Features

Features

Sri Lanka continues 'multifaceted assault of terror' on Tamils under new government

Jul 27, 2015

Abductions, torture and sexual abuse of Tamils by Sri Lanka's security forces continue under the new government of President Maithripala Sirisena, according to a new report released on Tuesday, which calls on the UN to refer its reports to the International Criminal Court for further action against those responsible for the crimes.

Location of a secret torture camp in Trincomalee - International Truth and Justice Project Sri Lanka report

The report, by the International Truth and Justice Project Sri Lanka (ITJP), says 100 so-called "white-van" abductions occurred between 2009 and 2015, one from as recent as this month, and describes torture and sexual violence by military forces and police against Tamils in locations across the North-East and Colombo.

ITJP in its report published 41 locations on the island where victims say they were tortured since the end of the armed conflict, revealing the GPS coordinated for the notorious intelligence detention facility in the Trincomalee Naval Dockyard. The locations include 15 military camps, 15 police stations, 10 "Rehabilitation Camps" and Menik Farm internment camp.

Wigneswaran calls for united effort to achieve Tamil nation's aspirations

Jul 20, 2015

Photograph: Tamil Guardian

United and coordinated action between the homeland and Tamil diaspora is needed to achieve the Tamil nation’s aspirations of redeveloping the North-East, seeking justice for genocide and finding a political solution based on the Thimphu principles, said the Chief Minister of the Northern Province during a visit to the UK last week.

A full English translation of his statement made on Friday can be read here.

Addressing a full auditorium at the annual lecture of the International Association of Tamil journalists (IATAJ), CV Wigneswaran said,

“Offering the humanitarian support to rebuild our land is a short term goal. For this your support is needed. Ensuring justice for the genocide that was committed is a medium term goal – for this too your support is needed. Finding a political solution based on the Thimbu principles is a long term goal – that too must take place with your support. I end my talk trusting that you will give your understanding and support for all of us to work together with dedication for this.”

30 years since Tamil organisations unanimously agreed on Thimphu principles

Jul 12, 2015

Delegations meet at the first phase of the Thimphu peace talks. Tamil delegation seated on the left and the Sri lankan delegation seated on the right. Photograph: Sahajeevana Centre

Karumpuli Naal marked on July 5 by Eelam Tamils

Jul 4, 2015

_{Statue of Captain Miller in Nelliyadi, Jaffna. 2003.}

Today - July 5th - Eelam Tamils around the world mark Karumpuli Naal marking the sacrifice of the LTTE's elite women and men, the Black Tigers.

It was on this day thirty years ago, in 1987 that the Black Tiger Captain Miller attacked a Sri Lankan Army garrison in Nelliyadi in the Jaffna district, by driving a small truck with explosives into it. Forty Sri Lankan soldiers were killed in the attack.

Since then Eelam Tamils around the world have commemorated Karumpuli Naal on this day.

Witnesses from No Fire Zone testify at UNHRC event on disappearances in Sri Lanka

Jun 24, 2015

Updated 02:34 BST

Witnesses from the No Fire Zone revealed their testimonies at a side event on disappearances in Sri Lanka at the 29th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, on Thursday.

A panel discussion on detainees and disappearances in Sri Lanka consisting of the Chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee Kirsty Brimelow QC, President of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation and Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador Bianca Jagger, Human Rights Advocacy activist and the Tamil Guardian's Sutharshan Sukumaran, was chaired by the former All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG-T) chair Lee Scott.

TAG Eyewitness Account: Shanthi's Story

Jun 17, 2015

Shanthi’s Story

The following account is based on interviews to Tamils Against Genocide. Personal details of Shanthi (not her real name), place names and dates have been changed to protect her identity.

“The smell of blood was so strong, [there were] flies everywhere,there were puddles with bodies lying in them.”

