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…

India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to acquire Colombo Dockyard in landmark deal

India’s state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) is set to acquire a controlling stake in Sri Lanka’s largest maritime facility, the Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC), marking the first-ever international acquisition by an Indian shipbuilding firm.

Wimal Weerawansa raises alarm over Indian role in Sri Lanka’s e-NIC system and defence ties

Sinhala extremist and National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa has voiced strong opposition to the Sri Lankan government’s decision to award the development of its electronic National Identity Card (e-NIC) system to an Indian non-profit organisation, claiming it raises serious concerns over “national security”.

‘Release our ancestral lands’ - Tamil landowners from Jaffna protest outside Presidential Secretariat

Tamil landowners from Valikamam in Jaffna staged a protest outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo earlier this week, demanding the immediate return of their ancestral lands still under the control of the Sri Lankan military.

White House nominates Eric Meyer as next US Ambassador to Sri Lanka

The White House has announced the nomination of Eric Meyer, a veteran American diplomat and current Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, to serve as the next United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka. 

81-year-old chief monk arrested for molesting female tourist

A chief monk of a temple in Habaraduwa has been arrested on the charge of molesting a female tourist on the premises.

The 81-year-old monk is reported to have offered food and beverages to the 41-year-old tourist from New Zealand on her visit to the temple. He allegedly invited her to a room in the temple and molested her there.

Ponnambalam calls for unified Tamil stance and full international inquiry into genocide

At a press conference in Jaffna last week, Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader and Member of Parliament Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam reiterated calls for a comprehensive international investigation into the long history of injustices and acts of genocide committed against the Tamil people, warning against piecemeal or contradictory approaches that could undermine the struggle for justice.

Sri Lanka detains 15 Indian fishermen for alleged trespassing in Mannar waters

15 Indian fishermen arrested for illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters remanded until July 31

Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha passes resolution demanding international justice for Tamil genocide

Valikamam east pradeshiya sabha passes resolution demanding international justice for Tamil genocide

Canadian envoy pledges support for reconstruction of North-East

Canadian high commissioner assures support for northern and eastern reconstruction in meeting with NPP Jaffna MPs

Military Governance in Post-War Sri Lanka: Revisiting the Logic of Downsizing

More than a decade after Sri Lanka’s civil war ended in 2009, the country still maintains one of the world’s largest standing armies. This enduring militarisation cannot be explained by conventional security needs or fiscal prudence. Sri Lanka is an island with no land borders and faces no significant external military threat, yet its Army remains bloated. Why?