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…

Protestors demand release of arrested union leader

Protestors in Vavuniya staged demonstrations calling for the release of Joseph Stalin, the General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union, after he was arrested by Sri Lankan security forces yesterday.

Sri Lanka needs to end unlawful crackdown on peaceful dissent - Human Rights Watch

In a recent statement, Human Rights Watch (HRW), condemned the Sri Lankan government for its use of emergency regulations to “harass and arbitrarily detain activists seeking political reform and accountability for the country’s economic crisis.”

South Asia director at HRW, Meenakshi Ganguly, stated that “the Sri Lankan government’s crackdown on peaceful dissent appears to be a misguided and unlawful attempt to divert attention from the need to address the country’s urgent economic crisis.”

‘You must abolish the unitary system’ – TNPF MP slams Sri Lanka’s ‘fascist regime’

Speaking in parliament, general secretary of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), Selvarasa Kajendran, slammed the abuse of power by Sri Lanka’s president and stressed the need to abolish the “unitary system of governance in Sri Lanka and bring in a Federal Constitution based on the recognition of the Tamil nation”.

In his speech, he further stressed the need to “immediately dissolve this parliament and go for fresh elections” as the president does not have “even an iota of trust in the current Parliament”.

Rights groups demand prosecution of Gotabaya Rajapaksa

In a letter to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, human rights groups and Tamil civil society organisations request for her to publicly, to call upon the government of Singapore to prosecute former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa under the principle of universal jurisdiction.

The statement comes as Singapore’s foreign minister has released a statement detailing that the war crimes accused former president was not granted “any privileges, immunity or hospitality”.

Heavy flooding in Kandy leaves at least 3 Tamils missing

A spate of heavy rainfall has led to flooding across the in the Nawalapitiya area of Kandy, with at least three local Tamils swept away in the waters and still missing.

Another Sri Lankan athlete absconds from Commonwealth Games in UK

At least three Sri Lankan athletes who were part of the contingent competing in the Commonwealth Games that is currently taking place in the UK have gone missing, according to team managers, with reports they may look to seek asylum in the country.

No immunity for Rajapaksa confirms Singapore

Singapore’s foreign minister said Sri Lanka’s fleeing former president has not been granted “any privileges, immunity or hospitality” by his government, as calls mount for the accused war criminal to be prosecuted for genocide.

‘India’s My Lai’ – Remembering the 1989 Valvettiturai massacre

On August 2, 1989, up to 64 Tamil civilians were killed by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Valvettithurai in a massacre that was termed “India’s My Lai”.

The massacre, which saw dozens killed, came on the background of escalating violence and rights abuses committed by Indian forces across the Tamil homeland. As Tamil militant groups continued hostilities with the IPKF, the Indian forces imposed a curfew on August 2, 1989, following an ambush attack.

EXCLUSIVE: A phone call with India and a signed agreement - An inside look at the TNA negotiations

As the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) continues to grapple with infighting after its decision to back Dullas Alahapperuma, multiple sources have confirmed to the Tamil Guardian how events of a fateful meeting with the presidential candidate unfolded – including details of a written agreement of demands and on how an Indian ambassador to Sri Lanka was dialled in during the evening.

After railing against Wickremesinghe, TNA lines up for all-party government

After railing against the crackdowns of Sri Lanka’s president, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has pledged to support the government’s “national all-party programme”.

In a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi maintained that he provide “our fullest support” to implement “a national all-party programme”.