the houses of each victim and demanded the residents produce a named individual, and then brutally assaulted each householder. Despite all three victims needing hospital treatment, Mullaitivu police has refused to register complaints against the officers.

Sri Lanka’s Central Bank acts after warning from Rajapaksa

After Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa demanded action within 24 hours from the Central Bank, new credit schemes and a reduction of the Statutory Reserve Ratio (SRR) have been announced in an attempt to halt Sri Lanka’s worsening economic crisis. 

Formal complaint filed to prevent Sri Lankan military land grabs in Mullaitivu

Former Tamil National Alliance MP S Sivamohan has issued a complaint letter with the Mullaitivu District’s election office and the Mullaitivu District Secretary, requesting them to take immediate action to stop the Sri Lankan military seizing private land.

After issuing the letter, Sivamohan told reporters, 

Rajapaksa lashes out at Sri Lanka’s Central Bank and demands action within 24 hours

Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa lashed out at the country’s Central Bank as he met with senior officials in Colombo today, demanding action within 24 hours as the economic crisis on the island continues to worsen.

Sri Lankan CID seizes journalist’s laptop in Colombo raid

Officers from Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) raided the Colombo residence of journalist Dharisha Bastians and seized her laptop earlier this month, raising concerns over the safety of her sources.

Bastians, who is also a correspondent for the New York Times and former chief editor of the Sunday Observer, said the raid happened earlier this month “after two separate attempts to obtain the device without a court order”.

TNA will support Rajapaksa regime if Sri Lanka will 'fulfil the political aspirations of Tamils'

M A Sumanthiran, a spokesperson for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said the party is ready to support a government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, providing Sri Lanka is willing to "fulfil the political aspirations of Tamils," in a statement ahead of this year's parliamentary elections.

During a media briefing held on the 11th of June, at his Jaffna home, Sumanthiran announced:

Sri Lankan intelligence chief takes legal action against ITJP over 'defamation' claim

A Sri Lankan Major General Sallay who stands accused of a number of abuses including the reported forced confession and denial of medical treatment of a Tamil doctor has sent a Letter of Demand to Executive director of the International Truth and Justice Project, Yasmin Sooka, claiming that the organisation had made "defamatory remarks".

Tamils protest against illegal Sinhala settlements in Kudaaruppu

Tamil fishermen and members of the Tamil National People's Front protested against illegal state sponsored Sinhala settlements in Kudaaruppu, Vadamarachi East today. 

Ignoring a court order, the Sinhala fishermen set up huts along the Kudaaruppu coast in order to harvest sea cucumbers.

‘No place for soldiers: the militarisation of Sri Lanka’s schools’ – Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice

Graphic by Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice 

The militarisation of the education sector in the North-East “raises important questions about the risks posed to child welfare” and wider implications for economic development says the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice.

Sri Lanka PM holds talks with tourism industry

Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has held talks with representatives of Sri Lanka’s tourism and hotel sectors, as he promises to reopen tourism in August.

Sri Lanka’s economy has significantly shrunk as a result of the coronavirus and has declined by 1.5% in 2020. Since 18 March, Sri Lanka has not seen any new tourists.

Mahinda Rajapaksa was quoted saying: