Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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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,…

Sri Lankan navy arrests 8 in Mannar over alleged illegal fishing

The Sri Lankan navy arrested 8 people for alleged illegal fishing activities in Mannar, Colombo Page reported. 

The people were arrested on September 13 and 16 in the Erukkulampiddi and Palakuda lagoon area of Mannar, for allegedly using unauthorised fishing nets. 
 
They have been handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries of Mannar and Puttalam. Their three dinghies and three fishing nets have been seized. 

Sri Lanka denies plans to halt visas from Myanmar

The Sri Lankan government rejected reports that it was planning to halt the issuing of visas to those travelling from Myanmar in a bid to stop Rohingya Muslims from entering the island. 

Nihal Ranasinghe from the Department of Immigration and Emigration told BBC Sinhala that there was "no truth" in such reports. 

Mullaitivu - Kaiveli villagers still not allowed to resettle

Villagers from Kaiveli in Mullaitivu have complained that they have still not been allowed to resettle in their homes, over eight years after the end of the war.

Sri Lankan government retreats over 20th Amendment

The Sri Lankan government has reportedly abandoned attempts to pass the 20th amendment to the constitution, according to the Daily Mirror.

The reported move by the government comes after Sri Lanka’s supreme court ruled that sections of the proposed amendment will need to be put to a referendum, as well as having two-thirds of parliament’s support.

If the government confirms that its pursuit of the amendment is abandoned, provincial council elections in Sabaragamuwa, North-Central and Eastern Provincial Councils will have to be held by the end of this year.

Sri Lanka co-hosts air force exercise with United States

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) is co-hosting the Pacific Airlift Rally 2017, a military exercise currently underway on the island, alongside the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), a Major Command of the United States Air Force.

Third day of Thileepan’s fast marked in Jaffna

Tamils gathered at the Lt. Col. Thileepan memorial in Nallur on Sunday to mark the third day of his hunger strike that took place 30 years ago.

Sri Lanka aims to block Rohingya from entering island

The Sri Lankan government has announced it will block all visas for tourists from Myanmar, in an effort to stop Rohingya Muslim refugees from entering the island.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader, Sri Lankan Minister of Internal Affairs S. B. Navinna, said his government took the decision to stop Rohingya Muslims from seeking refuge in Sri Lanka. He warned that Rohingya may attempt to enter the island by posing as tourists.

Tyres burnt in front of Thileepan memorial, organisers condemn intimidation tactic

Organisers of the ongoing commemorations to Thileepan have condemned as an intimidation tactic the burning of tyres in front of the Nallur monument.

Fonseka should ‘shut up’ says former Sri Lankan president

Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa said the former commander of the army should “shut up”, after stating he would testify against a military colleague accused of war crimes.

In an interview to Ceylon Today, Mr Rajapaksa rebuked former army commander Sarath Fonseka’s comments.

“Everybody was shocked by Fonseka’s statement,” he said. “An Army Commander should not behave like this.”

When asked what the former army commander should do next, Mr Rajapaksa responded, “he should shut up.”

The former president also denied reports of human rights violations taking place during the armed conflict.

Sri Lanka accused of breaking North Korean sanctions

The Sri Lankan government illegally imported commodities from North Korea in violation of sanctions placed on the country, according to United Nations experts last week.

UN experts monitoring sanctions named Sri Lanka, alongside other countries including India, Pakistan and China as having flouted restrictions on North Korea.

The report found that between October 2016 and April 2017, Sri Lanka imported approximately US$ 1,860,516 in iron and steel from North Korea. Tens of thousands of dollars of copper were also imported during that period.