Features

Features

Latest news from and about the homeland

Marking the New Year, Tamil Guardian takes a look back on the major events in the Tamil homeland, in Sri Lanka and across the diaspora over the last year. Throughout the year Sri Lanka continued to grapple with its dire economic crisis whilst maintaining an approach of brutal suppressing. The year has witnessed both the ascendency of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, viewed as a political outsider,…

British politicians call for ICC referral, trade concessions and suspension of military co-operation in Sri Lanka

British politicians called on the UK government to exert more pressure on Sri Lanka by referring them to the International Criminal Court, imposing targeted sanctions and to evaluate it's military co-operation over the island's longstanding history of human rights abuses. 

Opening last week's Westminster Hall debate, Elliot Colburn, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT) and MP for Carshalton and Wallington explained that despite 15 years passing since the Mullivaikkal genocide, which saw the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamils at the hands of the Sri Lankan state, the situation on the island "remains precarious".

Sri Lankan police unleash violence at Vedukkunaari during Shivarathri: MP assaulted, 8 Tamils arrested

The observance of Shivarathri at the Vedukkunaari Hill Athi Sivan temple in Vavuniya North, descended into chaos today (08.03) as police violence marred the religious proceedings. Member of Parliament Selvarajah Kajendren was assaulted by Sri Lankan police, and a further 8 worshippers were arrested during the incident.

Address root causes of conflict in Sri Lanka and ensure accountability' - UN High Commissioner

UN High Commissioner Volker Türk told the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that it is only through addressing the “root causes” of the conflict and ensuring accountability for rights abuses, that Sri Lanka will see “genuine reconciliation and sustainable peace and development”.

In his oral update at the 55th session yesterday, Türk said sustainable peace and reconciliation will not be achieved in Sri Lanka "with regressive laws and authoritarian approaches".

Sri Lanka Army summoned over non-disclosure of LTTE surrenders - where are they, court questions

In a historic court case, the Appeal Court of Sri Lanka issued a notice to the Sri Lankan army to appear before the judge on March 28th for intentionally concealing information on the number and names of the LTTE cadres who surrendered during the final phase of the war. 

The case was prompted by a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by a former journalist in 2019. The Sri Lankan army despite having the information detailing the figures, the names, the gender, and to whom these surrenders were handed over or where they were sent, has maintained silence over the details. Tamil families of the disappeared have repeatedly demanded the release of these details during their years-long protests.

Sri Lanka fires tear gas and water cannons at Tamils, as protests erupt across homeland

Sri Lankan security forces shot tear gas and fired water cannons at Tamil students as they marched on Sri Lanka's 76th Independence Day this morning, with Tamils across the North-East launching demonstrations to mark it as a ‘Black Day’.

Black flags across the Tamil homeland as Sri Lanka celebrates 76th Independence Day

Tamils are protesting across the North-East today on Sri Lanka's 76th Independence Day as Tamils continue to lack basic rights in their homeland. 

For decades, the day has been marked as a 'Black Day' by Eelam Tamils, who see it as a reminder of Sri Lankan state oppression.

We are tiger cubs!' - Vijay's support for the Tamil Eelam cause

With Tamil Nadu actor Vijay announcing the formation of a new political party in Tamil Nadu, we look back at his history of support for the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle.

Pongalo Pongal! Tamils in the North-East celebrate Thai Pongal

Thai Pongal, the secular Tamil festival that gives thanks to the sun and for the harvest, is being celebrated across the North-East today. 

Meeting a torturer - Canadian police chief’s controversial Sri Lankan visit

A senior Canadian police chief sparked controversy with a visit to Sri Lanka last month, where he discussed “cooperation” with its notorious police force and visited the office of a senior official who the Supreme Court found had personally participated in torture.

‘A betrayal beyond belief’ - Tamil Canadians vent their fury at CTC after meeting with Rajapaksa

For years the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) called for an international accountability mechanism for mass atrocities and for sanctions to be placed on Sri Lanka. Yet, last week, they met and posed for photographs with the man who bears chief responsibility for those very massacres. Tamil Canadians across the political spectrum, and the country, are furious.