Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Hundreds march in Kilinochchi against limestone, sand mining and wind turbines
A protest march was held last month opposing limestone excavation, mineral sand mining and a proposed wind power project across the villages of Veravil, Valaipadu, Ponnaveli and Kiranchi, in the Poonakary Divisional Secretariat division of Kilinochchi. The demonstration was organised against plans to establish wind power stations and to carry out mineral sand and limestone extraction in the…

Sri Lanka FM reaffirms commitment to UNHRC resolution

Mar 3, 2016
Reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution (UNHRC) on reconciliation, accountability and human rights, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister expressed openness to international assistance.

Addressing the 20th Meeting of the Governing Council of the Community of Democracies in Geneva, Mangala Samaraweera said,

“We co-sponsored, with other members of the UN Human Rights Council, the Resolution titled ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’ as a manifestation of our firm commitment to uphold the human rights of our people, and take measures for truth-seeking, justice, and reparations aimed at ensuring non-recurrence…. Sri Lanka requires the support and assistance of all her friends in the international community.”

Vali North IDPs protest in Jaffna demanding resettlement

Mar 3, 2016

Displaced Tamils from Valikaamam North, who have remained in IDP camps for over 25 years began a hunger strike on Friday, in protest at the failure to resettle them.

Swiss Refugee Council warns against refugees returning to Sri Lanka

Mar 3, 2016
The Switzerland based NGO, the Swiss Refugee Council this week warned against returning asylum seekers back to the island, due to 2015 reports that returnees were arrested or abducted.

Responding to the Sri Lankan foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera's pledge that it was safe for those, mainly Tamils, who fled Sri Lanka to return to the island, the Sri Lanka expert at the NGO said, "in our view, this step comes too early."

Speaking to Swiss public radio on Thursday, Adrian Schuster said, “We have received reports that in 2015 returning people were arrested or abducted in Sri Lanka."

60 kg of cannabis seized by Sri Lankan police in Jaffna

Mar 2, 2016

Over 60 kg of cannabis was seized by Sri Lankan police in Jaffna last month, amidst a growing drug problem in the Northern Province.

The cannabis, with a street value of approximately 15 million rupees, was seized in a pre-dawn raid by Sri Lankan police in Jaffna. The drugs were though to have originated in Kerala and smuggled into the North-East via Inparutti, by Point Pedro.

UNHRC must remain involved as Sri Lanka confronts rights issues says US

Mar 2, 2016
It is important that the United Nations Human Rights Council remains engaged in countries like Sri Lanka as they confront human rights, said the United States in its address to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Noting that there was hope and promise in nations such as Burma and Sri Lanka, the US caveated,

“While we celebrate and support their progress, we believe it is important for the Council to remain engaged, as the governments confront their legacies of human rights violations and address the challenges that remain.”

See full statement made below.

New Sri Lankan govt continues Rajapaksa's website registration

Mar 1, 2016
The new Sri Lankan government, which was elected on a promise of good governance and press freedom, on Wednesday continued the Rajapaksa regime's regulation of the press, issuing a warning against unregistered websites.

The state run paper, the Daily News, on Wednesday featured an advertisement warning websites that they must be registered by the end of March, failure to do so would be considered "unlawful".

Families in Jaffna call for immediate release of Tamil political prisoners

Mar 1, 2016


Families of Tamil political prisoners protested in Jaffna on Wednesday, urging the government to release them immediately.

Normality remains elusive in Sri Lanka's North - Joshua Hammer

Mar 1, 2016
Seven years after a brutal war, peace and tourism have returned to Sri Lanka’s north, but normality remains more elusive, concludes New York Times travel journalist Joshua Hammer.

See full article below.

Sri Lanka finance minister dismisses Fitch Ratings downgrade

Feb 29, 2016
Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister and Central Bank Governor dismissed the recent downgrading of Sri Lanka’s ratings by global ratings agency Fitch Ratings, reports Economynext.com

Speaking to reports in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s finance minister Ravi Karunayake said,
“That’s only one institution. These are only perceptions of certain institutions.”

Fitch ratings lowered Sri Lanka’s ratings from ‘BB-‘ to ‘B+’ stating that Sri Lanka faced “increased refinancing risks on account of high upcoming external debt maturities on foreign exchange reserves” and an increased “likelihood of Sri Lanka requiring external liquidity support from the IMF and other multilateral institutions.”

The rating agency added that Sir Lanka’s budget did little to address the of Sri Lanka’s gross general government debt (GGGD).

Sri Lanka to hold discussions with IMF in March-April (29 Feb 2016)
IMF and Sri Lanka 'hammering out a way forward' from debt (26 Feb 2016
Sri Lankan govt considers IMF bailout conditions (16 Feb 2016)

The dangers of trade deals with the Sri Lankan military - Andreas Scheuller

Feb 29, 2016
Unscrutinised investment from the European countries “risks reinforcing ethnic discrimination and hindering reconciliation in Sri Lanka,” writes the head of the International Crimes and Accountability program at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights Andreas Schueller.

Adding that the biggest economic actor in Sri Lanka’s “heavily northern and northeastern regions,” Mr Schueller expressed concern that trade agreements and investment could end up “profiting the military and thus strengthening its position in the region, denying the resettled Tamil population any development opportunities.”

See full piece below.

Vali North IDPs protest in Jaffna demanding resettlement
Swiss Refugee Council warns against refugees returning to Sri Lanka
60 kg of cannabis seized by Sri Lankan police in Jaffna
UNHRC must remain involved as Sri Lanka confronts rights issues says US
New Sri Lankan govt continues Rajapaksa's website registration
Families in Jaffna call for immediate release of Tamil political prisoners
Normality remains elusive in Sri Lanka's North - Joshua Hammer
Sri Lanka finance minister dismisses Fitch Ratings downgrade
The dangers of trade deals with the Sri Lankan military - Andreas Scheuller
International community has an important part to play in Sri Lanka's reconciliation - UK High Commissioner
Vali North IDPs protest in Jaffna demanding resettlement
Swiss Refugee Council warns against refugees returning to Sri Lanka
60 kg of cannabis seized by Sri Lankan police in Jaffna
UNHRC must remain involved as Sri Lanka confronts rights issues says US
New Sri Lankan govt continues Rajapaksa's website registration
Families in Jaffna call for immediate release of Tamil political prisoners
Normality remains elusive in Sri Lanka's North - Joshua Hammer
Sri Lanka finance minister dismisses Fitch Ratings downgrade
The dangers of trade deals with the Sri Lankan military - Andreas Scheuller
International community has an important part to play in Sri Lanka's reconciliation - UK High Commissioner