Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

The LGBTQIA+ community in Jaffna held their fifth annual Pride Walk, under the theme  “We Exist For Each Other".  The walk, organised by the Jaffna Transgender Network, began outside the iconic Jaffna Public Library and proceeded along Hospital Road and Pannai Road before ending at Jaffna Fort.  Members of the LGBTQIA+ community, human rights activists, civil society…

Australia commends LLRC progress in Sri Lanka

The Australian prime minister commended Sri Lanka's successful implementation of the LLRC recommendations and the country’s ability to maintain a remarkable economic growth.
Photograph: ColomboPage

Military presence causing fear in North-East says Wigneswaran

The Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C. V. Wigneswaran condemned the heavy Sri Lankan military presence in the Tamil North-East of the island, stating that is was causing fear across the region.

Addressing the Northern Province Tourism development conference on Saturday, Wigneswaran highlighted the danger that women in particular faced from the Sri Lankan military, stating that there were 150,000 soldiers in the Northern Province.

Wigneswaran said the situation was getting worse, adding,

“The government is restricting our independence by considering North-East provinces as foreign regions that need to be under supervision, even after the war has ended.”

Hindu community centre attacked in Jaffna

A Hindu Saivite community centre in Jaffna, the Mallakam Koattaikaadu Saiva Youth Club, was attacked by unidentified persons on Friday night, reports Uthayan.

Doors and windows were destroyed in the attack, resulting in more than Rs. 75,000 worth of damage, said the centre's administrators.

They have filed complaints with police in Chunnakam, Jaffna
.


969 leader attends BBS conference in Sri Lanka

2nd lead
Wirathu welcomed on stage at conference by BBS leader


The leader of the 969 extreme Buddhist group in Myanmar, U. Wirathu, attended the Bodu Bala Sena's conference in Sri Lanka today.



The conference, which is currently underway, is aimed at forming a political framework that will be “based on Buddhist principles, creating an environment within which minorities can live peacefully with Sinhalese" instead of "so-called devolution of power”, a BBS official, Dilanthe Withanage said.

Wirathu honoured on stage at BBS conference

Arson destroys house in Eravur in Batticaloa

A house in Eravur within Batticaloa district, was set on fire by an unidentified person on Friday night, reports BattiNews.

The owner of the house, Shanmugam Sinnathangam, said the arsonist escaped, adding that the roof of the house has been fully damaged in this incident, alongside valuable goods inside.

The house was in
Siththandi-3 on Paththinisami Street. Sinnathangam has filed a complained with Eravur police, who are reportedly investigating the incident.


O. Panneerselvam to be Tamil Nadu Chief Minister after Jaya conviction

Tamil Nadu's current Finance Minister, O. Panneerselvam, is to be appointed as the state's new Chief Minister after J. Jayalalitha was forced to step down following her conviction in a corruption case.

Panneerselvam, considered a Jayalalitha loyalist, was elected by AIADMK members on Sunday, at a meeting held in Chennai and will be formally appointed on Monday.

See related article:

Jayalalithaa convicted in corruption case, will have to stand down as CM (27 Sep 2014)


Sri Lanka Navy arrests four Indian fishermen

Four fishermen from Rameswaram were apprehended on Sunday near Kachchatheevu by the Sri Lankan Navy who also allegedly damaged 50 boats, reports the Press Trust of India.

According to T Sesuraja, the president of the local fishermen's association, the Sri Lankan Navy approached the fishermen in eight boats and detained four fishermen, taking them to Kankesanthurai along with their boats.

Mahinda invites Ban Ki-moon to Sri Lanka

Pictures: Presidential Media Unit

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has invited UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to visit the island, to “assess the situation” since his last visit.

The secretary general congratulated Rajapaksa on his leadership and “acknowledged the progress” Sri Lanka has made in the past years, adding that he was optimistic that remaining challenges will be overcome with “this type of political leadership” according to the government’s official media portal.

Tamil journalists worldwide call for investigation into Paris assassination attempt

The International Association of Tamil Journalists (IATAJ) called on French authorities to investigate the attempted assassination of a senior official of the Tamil Media House in Paris on September 18, and ensure the security of Tamil journalists working in France.

The official was shot at by a masked gunman, before receiving death threats, warning him to stop running the organisation or face death. The France based Tamil Media House, which runs the widely read Eelamurasu newspaper, as well as two Tamil diaspora websites: www.sankathi24.com and www.tamilkathir.com, has been forced to shut down as a result.

"International Association of Tamil Journalists (IATAJ) vehemently condemns the intimidation and attempted murder of a senior official of the Tamil Media House in Paris by an unknown gunman by his home on 18 September 2014," the group said in a statement released Thursday.

Jayalalithaa convicted in corruption case, will have to stand down as CM

10:48 BST, updated 13:39 BST

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa, has been found guilty of corruption by a court in Bangalore today and sentenced to 4 years in jail, as well as being fined Rs 100 crore.

The ruling means she will have to stand down as Chief Minister and will be banned from contesting any poll for 10 years.