Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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  The lawyer representing detained Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeskumar challenged allegations that his client sought to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during proceedings before the Jaffna Magistrate's Court this week, arguing that the material cited by police contains no reference to the organisation or its leadership. Sangeethsan, better known by his stage name…

Sampanthan refused to answer calls as LTTE political heads faced final moments

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, R Sampanthan left his phone seemingly engaged during the final stages of the armed conflict in May 18th 2009, as the LTTE political heads, P Nadesan and S Pulithevan reached out to the TNA representatives for help, said the then TNA MP and current Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam.

 

2009 மே18இல் நடந்தது என்ன?மாவையும் நானும் கண்ணீர் விட்டோம் இது என் தாய் மேல் ஆணை-கஜேந்திரகுமார் பொன்னம்பலம்.

Posted by Vigneswaran Kajeepan on Tuesday, 11 August 2015


Mr Ponnambalam made this statement at a press briefing at the Jaffna Press Club on Tuesday, where he made an angry rebuke of an accusation made by the TNA candidate Mavai Senathirajah at an election rally on Sunday that Mr Ponnambalam had secretly struck up a deal with the former government minister and brother of the then president, Basil Rajapaksa.

Stating that he had spoken with Mr Senathirajah during those crucial moments, Mr Ponnambalam stated that the TNA leader, R Sampanthan had refused to answer his call despite knowing the situation was dire.

‘UNP will allow international war crimes probe’ warns Weerawansa

The National Freedom Front's Wimal Weerawansa warned that the United National Party and Tamil National Alliance would join together and allow an international war crimes probe to take place in Sri Lanka.

Speaking at a press conference alongside former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr Weerawansa said that over 40 military officers and two civilian leaders were at risk of facing war crimes charges.

"If the UNP forms a government with the help of the TNA it would have to grant the wish of the latter which has called for an international war crimes probe," he warned.
"This has been part of their strategy and the onus is on the people to ensure the safety of these leaders who fought for us to elect the UPFA."

Maubima Lanka Foundation challenges Ranil on CEPA

A local business association has challenged Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe over a recent statement that the Sri Lankan government was “seriously looking at fast-tracking” negotiations with India on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), reports The Island.

Chairman of the Maubima Lanka Foundation, Ariyaseela Wickremanayake, wrote to the prime minister stating “the CEPA is a very serious threat to the interests of local businessmen” and urged Sri Lanka not to sign the agreement.

“The Maubima Lanka Foundation, an umbrella organisation for the protection of interests of local business community, has opposed the CEPA and demands that Sri Lanka should not become a signatory to the agreement in its present form," continued the letter.

UNP has ‘re-established Sri Lanka’s tarnished reputation’ says minister

Sri Lankan government minister Karu Jayasuriya said the United National Party had “re-established” the country’s reputation after it had been tarnished on the international stage, as he urged voters to elect his party later this month.

The minister said the UNP was the only party that could “face the present day challenges and capable of winning both local and international support”.

"The country’s image which had been tarnished in the international arena has now been re-established,” he continued.

Sri Lanka is currently under investigation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights over reports that Sri Lankan troops committed massacres and violated international humanitarian law during the final stages of the armed conflict in 2009.

Sandhya Eknaligoda requests army to handover officers connected to abduction of husband

The wife of missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda has requested Sri Lanka’s army to handover officers connected to the abduction to the CID for investigations.

Speaking to media, Sandhya Eknaligoda said she had information regarding a specific officer, who is imprisoned in a camp in Girithale, Minneriya or Batticaloa, the DailyMirror reported.

Australian High Commissioner meets Sri Lankan military chiefs

Australian High Commissioner Robyn Mudie and Defence Adviser Captain Jason Sears recently met with Sri Lanka’s Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunatilleke, and the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, and congratulate the officers on their recent appointments.

According to a press release, the meetings were “useful opportunities to discuss the ongoing cooperation between Australia and Sri Lanka to counter people smuggling and the growing relationship in defence cooperation between the two nations”.

Sirisena's version of electoral impartiality

Sri Lanka’s national newspapers carried a United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) election advertisement associating Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena with the party.

CBK wants credit for war victory

Former president Chandrika Kumaratunga says her successor Mahinda Rajapaksa alone cannot claim he won the war on his own, stressing that people should not vote for him just because he won the war.

Ms Kumaratunga said people should vote for her and former army chief Sarath Fonseka too, as they also had a role to play, Colombo Gazette reported.

Sri Lanka's prime minister calls on voters to reject communalism

Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremasinghe called on people to “shed petty divisions to solve problems faced by the country,” reports Colombo Page.

Mahinda denies son's involvement in Thajudeen murder

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has denied his son Yositha Rajapaksa's involvement in the suspected abduction, torture and murder of Wasim Thajudeen, who played rugby for the national team alongside Yositha.