This is how Shanthi describes the final two weeks of the war in May 2009. In an interview interspersed with deep sobs, she describes how she, her mother and her 4 year old daughter cowered in makeshift shelters, avoiding the bombs that were falling all around them. On the move constantly, they hid during the shelling and ran to different places in the lulls before new waves of shelling began. There was no food or water. People were injured and dying around her. The picture she paints is of a panicked populace, on the move constantly, strangers joining with other strangers to tend to the wounded, the dying and each other. This is her story.

Pon Sivakumaran remembered in North-East

Jun 4, 2015

The first Tamil to die in the liberation struggle was remembered in Jaffna today, on the 41st anniversary of his death.

Locals gathered at a statue of Ponnuthurai Sivakumaran in his hometown Urumpirai in Jaffna earlier today, and commemorated his life. TNA NPC Councillors Ananthy Sasitharan, AM Shivajilingam and Pradeshiya Sabha member Sajeevan also attended the event.

Profiles of May 2009: Kumaran

May 24, 2015

Tamils Against Genocide (TAG)

The following account is based on interviews to Tamils Against Genocide. Personal details of Kumaran (not his real name), place names and dates have been changed to protect his identity.

Illustration Keera Ratnam

When Kumaran wakes up in the room he has been given by the Home Office, it takes him a few minutes to adjust to his present surroundings. Sleepless nights, recurrent nightmares and depression help contribute to this disorientation. He feels an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia, of the walls moving in, caging him once again. His room, his present day cage, reminds him of the cell he had been kept prisoner in for two years. It is difficult for him to differentiate between the nightmares of his sleep and his present reality. For Kumaran, life in his room in the UK is one of living torture: uncertainty and threat of deportation mirror the uncertainty and fear which shadowed him when locked away for so many months. For Kumaran the years ahead seem to hold nothing but ceaseless striving: to reconcile the trauma of his past with the relative security of his present.

Revisiting May 2009 - Civilians walk into SL camps after thousands killed in night of shelling, surrendering LTTE leadership killed, Tamils blockade Westminster

May 17, 2015

18 May 2009 - Civilians walk into SL camps after thousands killed in night of shelling, surrendering LTTE leadership killed, Tamils blockade Westminster

Photo: Tamil Guardian

The Sri Lankan Army in its final onslaught killed thousands of civilians whilst the LTTE tried to negotiate a surrender mechanism throughout the night.

A surrender deal was eventually agreed upon between the senior leadership of the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government, a UN official and the British embassy a report titled, ‘5 years on: The White Flag Incident’ and the UN Panel of Experts report found.

Amnesty International in a statement called on the Sri Lankan government to allow full international access to monitor and aid those in need and “accept the surrender of any LTTE fighter and treat humanely LTTE fighters who have laid down their arms.”

Pictures of dead senior LTTE leaders shown on Sri Lankan state television indicated that the Sri Lankan government broke the agreement and violated international law by executing them after surrendering.

The Sri Lankan government later that day announced that LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran had been killed during an ambush.

(The commander of the Sri Lankan Army, General Fonseka, in an interview months later, stated that the Defence Secretary had instructed the army to kill all surrendering LTTE leaders, says the UN Panel of Experts report on Sri Lanka.)

The Asia Pacific Director of Amnesty International, Sam Zarifi, further called for an international Commission of Inquiry to "investigate allegations of international human rights and humanitarian law by all warring parties in the course of the conflict and make recommendations on the best way to ensure full accountability.”

Tamils remember May 2009 massacre amid surveillance by Sri Lankan intelligence officers

May 17, 2015

Updated 20 May 2015 23:48 GMT

Students at the University of Jaffna light candles in memory of the tens of thousands who were massacred at the end of the armed conflict

Marking the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils at the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka in May 2009, Tamils across the world and in all districts of the Tamil homeland in the North-East came together in acts of remembrance.

Remembrance events took place in the North-East amid surveillance by Sri Lankan intelligence and police officers, and a ban issued by court order in Mullaitivu restricting remembrance rallies by the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) and the Northern Provincial Councillor Ravikaran.

