Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Mannar Urban Council Chairman Daniel Vasanthan has strongly condemned the arrest of Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeskumar under Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), stating that the detention reflects a situation where "Tamils do not even have the freedom to sing". Speaking at a media briefing held at the Mannar Urban Council on Friday, Vasanthan criticised the decision to arrest the…

Protests against Flying Fish

A crowd of Sri Lankans was protesting outside the French Embassy in Colombo against the movie Flying Fish, which was screened at a French festival on the island.

The protestors objected to the depiction of the military in the movie.

Representatives of Ranaviru Sevana, politicians and members of the public shouted slogans condemning the movie, reported Ceylon Today.

Rajapaksa brothers act as marriage witnesses

The Sri Lankan cricket captain, Angelo Mathews and Heshani Silva wedded today at the Temple Trees establishment in Sri Lanka, reported Colombo Page.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary, Gotobahya Rajapaksa signed as witnesses of the marriage at the wedding ceremony.

CHOGM will enhance Sri Lanka's stature in the world: G.L Peiris

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Addressing a press conference held at the External Affairs Ministry in Sri Lanka yesterday, External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris, reiterated that,

"CHOGM will enhance the country's stature in the world."

Parliamentary committee questions UK arms exports to Sri Lanka

A report by a parliamentary committee has criticised exports of arms to countries that the Foreign Office has expressed human rights concerns about.

The House of Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls concluded in their 2013 report that over 3,000 export licenses, worth over £12bn, were approved by the UK to the 27 countries in question, including Sri Lanka.

The report says the sales to Sri Lanka, worth over £8mn raised “very serious questions”.

The committee’s chairman, Conservative MP Sir John Stanley, said he was astonished at the scale of the exports, to countries including China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Peiris delights in victory over human rights campaigners

External Affairs Minister G L Peiris boasted of Rajapaksa's imminent chairmanship of the Commonwealth at an External Affairs Ministry press conference on Wednesday.

Peiris said that chairing the Commonwealth would be a "major victory by the country against its detractors, who have been trying to prevent Sri Lanka playing host to this all important biennial summit meeting."

EU delegation will travel to North

An EU Parliamentary Delegation, currently in Sri Lanka to observe EU funded development projects in the North, will reportedly be travelling to the North to see their progress.

The delegation is also expecting to hold meetings with civil society activists as well as politicians and international agencies.

SLMC to contest alone 

Sri Lanka's Muslim party, SLMC, which is currently part of the ruling UPFA coalition,  announced on Tuesday that it is to contest the North Provincial Council election on its own. 

The leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Rauff Hakeem, is Sri Lanka's minister of justice.

SLMC national organiser Shafik Rajabdeen told reporters, 

"We will contest the northern election under our own party symbol of 'tree'"

SL diplomats awarded ‘war hero’ medals

Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse has awarded hundreds of military personnel who took part in the last phase of the armed conflict with medals for gallantry.

Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN and war crimes accused Major General Shavendra Silva was amongst the recipients of the highest honour, the Weera Wickrama Vibhushana medal.

Tamil diaspora accused of funding 'insulting' film

The Director of the Media Centre for National Security in Sri Lanka, Lakshman Hulugalla described a film that recently halted a French festival in Sri Lanka as insulting to the government and its Security forces.

Sri Lanka considering nuclear pact with Pakistan, snubbing India – paper

The Hindustan Times has reported that Sri Lanka is moving towards a nuclear agreement with Pakistan.

The paper reports that although India has proposed a similar pact, Sri Lanka was “dragging its feet” by not scheduling talks, after initial discussions last October, subsequent to which Delhi sent Colombo a draft pact.