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…

Fear is a part of daily life for Tamils in North-East, says The Social Architects

May 20, 2014
The Social Architects in a press update on the situation in the North-East of Sri Lanka, detailed the recent arrest of an elderly woman by Sri Lanka’s Terrorist Investigation Department ( TID) and the constant fear that people in the North-East lived under when interacting with their family in the diaspora.

See full statement below.

Sri Lanka bans two more websites

May 20, 2014
The Sri Lankan government has blocked two websites known for their critical views, reports Reuters.

The two websites, SriLankanMirror.com and TheIndependent.lk, have been banned by the state-run Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka

Italian Tamils raise awareness of May 2009 genocide 5 years on

May 19, 2014
/files/Image/pictures/eelam/18 May 2014/Italia/IMG_3256.JPG
 Photographs Giovanni Tamil


Tamils in Italy held exhibitions raising awareness about the genocide of Tamils, to mark the fifth anniversary of the massacre of Tamils in Mullivaikaal.

Events took place in town squares in the cities of Reggio Emilia and Biella, with Tamil youth raising awareness about genocide while attendees paid their respects to the victims of the massacre.

Mullivaikal remembered in Stockholm

May 19, 2014
Photographs Swedish Tamil Forum


The 5th anniversary of the Mullivaikal massacre was marked in Stockholm, Sweden this weekend, with floral tributes and candles of remembrance.

Tamil Genocide Day' marked in Switzerland

May 19, 2014

The fifth year anniversary of the Mullivaikal massacre was marked by Swiss Tamils as 'Tamils Genocide Day', at a remembrance event held in front of Parliament in the capital city Bern.

Canadian Tamils remember May 2009‏

May 19, 2014
Photographs EET TV


Thousands of Canadian Tamils gathered in Toronto's Albert Campbell Square, to mark the fifth anniversary of the Mullivaikal massacre.

Tamils in New Zealand remember Mullivaikal genocide 5 years on

May 19, 2014
Photographs Sankathi24


Tamils in New Zealand marked 5 years as 'Tamils Genocide Day', remembering the mass killing of tens of thousands of Tamils.

May 2009 genocide remembered in the Netherlands

May 19, 2014
Photographs Sankathi24


Tamils in the Netherlands held a memorial event marking the 5 year anniversary of the mass killing of tens of thousands of Tamils at the end of the armed conflict.

Sri Lanka ‘very happy’ at Jayalalithaa’s ‘reduced influence’

May 19, 2014

The Sri Lankan government said it was very happy that the BJP’s strong showing in India’s election means that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will not be able to influence the central government, reported PTI.

Spokesperson and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said his government was pleased that they could conduct business with Narendra Modi without Tamil Nadu exerting “undue influence”.

Death threats issued to journalists and Jaffna uni staff, students over May 18 remembrance

May 19, 2014
Updated 13:23 BST (adds translation)

A death threat has been issued to staff and students at the University of Jaffna, as well as journalists over their attempts to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the Mullivaikal massacre despite the military banning any public events.

In a flyer distributed around Jaffna today, the staff, students and journalists were given a "final warning" against those "encouraging or resurrecting terrorism".

Some individuals, including journalists who played prominent role in reporting on remembrance events held this weekend as well as the heavy military presence around political party offices and temples, have been explicitly named.

Stating that previous warnings had been ignored, the death threat said "they still do not reform, the final sentence is a death sentence. The final day has been marked for some."

"Do not take this lightly as with previous warnings. You are guaranteed to be freed from this world," it concluded, signed by the 'Nation Guarding Force' and dated May 18.

Sri Lanka bans two more websites
Italian Tamils raise awareness of May 2009 genocide 5 years on
Mullivaikal remembered in Stockholm
Tamil Genocide Day' marked in Switzerland
Canadian Tamils remember May 2009‏
Tamils in New Zealand remember Mullivaikal genocide 5 years on
May 2009 genocide remembered in the Netherlands
Sri Lanka ‘very happy’ at Jayalalithaa’s ‘reduced influence’
Death threats issued to journalists and Jaffna uni staff, students over May 18 remembrance
Modi promises attention on Tamil suffering in Sri Lanka – Vaiko
Sri Lanka bans two more websites
Italian Tamils raise awareness of May 2009 genocide 5 years on
Mullivaikal remembered in Stockholm
Tamil Genocide Day' marked in Switzerland
Canadian Tamils remember May 2009‏
Tamils in New Zealand remember Mullivaikal genocide 5 years on
May 2009 genocide remembered in the Netherlands
Sri Lanka ‘very happy’ at Jayalalithaa’s ‘reduced influence’
Death threats issued to journalists and Jaffna uni staff, students over May 18 remembrance
Modi promises attention on Tamil suffering in Sri Lanka – Vaiko