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…

"A terrible pact not to mention Sri Lanka’s war crimes." - Jon Snow

Sep 24, 2013
Channel 4 reporter Jon Snow blogs about the cocktail party co-hosted in New York near the United Nations by British Foreign officials along with Sri Lanka and Australia.

See here for full post. Extracts reproduced below:

Last night, in a dimly lit side street a stone’s throw from the towering UN headquarters here in New York, Britain co-hosted a drinks party with Sri Lanka -  a country led by regime accused of the worst war crimes committed this century. Australia joined the fray to render it a tripartite affair.

This was an early taster of what is to come. An institution – the British Commonwealth – is to play a macabre role in securing the re-entry into the family of nations of a country which has unaddressed blood on its hands on an horrific scale.

Commonwealth countries will be greeted and facilitated by a president, and a government, against whom evidence exists of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which we have screened and which the UN itself has substantiated.

The reform programme underway inside the Commonwealth is centred on human rights. On the basis of the prickly charm offensive conducted last night, a terrible pact has perhaps been entered into not to mention Sri Lanka’s war crimes.

US calls for investigation into election violence

Sep 23, 2013

Commenting on the recent Northern Provincial elections, the United States Embassy in Colombo reiterated the need for the abolishment of violence and intimidation to ensure effective administration.

Issuing a statement today, the US embassy called for accountability and justice stating,

TNA won't be able to fulfil Tamil mandate in NPC - Douglas

Sep 23, 2013
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Diaspora organisations react to NPC results

Sep 22, 2013

In a statement released today, the British Tamils Forum (BTF), outlined the need of the international community to work with the Tamil People in the North-East to safeguard their human, political and cultural rights.

Commenting on the resolve of the Tamil people the statement read,

“The Tamil people’s overwhelming support for Tamil rule in the election is made all the more remarkable by the widespread violence, intimidation and misinformation they faced in the run-up to and on the day of the election. The fact that Sri Lanka’s ruling alliance received such a drubbing in the election – despite the threats and bribes it offered the Tamil people – is testament to the courage and overwhelming conviction of the Tamil people. Furthermore, the shocking reports of intimidation during this election – often in full view of election monitors and the media – should serve as a reminder to the global Tamil community that it is their duty to speak up and tell the world about the injustices and persecution faced by their kin in the island of Sri Lanka.”

“Given the increasingly perilous position of the Tamil people in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka, it is more important than ever that the international community works with the Tamil people, and the Tamil- mandated TNA, to safeguard their human, political and cultural rights – including their right to self- determination – and to protect them from the genocide perpetrated by the Sri Lankan state. British Tamils Forum stands shoulder to shoulder with any individual or organisation that works towards these aims.”

JHU fears NPC will breed separatism

Sep 22, 2013
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SL Army to investigate Haiti rape

Sep 22, 2013
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Tamil defiance wins

Sep 21, 2013
In a show of defiance against weeks of mounting intimidation and harassment, the North cast a vote of outright rejection of the Sri Lankan state, with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) sweeping 75% of the overall vote.

The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) fell miles behind, securing only 17% of votes but still faring better than the opposition United National Party (UNP) which failed to secure even 1% of the vote.

The TNA won 30 out of the 38 seats on the Northern Provincial Council. The UPFA secured 7 seats with the remaining seat going to the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress (SLMC).
 
Statistics from therepublicsquare.com

"The TNA firmly believes that sovereignty lies with the People and not with the State. It is not the government in Colombo that holds the right to govern the Tamil People, but the People themselves. In this regard the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka is flawed in that power is concentrated at the Centre and its Agent, the Governor. Our political philosophy is rooted in a fundamental democratic challenge to the authoritarian state. Our political programme is therefore rooted in the needs and aspirations of the Tamil Speaking People for justice and equality."

- From TNA's 'Manifesto Statement'


Election monitor confirms TNA candidate vehicle shot at

Sep 21, 2013
The election monitoring group, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), today confirmed reports that the vehicle of the TNA candidate Sajanthan was fired on Saturday, whilst outside the polling booth in Varani, in Jaffna district.

According to CaFFE the incident took place just opposite the army camp.

See here for account by Sajanthan on ColomboTelegraph.

Attacks by uniformed individuals 'particularly alarming' - US

Sep 21, 2013
In a statement released on Sunday, the US embassy in Colombo expressed concern regarding the reports of election violence, and said that the reports of involvement by uniformed individuals in these acts was "particularly troubling".

Statement reproduced in full below:
"We congratulate the people of Sri Lanka on their historic Provincial Council elections on September 21.  The high turn-out and participation in all three of the provinces holding elections is a victory for the democratic process.

Election Violence Update: CMEV maps 32 incidents of election violence

Sep 21, 2013
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, by the end of the elections, recorded 32 incidents of violence on the northern provincial map.

Click here to explore the map for individual descriptions of each incident.

Incidents of election violence across the Northern Province

US calls for investigation into election violence
TNA won't be able to fulfil Tamil mandate in NPC - Douglas
Diaspora organisations react to NPC results
JHU fears NPC will breed separatism
SL Army to investigate Haiti rape
Tamil defiance wins
Election monitor confirms TNA candidate vehicle shot at
Attacks by uniformed individuals 'particularly alarming' - US
Election Violence Update: CMEV maps 32 incidents of election violence
Canada concerned by election violence
US calls for investigation into election violence
TNA won't be able to fulfil Tamil mandate in NPC - Douglas
Diaspora organisations react to NPC results
JHU fears NPC will breed separatism
SL Army to investigate Haiti rape
Tamil defiance wins
Election monitor confirms TNA candidate vehicle shot at
Attacks by uniformed individuals 'particularly alarming' - US
Election Violence Update: CMEV maps 32 incidents of election violence
Canada concerned by election violence