USAID is to reduce its footprint in Sri Lanka due to a "progressively difficult political space" and restrictions on its ability to carry out operations, reports FT.lk.

“Given these realities, and USAID’s aggressive focusing of resources in countries with the most need and where we can have the most sustainable impact, USAID is planning to reduce our footprint in Sri Lanka,” Acting Assistant Administrator Denise Rollins told the House Subcommittee on Asian-Pacific on April 30th.

Investment will be channeled directly into local organisations she added.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa will be meeting newly elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 3 where discussions regarding AIADMK cooperation with NDA within the Rajya Sabha are likely, reports the Hindu.

“Mr. Modi would certainly discuss the political situation post-elections with Ms. Jayalalithaa, given her high stature. The issue of cooperation in the Rajya Sabha where the NDA is way short of majority will likely be on the agenda,” a BJP leader reportedly said.

Malaysia’s opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) has slammed the deportation of three Tamil men to Sri Lanka as “most unacceptable”, warning that the men face torture in Sri Lanka.

DAP vice-chairman M Kulasegaran said earlier,

Tamil refugees have been left in a “state of fear” after Malaysian authorities deport three Tamil men to Sri Lanka last week and announce investigations into all refugees in the country under the premise of links to terrorism.

“Anything can happen at any time”, a Tamil refugee in Malaysia, Selvan (not his real name), told Tamil Guardian over the phone from Kuala Lumpur.

Over 6,000 Tamil refugees in the country were now living in fear that they too could be deported to Sri Lanka, said Selvan, fearing torture and violence at the hands of the Sri Lankan government on return.

“There are children, elderly, pregnant women, young people among us… The Malaysian government are treating us like illegal immigrants. We are from Mullivaikal, from the final battle [and] we came here injured”, he said, adding that the fear of being sent back to Sri Lanka was lingering over all those that escaped.

“The fear that we didn’t have there, we now have on Malaysian soil… we don’t know what will happen next," Selvan added.

As May draws to an end, and Tamils remember their loved ones, killed as the armed conflict ended in 2009, we publish the last in our collection of selected Poems from the classical Tamil anthology, the Purananuru (the 400 Puram poems).

Song 192 - Kaniyan Poonkunran sings
Tinai – Potuviyal (General heroism)

Every Town a Home Town

Every town a home town