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 Lanka must ‘undertake a difficult but essential journey’ - US

Oct 1, 2015
The United States said the goal of the recently passed resolution at the UN Human Rights Council is to “to help Sri Lanka undertake a difficult but essential journey”.

Ambassador Keith Harper told the council the resolution “seeks to support Sri Lanka’s path to lasting peace, built on a foundation of justice and accountability”.

“The goal of this resolution—and of our efforts here in Geneva—is to help Sri Lanka undertake a difficult but essential journey,” he said. “And, we welcome that this resolution recognizes the critical role of continued OHCHR engagement.”

Sri Lankan ambassador had government approval for interventions at UN HRC

Oct 1, 2015

The Sri Lankan foreign ministry has confirmed that Sri Lanka’s ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council spoke with government approval, when delivering interventions at discussions regarding the resolution last week.

Resolution 'crucial step' in ensuring accountability - David Cameron

Oct 1, 2015

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said the resolution on Sri Lanka, passed at the Human Rights Council on Thursday, was a "crucial step" towards uncovering the truth about alleged war crimes and ensuring accountability.

In a statement released on Friday, Mr Cameron pledged Britain's commitment to stand up for those affected by the armed conflict.

The prime minister welcomed Sri Lanka's commitment to ensuring perpetrators of war crimes are held to account and encouraged the government to continue working with the UN.

‘Proof of change will come in how Sri Lanka treats most vulnerable victims’

Oct 1, 2015
The proof of change in Sri Lanka following the passing of a UN resolution this week, will come in how it treats survivors of sexual violence, wrote Nimmi Gowrinathan and Kate Cronin-Furman.

Writing in the Washington Post, they said “for the victim community, and their advocates,” the passing of the resolution is “not unambiguously cause for celebration”.
“Even as the members of the Council commended Sri Lanka’s government for re-engaging with the international community, domestic civil society groups and international rights activists challenged the vagueness of the resolution’s call for Sri Lanka to ensure a “credible justice process”,” they said.

“Sri Lanka has a long history of domestic commissions of inquiry that function as impressive political theatre but have limited capacity to provide redress. The acceptance of a (yet to be specified) role for international experts and the passage of a victims and witnesses protection act are encouraging signs that the new government intends to break with this tradition and embark upon a genuine transitional justice process. But the proof of a change will come in how Sri Lanka treats the most vulnerable victims of the long conflict – those who have survived sexual violence.”

SLFP 'salutes' Maithri for saving Sri Lanka from imperialist trap

Oct 1, 2015

Posters by President Maithripala Sirisena's party, the SLFP, have appeared hailing him for saving Sri Lanka from the imperialist trap, after the passing of the consensus resolution on Sri Lanka on Thursday.

International scrutiny will be central in what happens next - Callum Macrae

Oct 1, 2015
Writing for Channel 4 news, the No Fire Zone documentary director, Callum Macrae, said that victims and human rights organisations will expect to see real measurable progress in Sri Lanka on the implementation of the UNHRC resolution.

Noting that Sri Lanka would come under real pressure if progress wasn’t seen by the international community in upcoming weeks, Mr Macrae said “One likely issue to become an immediate focus of campaigning will be for the establishment of properly staffed and adequately funded regional office of the OHCHR in the Jaffna or Kilinochchi areas of the north.”

International component crucial for credible accountability in Sri Lanka - Amnesty

Oct 1, 2015
Highlighting that international judges, defence lawyers, prosecutors and investigators were crucial for a credible accountability process, Amnesty International welcomed the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka as an “opportunity” for justice if “the resolution and underlying commitments of Sri Lanka’s government are implemented in good faith,” said Amnesty International in a press release on Thursday.

Sri Lanka will ‘fruitfully’ share experience on 'eliminating terrorism' says president

Sep 30, 2015

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena told the United Nations that his government had “succeeded in eliminating terrorism” and was willing to share their experience with other countries.

Addressing the 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Mr Sirisena said:

“Sri Lanka succeeded in eliminating terrorism, which continues to throttle other developing countries extending from Asia to Africa and Latin America".

“We defeated one of the world's most ruthless terror outfits,” added Mr Sirisena.

“We believe that all these experiences can be shared fruitfully with other developing countries affected by terrorism,” he said. “Sri Lanka remains prepared to engage in a more active dialogue with these countries and will continue to speak and advocate against terrorism.”

Military division accused of war crimes hands out spectacles in North-East

Sep 30, 2015

A Sri Lankan army division accused of war crimes handed out spectacles to Tamil civilians last weekend, whilst another division held an eye clinic in the North-East.

On Saturday September 26, military officials handed out glasses to Tamil civilians at a ceremony in Kilinochchi, in a project coordinated by the 57 Division and 571 Brigade.

The 57 Division was led by Major General Jagath Dias during the final stages of the armed conflict, which saw tens of thousands of Tamil civilians killed. Maj Gen Dias, who was recently promoted by Sri Lanka’s new government, stands accused of commanding war crimes that the division committed.


Meanwhile in Mullaitivu on Sunday September 27, Army personnel from the 59, 64 and 68 Divisional areas, held an eye clinic at the Sillawatte Tamil College , in a project supervised by the 591 Brigade Commander.

NGOs call for internationalised accountability process and monitoring of ongoing violations against victim Tamil community in Sri Lanka

Sep 30, 2015
Non-Governmental Organisations stressed the importance of ongoing monitoring in Sri Lanka, an internationalised judicial process for accountability, ending ongoing violations against the majority victim Tamil community and seeking a lasting political solution during the general debate on the OISL report into Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Addressing member states of the UNHRC during the debate, United Nations Watch condemning the ongoing “oppression of the Tamils” in Sri Lanka, called on the new government to “end impunity” and deliver a credible process for reconciliation and accountability.
Sri Lankan ambassador had government approval for interventions at UN HRC
Resolution 'crucial step' in ensuring accountability - David Cameron
‘Proof of change will come in how Sri Lanka treats most vulnerable victims’
SLFP 'salutes' Maithri for saving Sri Lanka from imperialist trap
International scrutiny will be central in what happens next - Callum Macrae
International component crucial for credible accountability in Sri Lanka - Amnesty
Sri Lanka will ‘fruitfully’ share experience on 'eliminating terrorism' says president
Military division accused of war crimes hands out spectacles in North-East
NGOs call for internationalised accountability process and monitoring of ongoing violations against victim Tamil community in Sri Lanka
‘Sri Lanka must address difficult legacy of its past’ – UK
Sri Lankan ambassador had government approval for interventions at UN HRC
Resolution 'crucial step' in ensuring accountability - David Cameron
‘Proof of change will come in how Sri Lanka treats most vulnerable victims’
SLFP 'salutes' Maithri for saving Sri Lanka from imperialist trap
International scrutiny will be central in what happens next - Callum Macrae
International component crucial for credible accountability in Sri Lanka - Amnesty
Sri Lanka will ‘fruitfully’ share experience on 'eliminating terrorism' says president
Military division accused of war crimes hands out spectacles in North-East
NGOs call for internationalised accountability process and monitoring of ongoing violations against victim Tamil community in Sri Lanka
‘Sri Lanka must address difficult legacy of its past’ – UK