Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Chemmani mass grave toll reaches 366 ahead of ministerial visit
The number of skeletal remains identified at the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna has risen to 366, as excavators uncovered further remains of children on Tuesday, at one of the largest mass graves unearthed on the island and a site long tied to the enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing of Tamils by the Sri Lankan military. Six sets of skeletal remains, including those of children,…

International pressure for accountability will not go away whoever wins election says ICG

Jan 4, 2015
The International Crisis Group (ICG) warned that international pressure on Sri Lanka to ensure accountability for the mass atrocities against the Tamil people at the end of the ethnic conflict in 2009 would not go away whoever won the presidential election on January 8.

"Sirisena [the common opposition's presidential candidate] has promised to continue the current government’s policy of rejecting efforts by the international community to ensure accountability for the thousands of civilian deaths incurred at government hands at the end of the civil conflict in 2009," the ICG's senior Sri Lanka analyst, Alan Keenan, wrote on Monday.

"These efforts have not gone away, even five years after that bloody denouement, but rather have intensified."

"Thus whether Rajapaksa or Sirisena, whoever wins will need adequately to address the many credible allegations over the army’s conduct at the end of the war if they are effectively to reduce international pressure."

TNA yet to decide on whether to join govt if Maithri wins

Jan 4, 2015
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has not reached a decision on whether to join a government led by the common opposition's candidate Maithripala Sirisena if he should win the presidential election on January 8, said the TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran.

Asked by LankaSri whether the TNA would join the government, Sumanthiran replied: "When a question was asked regarding this at a press conference the other day, [TNA leader] Sampanthan said we [TNA] had not made a decision on this yet."

"However, until the party takes a decision I would like to state my own views. My view is that we should not take part in such a government. There are many reasons for this," he said.

Body found in Eravoor

Jan 4, 2015
The body of a man in his late 30s was found in the Murakkoddanchenai river in Eravoor, reports BattiNews.

The body, which has not been identified was spotted by locals on Saturday morning.

Eravoor police are reportedly investigating the death.


Stones thrown at Ananthy Sasitharan's house

Jan 4, 2015
20:54 GMT

Stones were thrown at the house of Ananthy Sasitharan, the TNA's popular Northern Provincial Councillor by unidentified persons during the early hours of Tuesday morning local time.

"I was sleeping at my house in Vadakkamparai, Chullipuram with my three daughters and a lady who stays with us, when I heard stones smashing against the house at around 1.30am," Sasitharan told the Tamil Guardian shortly after the incident.

"I got up and switched on the light and then they ran away," she said, adding that she had reported the incident to the police and the NPC chairman C. V. K. Sivagnanam via telephone.

The house in Vadakkamparai was previously attacked ahead of the Northern Provincial Council election in 2013.

SL military placed on standby to 'control violence'

Jan 3, 2015
The Sri Lankan military said that it will be on standby to prevent and control violence on and before election day.

Speaking to the Sunday Leader, military spokesperson, Ruwan Wanigasooriya, said,

"in the event that troops are needed, we are prepared to offer assistance of the police and civil authorities formally requested."

Dismissing claims that extra troops had been deployed to intimidate voters in certain areas, he added,

9 years on from 'Trinco 5' killings, the struggle for justice continues

Jan 3, 2015

Photograph TamilNet
This week marks 9 years since the murder of five Tamils students, who were executed by Sri Lanka's Special Task Force, whilst they spent an afternoon on the beach in Trincomalee.

The 'Trinco 5' case has been one of the highest profile killings in Sri Lanka to receive international attention, listed in 2014 by the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' report on the island as one of  four ‘emblematic cases’ of the government's failure to ensure accountability.

Sampanthan threatens disciplinary action against Ananthy if not toeing party line

Jan 3, 2015
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, R. Sampanthan warned that the party would take disciplinary action against Northern Province Councillor Ananthi Sasitharan if she did not fall in line with the party's decision to endorse the common opposition's presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the election on January 8.

Asked by the Daily Mirror about a split in the TNA over the election, following her decision not to endorse either candidate and boycott the election, Sampanthan said:
"She is bound by the decision of the TNA. I am not aware of her having made any such statement. If she is not bound by the TNA decision, disciplinary action will be taken against her."

International election monitors raise concern over military involvement in elections

Jan 3, 2015
International election monitors in Sri Lanka to observe the presidential elections raised concerns about election law violations and voter intimidation.

The team of monitors told press that they had received complaints that the military were being used to discourage Tamil voters in the North.

Dr S Quraishi, the head of the observer group of Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) said they received complaints that the military had set up 400 roadblocks in Tamil areas, reports Colombo Page.

SLMC is raising issue of Sinhala nationalism, says Rajapaksa

Jan 3, 2015
Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is only raising the issue of Sinhala nationalism now after spending 10 years with the ruling coalition, following their defection last week.

Speaking at a rally in Kaduwela earlier this week, Rajapaksa slammed the SLMC, saying,
“They are auctioning their votes today. Leaders! Are they saviours of the Muslim people?... It's time for the Muslim community to think decisively. They should not go behind people who betray them and sell them. They should support those who represent them.”
Rajapaksa went on to accuse the SLMC of “stirring up” the issue of Sinhala nationalism adding,
“They were with us for 10 years and received all the benefits with us. And suddenly they move to the side and accuse us. Now they say we are against Muslims and against Tamils; didn't they know this when they were with us for 10 years?”
“The era when the innocent people of this country, be it Muslim or Tamil, danced to their leaders' tunes has passed!”

Body found in Jaffna well

Jan 3, 2015
The body of a man was found in the Neerveli region of Jaffna on Saturday. The body, which was discovered after local residents reported an offensive smell, was found in a decomposing state inside a well near the Neervali Kanthaswamy temple.

The body has not been identified yet, however, Kopai police suspect it may be that of a 45 year old man who was recently reported missing in the region, said the Uthayan newspaper.

TNA yet to decide on whether to join govt if Maithri wins
Body found in Eravoor
Stones thrown at Ananthy Sasitharan's house
SL military placed on standby to 'control violence'
9 years on from 'Trinco 5' killings, the struggle for justice continues
Sampanthan threatens disciplinary action against Ananthy if not toeing party line
International election monitors raise concern over military involvement in elections
SLMC is raising issue of Sinhala nationalism, says Rajapaksa
Body found in Jaffna well
‘Change nature of the state, not just government’ say 63 Tamil organisations worldwide
TNA yet to decide on whether to join govt if Maithri wins
Body found in Eravoor
Stones thrown at Ananthy Sasitharan's house
SL military placed on standby to 'control violence'
9 years on from 'Trinco 5' killings, the struggle for justice continues
Sampanthan threatens disciplinary action against Ananthy if not toeing party line
International election monitors raise concern over military involvement in elections
SLMC is raising issue of Sinhala nationalism, says Rajapaksa
Body found in Jaffna well
‘Change nature of the state, not just government’ say 63 Tamil organisations worldwide