Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Thirteen more skeletal remains were exhumed from the Chemmani mass grave on Monday and a further seven newly identified, bringing the total identified at the site to 412, of which 390 have now been exhumed, as the excavation, the largest at any mass grave on the island, entered its 31st day. Monday, the 31st day of the third phase of the court-supervised process, saw three sets of remains…

Sri Lanka says UN advisors 'insensitive and ill-conceived'

Sri Lanka's permanent representative to the UN in New York criticised UN Special Advisors as "ill-conceived and insensitive" for releasing a joint statement earlier this month, warning Sri Lanka was moving backwards towards inter-ethnic conflict. 

Reflections from Mullivaikkal: From the Ashes

As part of a series marking the atrocities of Mullivaikkal, we invited activists, journalists, and writers from around the world to share their experiences and reflections a decade on.

‘ISIS military plan and Kuwaiti army uniforms’ recovered claims Sri Lankan military

The Sri Lankan military claimed to have recovered several weapons, Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti identity cards and an ISIS military plan in a series of raids carried out across the island this week.

The army’s official military website claimed that search operations continued as security remains ramped up in the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks last month.

Reflections from Mullivaikkal: Kilinochchi

As part of a series marking the atrocities of Mullivaikkal, families of the disappeared protesting in Kilinochchi shared their reflections on their experiences and the struggles they continue to face a decade on. 

Sri Lankan army holds 'victory' parade in Mullaitivu, days after Mullivaikkal remembrance

The Sri Lankan army held a large ‘victory’ parade in Mullaitivu town, just days after thousands of Tamils gathered for genocide commemorations in nearby Mullivaikkal.

Sri Lankan president meets extremist Buddhist monk

Sri Lanka’s president met with the leader of the extremist Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), a Sinhala Buddhist hate group, the day after he was released following a presidential pardon.

Maithripala Sirisena invited  Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, the general secretary of the BBS to the President’s official residence at Mahagama Sekara Mawatha in Colombo on Thursday night, just hours after he was released from prison. The monk had been serving a sentence for threatening the wife of the disappeared journalist, Prageeth Ekneligoda.  

Parliament passes state of emergency extension, TNA opposes

Sri Lanka's parliament yesterday passed an extension of the state of emergency currently in place since the Easter Sunday bombings. 

China first to relax travel advisory

China was today the first country to relax its travel advisory to Sri Lanka, just over a month since the Easter Sunday bombings. 

“We are happy announce that the travel ban on visiting Sri Lanka implemented by China has now been toned down to ‘be cautious’ while travelling to Sri Lanka from ‘Do not travel to Sri Lanka’,” Sri Lanka's Tourism Development Authority said. 

Yesterday Sri Lanka's prime minister appealed to the international community to relax the travel warnings issued after the bombings, stating that the security situation was safe.

Former Jaffna Uni vice chancellor files High Court appeal against dismissal by Sirisena

The former vice chancellor of Jaffna University has brought a High Court case against his dismissal by the Sri Lankan president.

Professor Ratnam Vigneswaran was told in writing on May 5 that he was being suspended with immediate effect by the president, who was exercising powers granted to him by the emergency regulations put in place following the Easter Sunday bombings.

A popular vice chancellor among staff and students, Professor Vigneswaran was not given any reason for his dismissal.

His lawyers filed a Fundamental Rights petition at the High Court on May 15.

Mullikulam still without basic facilities two years on

The people of Mullikulam who resettled in their land after months of protest continue to suffer without basic facilities, two years after resettling.

Mullikulam residents expressed anger at their complete neglect by the Sri Lankan government, stating they did not even have proper shelter and were at the mercy of wild elephant attacks.

They said  they have also not been provided electricity or drinking water and that especially women were affected by the lack of sanitation.