Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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  The lawyer representing detained Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeskumar challenged allegations that his client sought to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during proceedings before the Jaffna Magistrate's Court this week, arguing that the material cited by police contains no reference to the organisation or its leadership. Sangeethsan, better known by his stage name…

Tamils continue to demand justice for murdered youth

Relatives of a Tamil youth, who was reportedly tortured to death under Sri Lankan police custody, staged a protest in Jaffna this week, demanding justice for his killing

25-year-old Nagarasa Alex died after being arrested and tortured by Sri Lankan police last month. A post-mortem examination revealed “multiple injuries” that led to his death.

‘This should not happen again’ – Father of murdered Tamil boy demands justice

The father of a 13-year-old Tamil boy who was reportedly tortured to death after being arrest by Sri Lankan police and sent to a reformatory school, has demanded justice for his killing.

Standing outside the magistrate’s court in Kalmunai, Ananthadevan Darsanth’s father spoke to reporters about his son’s death and the tortured he faced.

Sri Lankan police fire shots in Jaffna as unknown men wield machetes

Gunshots were fired in Jaffna this week as Sri Lankan police reportedly gave chase to a gang of unknown persons armed with machetes, amidst ongoing crime in the highly militarised peninsula.

Dramatic footage has emerged showing the moment that at least two masked figures wielding large machetes appeared at a storefront in Tellippalai.

Rs 1.1 million spent on 'entertainment' in five days on five Sri Lankan military officers

The Defence Service Command and Staff College (DSCSC) has spent Rs 1.1 million on "entertainment expenses" on five Sri Lankan military officers, a National Audit report revealed. 

The Rs 1.1 million was spent on food and refreshments during a visit to the DSCSC in 2022 by the Defence Ministry Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff, the commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force. 

Amongst the absurd spending, it is reported that Rs 350,250 was spent on "30 black colour dining chairs" that were left unused in the DSCSC warehouse reportedly because "the colour was deemed unsuitable and mismatched to the ambience of the hostel."

Exclusive - Sri Lanka’s confidential briefing to British MPs

Ahead of a debate in Britian’s parliament later today, the Sri Lankan High Commission sent a confidential briefing to lawmakers claiming that Colombo “remains committed to pursuing tangible progress in the protection of human rights and reconciliation”.

The briefing, marked as confidential, claimed that Sri Lanka had made progress on a range of areas across human rights, despite the continued arrest of Tamils, land grabs by the state and lack of accountability for mass atrocities.

LIVE – British Parliament debate on Tamils, human rights and Sri Lanka

Watch live from Westminster Hall as parliamentarians from across the UK debate “Sri Lankan Tamils and human rights”.

Generations of oppression have been suffered by the Tamil people' - British politicians debate human rights situation in Sri Lanka

British parliamentarians from across the political spectrum participated in a Westminster Hall debate on Tamils and human rights in Sri Lanka, with many urging the UK government to consider sanctioning Sri Lankan officials accused of war crimes. 

Maaveerar Naal commemorated in Indonesia

Eelam Tamils in Indonesia joined the rest of the diaspora and Tamils in the homeland in marking the 36th Maaveerar Naal. 

Maaveerar Naal - or Great Heroes Day - is marked on November 27, in memory of the first death of a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadre, Lt. Shankar who died in combat on November 27, 1982. Tamils in the homeland and the diaspora will remember those who sacrificed their lives in the Tamil struggle for freedom. 

Sri Lanka appoints war criminals to run sports

The Sri Lankan government has appointed two military figures accused of committing war crimes – including a general who is banned from entering the United States – in charge of the country’s sports institutions.

Shavendra Silva was made chairman of the National Sports Selection Committee this week.

In Pictures - Tamils commemorate Maaveerar Naal across Australia

All photographs courtesy of Thaarakam

Tamils in Australia marked Maaveerar Naal with a series of remembrance events across the country. 

Events took place in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.