Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

The arithmetic of a grave
This week, the number of skeletal remains uncovered at Chemmani reached a stark record of 387. With that figure, a patch of earth on the edge of Jaffna town became the largest mass grave ever uncovered on the island, surpassing the 376 remains recovered at Mannar. Recent days alone have seen the bodies of several children exhumed, alongside beads and bangles. These are the contents of the…

Tamil youth detained at Colombo airport

Jan 24, 2016

A Tamil youth who was deported from Oman has been arrested on arrival in Sri Lanka at the Katunayake International Airport in Colombo.

The 25 year old from Kilinochchi was detained by Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and is being held for further questioning. He is due to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate later on Monday.

Tamils being deported from other countries or passing through Colombo airport have frequently faced arrest.

TAG horrified at Sri Lanka u-turn on accountability

Jan 24, 2016
Together Against Genocide (TAG) said it was "horrified at Sri Lanka's u-turn on the pledges it made" after the country's president last week said that no international experts would be included in the accountability mechanism, despite this being a specific aspect of the UN Human Rights Council resolution adopted last year.

“We are horrified by Sri Lanka’s duplicity towards survivors of mass atrocities: they have been promised a credible justice mechanism involving international judges and legal assistance.” TAG Director Jan Jananayagam said.
 
“It is critical that the UN and members of the Human Rights Council take immediate steps to ensure full implementation of the pledges made at the 30th session of the Human Rights Council”

GTF deeply concerned by Sri Lanka's opposition to foreign experts

Jan 24, 2016
The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) on Monday said it was "deeply concerned and disappointed" by the Sri Lankan president's rejection of international involvement in an accountability mechanism in an interview to BBC Sinhala last week.

"The President’s assertions are a direct refutation of the Resolution 30/1 passed in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 1 October 2015 which Sri Lanka itself co-sponsored," the GTF said in a statement released on Monday.

"The resolution clearly committed Sri Lanka to involving Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers and authorized prosecutors and investigators in its judicial processes. Sri Lanka will breach the provisions of a resolution that it co-sponsored if President Sirisena's assertions are implemented."

Sri Lanka prime minister saved military from 'Geneva problem' says defence minister

Jan 24, 2016
Sri Lanka’s defence minister Ruwan Wikewardena hailed Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister for ‘saving the military from the Geneva problem.’

Speaking at a welfare distribution event for families of Sri Lanka’s military on Monday, Wikewardena reiterated that Sri Lanka had Successfully negotiated around international pressure it faced at the United Human Rights Council, reports Ceylon News.

Speaking on national security, Mr Wikewardena said,

India framework agreement not finalised says Sri Lanka minister

Jan 24, 2016
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama rejected accusations from the Sinhala opposition that a  trade framework agreement had been agreed upon in India.

Responding to accusations by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Jathika Nidahasa Peramuna (JNP) that Sri Lanka was about to sign a trade pact with India, Mr Samarawicrama said,

“We have not discussed a framework agreement yet.. We have not even discussed a framework agreement yet. After the framework is signed it will take five to six months to conclude the final agreement.”

Sri Lanka’s leadership has faced increasing pressure over the potential signing of trade pacts with India.

Sri Lanka reiterates rejection of foreign judges in war crimes probe

Jan 24, 2016
Sri Lanka’s president reiterated his rejection of any foreign involvement in a war crimes probe in Sri Lanka in an interview with Al Jazeera today.

Rejecting any foreign involvement in a war crimes probe for the third time in a week on international media, President Sirisena said,

“We will always act in accordance with the sovereignty of our country and the constitution. We definitely do not need outsiders. We have an unbiased independent judiciary in this country.”

Tamil families of disappeared in Sri Lanka vent frustration at TNA

Jan 22, 2016
Frustrated families of the disappeared protested outside a Tamil National Alliance meeting in Kilinochchi.

Photograph: Tamil Guardian

Calling for action on confirming the fate of the disappeared the demonstrators also criticised the Tamil National Alliance for lack of action on the issue. 

Over 9000 Tamil families remain to be resettled in original lands in Sri Lanka

Jan 22, 2016
Over 5000 acres of Tamil land in Valikamam North are still occupied by Sri Lanka’s armed forces as High Security Zones found a survey conducted by District Secretaries.

The district records found that 9968 families still had their names registered as waiting for resettlement in their original land.

Records further found that over 8000 families remained in IDP camps over 6 years after the end of the war.

US State Department official to visit Sri Lanka

Jan 22, 2016

Macon Phillips, the United States’ Coordinator for the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP), is set to visit Sri Lanka in the coming days, reports Colombo Gazette.

Sri Lanka rejects international component to accountability, denies reports of ongoing torture

Jan 21, 2016
Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena has reiterated that international involvement would ‘never’ be allowed to deal with accountability for mass atrocities, and rejected recent reports by NGOs that Sri Lanka’s military continue to torture Tamils.

Speaking to BBC Sinhala on the UN resolution that called for a war crimes court supported by foreign judges, Mr Sirisena said,

“I will never agree to international involvement on this matter. We have more than enough specialists, exports and knowledgeable people in our country to solve our internal issue.”

He added, “The international community need not worry about matters of state interest.”

Responding to questions on reports of ongoing torture by Sri Lanka’s military, Sirisena said,

“I totally deny that. If someone can prove with evidence I am ready to give them the opportunity. Justice is served equally in this country.”
TAG horrified at Sri Lanka u-turn on accountability
GTF deeply concerned by Sri Lanka's opposition to foreign experts
Sri Lanka prime minister saved military from 'Geneva problem' says defence minister
India framework agreement not finalised says Sri Lanka minister
Sri Lanka reiterates rejection of foreign judges in war crimes probe
Tamil families of disappeared in Sri Lanka vent frustration at TNA
Over 9000 Tamil families remain to be resettled in original lands in Sri Lanka
US State Department official to visit Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka rejects international component to accountability, denies reports of ongoing torture
Sri Lankan police launch crackdown on lesbians across island
TAG horrified at Sri Lanka u-turn on accountability
GTF deeply concerned by Sri Lanka's opposition to foreign experts
Sri Lanka prime minister saved military from 'Geneva problem' says defence minister
India framework agreement not finalised says Sri Lanka minister
Sri Lanka reiterates rejection of foreign judges in war crimes probe
Tamil families of disappeared in Sri Lanka vent frustration at TNA
Over 9000 Tamil families remain to be resettled in original lands in Sri Lanka
US State Department official to visit Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka rejects international component to accountability, denies reports of ongoing torture
Sri Lankan police launch crackdown on lesbians across island