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…

Sri Lankan military unveils new war monument in Vanni

Nov 28, 2015

The Sri Lankan military unveiled a new war monument in the former LTTE stronghold of the Vanni days before Tamils marked 'Maaveerar Naal' - a day of remembrance for fallen LTTE cadre.


The Sri Lankan army website said the monument was built "to pay tribute to brave hearts those who sacrificed their energetic youth, for establishing peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Mother Sri Lanka, by annihilating brutal and inhuman terrorism which spread over the country more than three decades".

Sri Lankan navy arrest 8 Tamil Nadu fishermen

Nov 28, 2015
The Sri Lankan navy on Sunday arrested eight Tamil Nadu fishermen, reports The Hindu.

The men were detained along with two of their boats, and taken to Kangesanthurai.

See more here.

The arrest is the latest in the ongoing detention of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan navy personnel.

Sri Lanka’s transitional justice: Genuine move or red herring?

Nov 28, 2015
J. S. Tissainayagam
Noting the absence of commitment to demilitarisation of the North-East JS Tissainayagam questioned the Sri Lankan government’s commitment to an all-inclusive transitional justice process that had the buy in of the victims.

Writing in the Asian correspondent Mr Tissainayagam said,

Tamil poet denied visiting visa to launch book in Jaffna

Nov 28, 2015
Award winning Tamil poet and actor VIS Jeyapalan has been stopped by the Sri Lankan government from attending a launch of his latest book in Jaffna, reports Journalists for Democracy Sri Lanka.

Mr Jeyapalan was denied a visiting visa by Sri Lanka's authorities.

Mr Jeyapalan, who is based in Oslo, was arrested and deported in November 2013 when he visited his hometown in Jaffna after decades in exile.

Pakistan Navy ship on goodwill visit to Sri Lanka's Colombo port

Nov 28, 2015
Pakistan’s Naval Ship PNS Shamsheer is to arrive at Colombo port on a four day goodwill visit starting Monday, reports Colombo Page.

Pakistan’s naval commanders are expected to Sri Lanka’s navy officials.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan have seen strengthening bi-lateral relations over past months.

Pakistan discusses bilateral defence ties with Sri Lanka military generals (08 Jun 2015)

Australian Senator calls for end of Sri Lanka's military occupation of Tamil homeland

Nov 28, 2015
Australian Senator for New South Wales, Lee Rhiannon called on the new Sri Lankan government to show its commitment to a reconciliation process be de-militarising the Tamil North-East.

Addressing Australia’s Tamil community at an event for the commemoration of Maaverar Naal, Ms Rhiannon said,

“If the new regime is genuine about reconciliation then there must be an immediate end to the military occupation of the Tamil homeland.”

Pledging support to the Tamil struggle for self-determination, she added,

“I pay my respects to the fallen heroes and everyone that continues to survive the ongoing genocide in the Tamil homeland.”

Full speech produced below.

NPC Member lights flame for Maaveerar Naal in Mullaitivu

Nov 27, 2015

Northern Provincial Council Member T Ravikaran marked Maaveerar Naal in Mullaitivu on Friday, joining other commemoration events that took place across the North-East.

Mr Ravikaran lit a flame in memory of those who had sacrificed their lives for the Tamil nation, he said.

Tamils gather in Paris to commemorate Maaveerar Naal

Nov 27, 2015

Hundreds of French Tamils in Paris commemorated Maaveerar Naal in an outdoor ceremony on Friday.

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka calls for the immediate release of detainees

Nov 27, 2015
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka called for the “immediate release” of detainees and expressed concern about the proposed rehabilitation process in a press release issued Friday. The Commission, chaired by Dr. N.D. Udagama, stated that they have written to the Attorney General of Sri Lanka, Mr. Y.J. Wijayatilake, “conveying to him its grave concern about the rights of detainees and remandees under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Emergency Regulations.”

Canada’s top court rules human smuggling law too broad in MV Sun Sea and MV Ocean Lady cases

Nov 27, 2015
Migrants helping themselves, or other refugees or asylum-seekers flee persecution cannot be considered human smugglers and deemed inadmissible, Canada’s top court ruled on Friday.

In two separate but related cases, the Supreme Court of Canada issued decisions on charges of human smuggling against individuals including asylum-seekers from the MV Sun Sea and MV Ocean Lady, two ships that arrived in Canada in 2009 and 2010, carrying hundreds of Tamil asylum-seekers fleeing persecution in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan navy arrest 8 Tamil Nadu fishermen
Sri Lanka’s transitional justice: Genuine move or red herring?
Tamil poet denied visiting visa to launch book in Jaffna
Pakistan Navy ship on goodwill visit to Sri Lanka's Colombo port
Australian Senator calls for end of Sri Lanka's military occupation of Tamil homeland
NPC Member lights flame for Maaveerar Naal in Mullaitivu
Tamils gather in Paris to commemorate Maaveerar Naal
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka calls for the immediate release of detainees
Canada’s top court rules human smuggling law too broad in MV Sun Sea and MV Ocean Lady cases
Tamil refugees in Indonesia mark Maaveerar Naal
Sri Lankan navy arrest 8 Tamil Nadu fishermen
Sri Lanka’s transitional justice: Genuine move or red herring?
Tamil poet denied visiting visa to launch book in Jaffna
Pakistan Navy ship on goodwill visit to Sri Lanka's Colombo port
Australian Senator calls for end of Sri Lanka's military occupation of Tamil homeland
NPC Member lights flame for Maaveerar Naal in Mullaitivu
Tamils gather in Paris to commemorate Maaveerar Naal
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka calls for the immediate release of detainees
Canada’s top court rules human smuggling law too broad in MV Sun Sea and MV Ocean Lady cases
Tamil refugees in Indonesia mark Maaveerar Naal