Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Sri Lanka's United National Party (UNP) has accused the National People's Power (NPP) government of attempting to undermine Buddhism and interfere in the affairs of the Buddhist clergy, as controversy continues over proposed reforms aimed at addressing misconduct within the Buddhist Sangha. The dispute comes amid heightened public scrutiny of Buddhist institutions following allegations of…

Tamils injured in detention centre riot

A riot involving more than 100 people has left three injured at the Scherger Immigration Detention Centre at Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula, Australia.

Amongst those injured was a Tamil man, who was left with a suspected broken nose and teeth, thought to have been inflicted by a guard at the centre.

Sri Lanka calls for probe into Gaddafi's death

In a statement released on Sunday, Sri Lankan external affairs minister, demanded a probe into the death of Muammar Gaddafi.

Accountability cannot be bartered for rights

The TNA were urged under no circumstances to barter away war crimes accountability for "political concessions" by the Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) during a press conference on Sunday.

The TNPF is a group of former TNA parliamentarians and civil society members, formed in early 2010 in exasperation at the TNA's reluctance to base its policies on the Tamil nation's rights.

The TNA has since again become more forceful in articulating Tamil grievances, and the party swept local government elections earlier this year.

Dutch court rules LTTE not terrorist organisation

A district court in The Hague ruled on Friday, in the case of five Tamils accused of procuring funds, that the LTTE is not a terrorist organisation.

The landmark ruling was defies European and US policy.

UPFA's sorrow at Gaddafi's demise

Speaking in parliament on Thursday, UPFA member, A H M Azwar, expressed sorrow at the end of Gaddafi's rule.

"In the world scene Col Maummar Gaddafi, the leader of Libya had been arrested by the foreign armed forces. We do not know his fate. We as Muslims we pray for the safety of him and for the country, because these countries are self-governing countries."

Doing the right thing

Writing in the Canberra Times, retired Australian diplomat Bruce Haigh called on Australia to reject the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe.

Haigh, who has served as the Australian Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo, wrote as Admiral Samarasinghe, along with Sri Lanka's ambassador to the UN Palita Kohona and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse are being investigated by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for allegations of war crimes.

Extracts have been reproduced below.

Protest was organised by Ministry of Defence – Channel 4

The head of Channel 4 News and Current Affairs has told a Lords communications committee that a protest against the broadcaster earlier this year was arranged by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence.

Dorothy Byrne told the Lords committee, which is inquiring into the future of investigative journalism, that Sri Lanka had concerted “worldwide PR exercises against us", after the channel’s investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka.

Release of Commonwealth report blocked by Sri Lanka

An internal report by a panel on the Commonwealth, due to be presented at the summit in Perth next week, has slammed the ‘failure’ of the 54-member organisation to address human rights issues of its members and said only prompt action will save the Commonwealth from irrelevance and its eventual demise.

TNA outlines basic requirements for future talks

The TNA (Tamil National Alliance) called on the government to stop all registration of lands in the North-East, reverse the inclusion of the Sinhala region of Welioya into Mullaitivu District and stop the deployment of a Sinhala government agent to Mannar, during talks with government delegates on Thursday.

TNA MP Suresh Premachandran, stated that such measures, were the very basic requirement in order for future talks with the Sri Lankan government to take place.