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…

May 18 IPL cricket matches moved out of Chennai

May 10, 2014

The two Indian Premier League matches that were due to be played on the 18th and 22nd of May have been moved out of Chennai, The New Indian Express reported.

Controversy around Sri Lanka’s treatment of Palestinian refugees

May 10, 2014

Four Palestinians, who were detained at Katunayaka Airport, face being deported to a Syria refugee camp, reported Al Jazeera.

The men, who fled refugee camps in Syria, have been in detention in a military prison for the past four weeks and were treated inhumanely according to a Palestinian rights organisation.

"They were directly taken to the military prison, where they described the treatment as inhuman," spokesman for the Palestinian League for Human Rights – Syria, Salim Salamah, told Al Jazeera.

Tamil youth wins 2014 Dalton Young Researchers Award

May 10, 2014
Photograph MIT

Tamil youth wins 2014 Dalton Young Researchers Award

May 10, 2014
Photograph MIT

Jaffna Uni lecturers protest against closure and govt interference

May 9, 2014
Lecturers at the University of Jaffna protested yesterday, condemning the order to close the university during the time of May 18th and posters that accused students and staff of reviving terrorism, Uthayan reported.


Photographs Uthayan

The lecturers, part of the University of Jaffna Teachers' Association, demonstrated outside the university grounds holding banners reading: "Aren't death threats and harassment, terrorism?", "Ensure the independence of the university", "Is university an educational institution or a killing field?", "Jaffna university's greatest weapon is the tip of pen not a gun point", "Is closing the university whenever you wish the student centric education?", and "Asia's wonder - killing university teachers?".


MoD denies ordering Jaffna Uni closure or May 18 remembrance ban

May 9, 2014
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya, yesterday rejected reports of the Ministry's involvement in the closure of the university.

"This claim is false. We did not produce such orders, we do not get involved in education affairs," the Uthayan quoting him as saying.

"The education ministry may have decided after discussing with the University administration," he added.

UK Shadow Foreign Sec questions Rajapaksa's role at Commonwealth Games

May 9, 2014
The UK's Shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander has raised concerns over the presence of the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Commonwealth Games set to take place later this year in Glasgow.

In a letter addressed to Foreign Secretary William Hague on Thursday, Mr. Alexander warned the "world-class sporting celebration risks being overshadowed by questions raised by the possible attendance of Sri Lanka's president in his capacity as Chairperson-in-office of the Commonwealth."

President Rajapaksa was appointed Chairperson of the Commonwealth following Sri Lanka's hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at the end of last year.

Reiterating Sri Lanka's failure to meet the demands of the British government to investigate allegations of human rights abuses and its subsequent rejection of the international investigation mandated by the UN Human Rights Council, Mr. Alexander called on the British Foreign Secretary to clarify President Rajapaksa's possible attendance and role in the games.

Mr. Alexander wrote:

"I would like to ask what steps you are able to take to work constructively with the Games organisers to help ensure that this world-class sporting celebration is not overshadowed by questions raised by the possible attendance of Sri Lanka's President.

In addition I would ask you what formal advice you have given to the Commonwealth Secretariat, Glasgow 2014 Ltd and the Commonwealth Games Federation, regarding any possible role that President Rajapaksa may play at the Gamers in his capacity as Chairperson-in-office of the Commonwealth?"

See full letter here.

External Affairs Ministry plays down Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s Vietnam comments

May 9, 2014

The Ministry of External Affairs played down comments made by Prime Minister Dm Jayaratne that Sri Lanka supports Vietnam in the ongoing dispute with China regarding maritime claims in the South China Sea.

Jayaratne, who was in Vietnam to celebrate the Buddhist Vesak festival, said that Sri Lanka supports Vietnam’s demand that China adhere to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and withdraw its drilling rig out of Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone.

Army provides free haircuts to Tamil children

May 8, 2014

Tamil child awaits turn for a haircut by a Sri Lankan soldier (Pictures: SFHQ-E)

The Sri Lankan Army has held a “barber service” for Tamil students at a school in Kanchanakuda, Amparai, earlier this month, according to Security Forces Headquarters (East) website.

Members of the 12th Sri Lanka National Guard, who are under the command of the 23rd Division of the security forces, organised the service “for the development of child health care”, the website said.

Preparations for ‘grand’ Buddhist festival underway in Jaffna

May 8, 2014

The Sri Lankan Army is organising the celebration of Buddha’s enlightenment on a grand scale in Jaffna, according to the Civil Military Coordination website.

A ‘Vesak Zone’, with ‘huge Vesak lanterns’ and a large decorative construction is currently being built and will be at the venue near Jaffna library from the 14th-20th of May.

An open invitation on the website carries the Singhalese name of the festival, Yapa Patunai Daham Amavai, written using the Tamil script.

Controversy around Sri Lanka’s treatment of Palestinian refugees
Tamil youth wins 2014 Dalton Young Researchers Award
Tamil youth wins 2014 Dalton Young Researchers Award
Jaffna Uni lecturers protest against closure and govt interference
MoD denies ordering Jaffna Uni closure or May 18 remembrance ban
UK Shadow Foreign Sec questions Rajapaksa's role at Commonwealth Games
External Affairs Ministry plays down Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s Vietnam comments
Army provides free haircuts to Tamil children
Preparations for ‘grand’ Buddhist festival underway in Jaffna
UK will continue to fully support implementation of UNHRC resolution – Swire
Controversy around Sri Lanka’s treatment of Palestinian refugees
Tamil youth wins 2014 Dalton Young Researchers Award
Tamil youth wins 2014 Dalton Young Researchers Award
Jaffna Uni lecturers protest against closure and govt interference
MoD denies ordering Jaffna Uni closure or May 18 remembrance ban
UK Shadow Foreign Sec questions Rajapaksa's role at Commonwealth Games
External Affairs Ministry plays down Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s Vietnam comments
Army provides free haircuts to Tamil children
Preparations for ‘grand’ Buddhist festival underway in Jaffna
UK will continue to fully support implementation of UNHRC resolution – Swire