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 stalls on Indian vehicle assembly plants

Jun 1, 2014
The Sri Lankan government has refused to grant permits to Maruti Suzuki India to open a vehicle assembly plant on the island, reported the Sunday Times, dashing the Indian company's plans.

Quoting  Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, the Sunday Times reported that foreign manufacturers could not open plants on the island, unless there was “local input”.

The announcement will also affect the local agent of Land Rover Defenders, where plans had been in place to bring in British engineers to help with the production process in their own plant.

Tamil Eelam lose first match to highly rated Arameans Suryoye

Jun 1, 2014
 
Starting lineup of Tamil Eelam (Pictures: Tamil Guardian)

The Tamil Eelam football team put up an impressive display against Arameans Suryoye, despite losing their opening match at the ConIFA World Cup 2-0.

The match, taking place at the Jamkraft Arena in Ostersund, Sweden, was a lively encounter between the two teams, as they played each other for the first time.

Atchuveli residents protest after govt announces further land grab

Jun 1, 2014
Photograph Uthayan

Rajapaksa orders release of 29 fishermen

Jun 1, 2014
The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered the release of the 29 fishermen arrested by the Navy earlier this week, as a goodwill measure, reports ColomboPage.

Sexual Violence in Conflict: Sri Lanka - an orgy of rape in final days

Jun 1, 2014
Photograph Channel 4


Next week, the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict is due to take place in London, co-hosted by the UK's Foreign Secretary, William Hague and the Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie.

In the run up to the ESVC summit, we revisit the mounting evidence which documents the widespread, systematic and on-going use of sexual violence by Sri Lanka's military against Tamils, that occurs with absolute impunity.

See our full feature: 'Sexual Violence in Conflict: Sri Lanka'

As the armed conflict drew to an end in May 2009, Sri Lanka's soldiers committed acts of sexual violence against Tamil women and men, both civilians and LTTE cadre, at will.

One Sri Lankan soldier told Channel 4 in July 2011:
"They [Sri Lankan soldiers] shoot people at random, stab people, rape them, cut their tongues out, cut women's breasts off. I have witnessed all this with my own eyes. I have seen small children laying dead."

"If they wanted to rape a Tamil girl, they could just beat her and do it. If her parents tried to stop them, they could beat them or kill them. It was their empire."

"One day I saw a group of six soldiers raping a young Tamil girl. I saw this with my own eyes."

Much of the photographic and video evidence of sexual violence in the final stages of the armed conflict emerged in the form of 'trophy videos', filmed by Sri Lankan soldiers themselves whilst committing the crimes.

Tamil Eelam at World Football Cup 2014

Jun 1, 2014

The Tamil Eelam Football Association will play their first match of the 2014 ConIFA World Football Cup today against Arameans Suryoye.

The players trained for the first time since their arrival from their training camp in Norway on Sunday, with all the players fit for the big match.

School boy missing in Vavuniya

May 31, 2014
A school boy has been reported missing in Vavuniya, after he failed to come home on May 27th, Global Tamil News reports.

Seventeen year old Mahalingam Rajeevan, a student at Kalmadu MV School, left his home in Tharanikulam, Sasthiri Kulankulam at 5am that morning by bicycle with a 10kg of long green beans, which he took to a vegetable vendor at Vavuniya town.

Tamil asylum seeker dies in Australia after self-immolation fearing deportation

May 31, 2014
A Tamil asylum seeker in Australia, who self-immolated for fear of being deported back to Sri Lanka, has died after suffering 90 percent burns to his body, reports the Age.

Twenty-nine year old Leo Seemanpillai was taken to Alfred Hospital on Saturday following the incident, but died overnight.

Mr Seemanpillai fled Sri Lanka by boat and arrived in Darwin in January 2013. He was granted a bridging visa in May.

"He feared for his life if he was returned to Sri Lanka. His housemates have told me he repeatedly talked about being sent back, he was quite worried about it," a spokesperson for the Tamil Refugee Council, Aran Mylvaganam, who had known Mr Seemanpillai during the time he sought asylum, told the Age.

29 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by SL Navy

May 31, 2014
The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 29 Tamil Nadu fishermen today accused of poaching, reports the Hindu.

The arrests come just days after President Rajapaksa pledged to release all detained Indian fishermen as an act of goodwill towards the newly elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The men were arrested off the coast of Thalaimannar, along with six trailers, said the Sri Lankan Navy.

National Freedom Front rejects South African facilitation

May 31, 2014
The National Freedom Front's Wimal Weerawansa has warned Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa that no negotiations should take place over the 13th amendment and rejected the role of South Africa, as well as any other countries, as facilitators.

In a set of 12 proposals handed over to the government, Weerawansa stated,
“no negotiations officially or unofficially should be held with any state or non-state party based on amendments to the 13th Amendment or its fuller implementation that have been forced on the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims and all citizens of Sri Lanka.”
The Minister's proposals come after newly appointed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Sri Lankan President to go “beyond” the 13th amendment. 

The proposals submitted by the NFF, went on to add,
“In the name of reconciliation and devolution of power no intervention of external state parties or other parties including South Africa shall be considered as a facilitator.”
They come as South Africa continued efforts to facilitate negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil National Alliance.

Tamil Eelam lose first match to highly rated Arameans Suryoye
Atchuveli residents protest after govt announces further land grab
Rajapaksa orders release of 29 fishermen
Sexual Violence in Conflict: Sri Lanka - an orgy of rape in final days
Tamil Eelam at World Football Cup 2014
School boy missing in Vavuniya
Tamil asylum seeker dies in Australia after self-immolation fearing deportation
29 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by SL Navy
National Freedom Front rejects South African facilitation
Tamil #Boycottlka campaigners call for English Cricket Board to boycott Sri Lanka
Tamil Eelam lose first match to highly rated Arameans Suryoye
Atchuveli residents protest after govt announces further land grab
Rajapaksa orders release of 29 fishermen
Sexual Violence in Conflict: Sri Lanka - an orgy of rape in final days
Tamil Eelam at World Football Cup 2014
School boy missing in Vavuniya
Tamil asylum seeker dies in Australia after self-immolation fearing deportation
29 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by SL Navy
National Freedom Front rejects South African facilitation
Tamil #Boycottlka campaigners call for English Cricket Board to boycott Sri Lanka