Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

""
Number of skeletal remains identified at Chemmani rises to 302
  A total of 302 skeletal remains have been identified during the excavations at the Chemmani mass grave site so far, whilst 298 have been completely exhumed.  Eight skeletal remains, including those of two children, were exhumed on Sunday (June 7), during the 18th day of the third phase of excavations. According to a legal expert from the excavation site, six additional skeletal…

Special Task Force deployed amidst violence against Chandrika Kumaratunga

Dec 26, 2014
The police Special Task Force (STF) has been deployed in regions of Sri Lanka following clashes between opposition and government supporters on Friday night.

Government supporters arrived at an opposition election rally and attacked vehicles of opposition members, including that of the former president, Chandrika Kumaratunga, reports the Colombo Gazette.
 
Clashes occurred after a rally was held in Beruwala in support of the common opposition presidential candidate, Maithripala Sirisena.

Displacement and deaths as heavy rains and flooding continue in East

Dec 25, 2014
Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre has reported rising displacement in the Eastern Province amid ongoing heavy rains and flooding in Batticaloa, Amparai, Mannar and Trincomalee.

The Centre stated on Thursday that it was facing significant difficulties in sheltering those affected by the floods and providing them with temporary accommodation.

In Mannar, 8,979 people including 2,434 families have been displaced, reported the Jaffna based newspaper Uthayan. Thirty-nine temporary welfare centres have been set up.

The water level in Kattukarai lake in Mannar has risen by 12.5 feet.

TNA calls on government to assist flood victims in East

Dec 25, 2014
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) called on the government to help families in the Eastern Province affected by the floods and heavy rains over recent days.

"According to the government’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) over 660,000 people have already been affected as a result of flooding – with over 80,000 displaced - and the number of victims continues to rise as rains persist," the TNA said in a statement on Friday.

"The DMC also notes that only nine percent of those affected are now in safe locations. Two-thirds of those affected are in the Batticaloa district – which was also devastated by the Tsunami ten years ago."

TNPF appeals for humanitarian relief for flood victims in Trinco, Batticaloa, Amparai

Dec 25, 2014
The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) made an urgent appeal for humanitarian relief for the thousands displaced by extensive flooding and heavy rains across the East.

"Thousands of people have been affected in many parts of Sri Lanka by the heavy rains in the last few weeks. Particularly, in the southern Tamil Eelam districts of Tricomalee, Batticaloa and Amparai, thousands of people have left their lands and sought refuge in public places due to the heavy rainfall," the TNPF said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The people of Sampoor, in Trincomalee who have been denied resettlement after displacement from their lands since 2006 due to the war and are now living in displacement camps in Muthur have been largely affected."

Jaffna University lecturers forced to endorse Rajapapksa

Dec 25, 2014

Lecturers at Jaffna University have condemned attempts to force them to sign a letter to incumbent Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, wishing him success at the upcoming presidential elections.

The lecturers filed a complaint at the Jaffna District Elections Commissions after refusing to sign the letter, which was sent to all faculties at the university, reports Uthayan.

Modi's social media team linked with Rajapaksa election campaign

Dec 25, 2014
An expert behind the Indian prime minister’s social media campaign will aid the Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s re-election campaign, reports the Hindu.

Arvind Gupta, one of the chief architects behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s social media campaign during the Indian elections, has offered assistance to the Rajapaksa, according to highly placed sources in Colombo.

Gupta reportedly visited Colombo in November, an official source in New Delhi told the Hindu.

North-East remembers victims of 2004 tsunami

Dec 25, 2014


Events were held across the North-East today marking the 10 year anniversary of the tsunami, which left thousands dead as it swept across the coast.

At churches, temples and public memorials, Tamils gathered to remember those who had perished.

Canadian Tamils remember Boxing Day tsunami

Dec 25, 2014

Almost one hundred Tamils came together in Toronto to mark the 10 year anniversary of the tsunami which killed thousands of people across the North-East of the island, and hundreds of thousands more across South Asia and parts of Africa.

“The holiday season is a time when we showcase our noblest emotions: love, generosity, caring and compassion,” said the Canadian Tamil Congress. “For many Tamil Canadians, while this holiday season is marked by a patchwork of sentiments, our thoughts inevitably turn to less joyous images, namely of those who lost their lives in the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004.”

People lined up and laid down flowers in front of a memorial in remembrance of the victims, at the event in Scarborough, Toronto.

Amongst them was tsunami survivor Jebnesan Ratnam, who lost his two nieces and aunt in the disaster. Hear his account of the tsunami in a report by CityNews Toronto below.

A very military Christmas in Kilinochchi

Dec 24, 2014
The Sri Lankan army's 57th Division held a Christmas event in the Tamil region of Kilinochchi on Monday, aimed at "promoting religious reconciliation and peace among all communities in Kilinochchi area", the army said on its website.


Military arrange Christmas programme in Kilinochchi included a dance with Tamil children lighting candles before a large cut out of the whole island, with the words: "WE ARE SRI LANKANS".

Armed men burn down Maithripala's Eravur office

Dec 24, 2014


The newly established office of the common opposition's presidential candidate in the predominantly Muslim town of Eravur in Batticaloa district was burnt down by unidentified men in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Over twenty armed men arrived at the office at 12:30am local time and began smashing up the posters and banners, before setting the place alight with petrol and running from the scene.

Displacement and deaths as heavy rains and flooding continue in East
TNA calls on government to assist flood victims in East
TNPF appeals for humanitarian relief for flood victims in Trinco, Batticaloa, Amparai
Jaffna University lecturers forced to endorse Rajapapksa
Modi's social media team linked with Rajapaksa election campaign
North-East remembers victims of 2004 tsunami
Canadian Tamils remember Boxing Day tsunami
A very military Christmas in Kilinochchi
Armed men burn down Maithripala's Eravur office
Tamils celebrate Christmas in Batticaloa despite heavy rains and flooding
Displacement and deaths as heavy rains and flooding continue in East
TNA calls on government to assist flood victims in East
TNPF appeals for humanitarian relief for flood victims in Trinco, Batticaloa, Amparai
Jaffna University lecturers forced to endorse Rajapapksa
Modi's social media team linked with Rajapaksa election campaign
North-East remembers victims of 2004 tsunami
Canadian Tamils remember Boxing Day tsunami
A very military Christmas in Kilinochchi
Armed men burn down Maithripala's Eravur office
Tamils celebrate Christmas in Batticaloa despite heavy rains and flooding