Whilst this year saw the most public display of remembrance since the end of the armed conflict, many Tamils in the North-East remained fearful of attending. Vehicles travelling towards events were stopped by security forces and those inside questioned. Reports even emerged that bus drivers were ordered by police officers not to refuse travel to those wishing to attended memorial events.

"Civilians largely kept away at this event as several Sri Lankan intelligence agents and police were watching those attending the ceremony. Even journalists covering the ceremony were followed and Sri Lankan security agents listened in as they interviewed civilians and politicians," AP news agency reported.

The TNA spokesperson Suresh Premachandran criticised the governement.

"The new government tells the international community that they are treating the Tamils with dignity. But they get court orders to prevent Tamils from remembering their dead," Mr Premachandran told AFP by phone from Mullivaikkal.

"What sort of democracy do they have? You can see how many police we have over here," he said.

Whilst Tamils grieved however, the Sri Lankan government held a military parade in celebration of the defeat of the Tamil armed resistance movement, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

See here for coverage of Sri Lanka's 'Armed Forces Day' celebration in Matara, on May 19th.

NPC Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan at Mullivaikkal beach (Photo @ananthysasi)

Related articles:

Pain of May 2009 will never go away say Jaffna Uni students (16 May 2015)

Sri Lankan police warns it will prevent any commemoration of LTTE (16 May 2015)

Sri Lankan minister warns against commemorating LTTE (13 May 2015)


North-East

				International community needed to secure justice and political solution for Tamils - CV Wigneswaran (18 May 2015)
				TNPF hold Mullivaikal memorial in Vadamaradchi East after court order (18 May 2015)
				Amparai Tamils commemorate Mullivaikkal in Kalmunai (19 May 2015)
				Mullivaikkal memorial observed in Trincomalee (19 May 2015)
				Mullivaikkal remembrance event held in Koppaay church (19 May 2015)
				Uthayan holds Mullivaikkal remembrance event (18 May 2015)
				May 18 remembrance held in Trincomalee (18 May 2015)
				Crowds at May 18 memorial event in PTK (18 May 2015)
				Kilinochchi event for Mullivaikkal remembrance (18 May 2015)
				May 2009 killings remembered in Mannar amid Sri Lankan court order banning planned event (18 May 2015)
				Northern councillor marks Mullivaikkal at Nanthi Kadal despite ban (18 May 2015)
				Prayers held at Keerimalai temple to remember Mullivaikkal dead (18 May 2015)
				Father Mariyampillai Sarathjeevan remembered in Kilinochchi (18 May 2015)
				Jaffna University remembers massacre of Tamils at end of Sri Lanka's armed conflict (18 May 2015)
				Police intimidation at Batticaloa May 18 remembrance event (18 May 2015)
				Heavy surveillance at interfaith memorial event in Mullivaikkal (18 May 2015)
				May 2009 massacre commemorated at Mullivaikkal despite ban by Sri Lankan authorities (18 May 2015)
				Mullivaikal massacres remembered in Vavuniya (18 May 2015)
				Mullivaikal massacre remembered in Trincomalee (15 May 2015)
				Mullivaikal remembrance marked in Jaffna in run-up to May 18 (15 May 2015)
				Mullivaikal remembrance held at Point Pedro (14 May 2015)
				Beginning of Mullivaikal remembrance week marked, under watch of security forces (12 May 2015)

Europe
				British Tamils remember Mullivaikal massacre in London and Glasgow (18 May 2015)

				Tamils in Denmark remember May 18th massacre (17 May 2015)
				Swedish Tamils hold advocacy event in remembrance of Mullivaikkal massacres (20 May 2015)
				Tamils in Qatar remember Mullivaikkal deaths (20 May 2015)

Tamil Nadu
				Thousands mark May massacre at Marina beach in Tamil Nadu (17 May 2015)