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…

Hundreds attend funeral of Swiss Tamil couple killed in blasts

Hundreds attended the funeral of a Swiss Tamil couple who were killed in the Easter Sunday blasts in Colombo.

The funeral of Mr and Mrs Vigneswaranathan, who were killed while eating breakfast at the Kingsbury Hotel, took place in Bern on Monday.

Sivaram remembered 14 years on

The abduction and murder of the Tamil journalist, Sivaram, was remembered today at events in Batticaloa and Jaffna, 14 years on. 

Military summon former LTTE cadres to army camp

Four former LTTE cadre were summoned by Sri Lankan military to attend Gajabahu regiment army camp in Jaffna tomorrow at 4pm local time. 

Sri Lanka's president and police chief were warned about impending terror attack

<p>Sri Lanka’s president was personally warned about imminent terror attacks on three separate occasions, reports the Colombo Telegraph.</p> <p>The Head of State Intelligence Service Senior (SSIS) DIG Nelantha Jayawardane, met Sirisena personally to brief him on the 11th April and 16th April to inform &nbsp;him about imminent terror attacks, and gave him a phone call whilst he was on holiday.</p>

Police hunt former Sri Lanka soldier suspected of training suicide bombers

Sri Lankan police investigating the Easter Sunday attacks are on the hunt for a former soldier who they suspect may have helped trained the bombers that attacked churches and hotels last week.

The former soldier, named as Bathrudeen Mohammed Mohideen or ‘Army Mohideen’, may have trained the suspects, according to Sri Lankan police.

See more from the Washington Post here.

Govt claims attacks planned on Buddhist temples

The Sri Lankan government announced today that it had received information on planned attacks targetting Buddhist temples using female suicide bombers associated with the National Thawheeth Jamaath group. 

Rajapaksa chairs meeting with former defence chiefs

The former president and current opposition leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday chaired a meeting with previous defence chiefs on Sri Lanka's security situation following the Easter Sunday blasts. 

More tributes paid across North-East for Easter Sunday attack victims

More memorials and vigils were held across the North-East in tribute of the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks in Batticaloa and Colombo which killed over 250 people.

Increased security presence across North-East as troops conduct search operations

Military personnel, Special Task Force officers, and police were seen in heightened numbers across the North-East this weekend as more people were arrested for alleged involvement with the Easter Sunday blasts. 

Residents in Maruthamunai, Amparai described seeing security forces directing all Muslim people in the area to Kariyappar School after a gun battle between troops and Islamists extremists took place. Muslim residents were interrogated and forced to register their details with the military. 

India warns citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Sri Lanka

India's Ministry of External Affairs has warned its citizens against all non-essential travel to Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday bombings which left over 250 dead. 

"In view of the prevailing security situation in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of terror attacks on April 21, 2019, Indian nationals intending to travel to Sri Lanka are advised not to undertake non-essential travel," the advisory said.