Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Residents of Kepapilavu in Mullaitivu District launched a hunger strike on Wednesday, demanding the release of 171 acres of ancestral land that remain under the occupation of the Sri Lankan military more than 17 years after the end of the armed conflict. The protest was held outside the Sri Lanka Army's 59 Division headquarters, where demonstrators reiterated their longstanding demand for…

Thousands at Nallur's annual chariot festival

Jaffna's iconic Nallur Kandasamy Kovil saw thousands attend its annual chariot festival, ther thiruvizha, on Saturday.

Sri Lankan navy claims to seize 284.5kg of cannabis off Iranaitivu coast

The Sri Lankan navy claimed to have made a record drugs seizure on Friday, after it reportedly found 284.5kg of cannabis floating in the sea off the coast of Iranaitivu.

An official military website called the seizure “the largest haul recovered by the navy in the recent history” with a street value of approximately Rs. 30 million.

Sri Lanka’s disappearances and Tamil genocide discussed in UK parliament

British parliamentarians and Tamil diaspora activists held a discussion at the House of Commons in London this week, in an event to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

Indian navy arrives for Sri Lankan military exercise in Trincomalee

A trio of ships from the Indian navy arrived in Trincomalee this week to participate in a military exercise with the Sri Lankan navy.

Sri Lankan troops continue with blood donations despite comments of ‘Sinhalese blood in Tamils’

The Sri Lankan military continued to donate blood in the North-East last week, despite previous comments from senior military and political leaders on how the “army’s Sinhalese blood is in Tamils”.

Militarisation of healthcare continues as army runs another clinic in Poonakari

The Sri Lankan military continued to militarise healthcare in the North-East, holding a medical clinic for Tamil civilians last weekend.

PHU leader mounts legal challenge against 20A

The leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU), Udaya Gammanpila has filed a petition with Sri Lanka's Supreme court to challenge the draft bill of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, presented previously by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

Gammanpila claims the proposed Amendment, tabled in parliament this week, is a violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. 

Sri Lanka's Speaker informed parliament last year that the proposed 20th Amendment would need a two third majority in parliament before being put before the public via a referendum in order to be implemented following a Supreme Court ruling. 

Australian trade official warns SL against leaving Singapore FTA

An official with Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Elizabeth Ward this week warned Sri Lanka against overturning the Free Trade Agreement signed with Singapore. 

Speaking at an event in Colombo, Ward warned of the risk of outward flight of investments and reputational damage. 

"Can you roll back an FTA? The damage to Sri Lanka’s reputation would be so bad in international arena," she was quoted by Economy Next as saying. 

"You wouldn’t be able to do an FTA for a long time," she added. 

"There would be capital flight from the country and ramifications on the services coming to this country."

Newly appointed UN official in Sri Lanka meets Sirisena

The newly appointed Permanent Representatives for the United Nations in Sri Lanka, Hanaa Singer, met with Sri Lanka’s president, Maithripala Sirisena this week.

Singer, who was previously the UNICEF Syria Representative, will lead the United Nations Country Team of 22 Resident and Non-Resident UN Agencies, as well as act as the representative of the UN Secretary-General in Sri Lanka.

Attorney General orders Appeals court case against Tamil UNP MP

Sri Lanka's Attorney General advised the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to file a case at the Court of Appeal against the UNP MP, Vijayakala Maheswaran, Adaderana reports.

Maheswaran was forced to resign her ministerial post after Sinhalese politicians objected to her call in July for a resurgence of the LTTE to control the violent crime in the North-East.

Last month the Attorney General told Sri Lanka's parliament that action would be taken and advised Speaker Karu Jayasuirya to examine whether action could be pursued against Maheswaran under current Standing Orders or if not, to let the House decide the procedure to take action against her.