Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Thirteen more skeletal remains were exhumed from the Chemmani mass grave on Monday and a further seven newly identified, bringing the total identified at the site to 412, of which 390 have now been exhumed, as the excavation, the largest at any mass grave on the island, entered its 31st day. Monday, the 31st day of the third phase of the court-supervised process, saw three sets of remains…

UK Supreme Court overturns previous ruling on Tamil asylum seeker

In a landmark decision, the UK Supreme Court overturned a previous rejection of a Tamil asylum seeker whom, the Home Office claimed had organised his own torture.

Sri Lanka to send war crimes denier to Geneva - ITJP, JDS

The International Truth and Justice Project, and Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka yesterday criticised Sri Lanka's decision to send the former minister Mahinda Samarasinghe as part of a delegation to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Gotabhaya: I don't have a single white van

Sri Lanka's former defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who was implicated in the use of white vans to carry out enforced disappearances and killings with impunity, rejected the allegations at a conference in Kandy on Saturday. 

Mannar mass grave bones date to 1499-1719 AD

Carbon dating of bone fragments taken from Mannar mass graves date back to 1499 - 1719 AD, the United States based Beta Analytic Institute of Florida has concluded in its report. 

Sri Lankan president withdraws support for UN resolution

Less than a day after Sri Lanka's ministry of foreign affairs agreed to the co-sponsoring of a roll-over UN resolution, the president Maithripala Sirisena said he wanted it stopped.  

Sri Lanka admits strategy to 'prevent international war crimes allegations being continuously leveled'

In an alarmingly candid statement published today the Sri Lankan government admitted it would be co-sponsoring a roll over resolution at the UN Human Rights Council as "this strategy will prevent international war crimes allegations being continuously leveled against Sri Lankans through strengthened ownership of the implementation process."

Rights groups warn UNHRC of ongoing militarisation of Tamil homeland

Human rights organisations highlighted the ongoing militarisation of the Tamil homeland at a side event at the UN Human Rights Council yesterday. 

Sri Lanka circumvents findings of UN expert

The Sri Lankan government skirted past key concerns raised by the former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Ben Emmerson, in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last week, arguing instead that progress was being made. 

2 Tamil activists arrested by counter-terrorism police at Heathrow

Two Tamil activists were arrested by counter-terrorism police at Heathrow airport yesterday morning as they were about to travel to Geneva to participate in a demonstration at the UN Human Rights Council, calling for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court. 

Tamils demand justice for genocide at UNHRC

Hundreds of Tamils from across Europe gathered in front of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday to demand justice for the genocide committed by the Sri Lankan state.