Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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A Guinness World Record set by nearly 5,000 Bharatanatyam dancers at Galle Face in Colombo has sparked controversy, after activists questioned why the official recognition was awarded to organisers and an overseas instructor rather than the thousands of performers who paid to take part. The SANGAMAM-2026 event, held on 14 June, saw 4,988 dancers successfully set a new Guinness World Record for…

Sri Lankan Muslims Fear Speaking Out

Writing in The Diplomat, Tasnim Nazeer details Sri Lanka’s ongoing attempts to silence dissenting Muslim voices and highlights the arrest of Azath Salley, a prominent human rights advocate.

‘Certain countries are determined to create confusion’ – Sri Lankan Ambassador denies abuses against Uighurs

Following the passage of the UN Human Rights Council resolution, which mandated the collection of evidence that may be used in a future war crimes tribunal, Sri Lankan Ambassador to China, Palitha Kohona, has denied UN allegations and defended China’s treatment of its Uighur population.

‘Are Sri Lanka’s police handmaids of the President?’ – CV Wigneswaran

Following the release of Jaffna Mayor, Viswalingam Manivannan, Fisheries Minister, and alleged human rights abuser, Douglas Devananda, claimed that Sri Lanka’s President was going to “pardon” Manivannan, despite the lack of any evidence of criminal conduct.

Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kootani (TMTK) leader, C V Wigneswaran, has questioned this alleged pardon as it would imply that he had committed some offence despite the police not providing the court any evidence in Court.

Vavuniya residents in fear as Sri Lankan police collect personal details

Residents in Vavuniya are in a state of fear as Sri Lankan police officers visit homes demanding personal information.

Sri Lankan police visited the houses of residents in the garden areas of Vavuniya this week, and handed over forms requesting resident details; stating that they will come back to retrieve the requested information.

Locals state that the request for individual details without any clear information or reasons has created a state of panic among the public.

Details requested on the form include name, address, occupation, National Identity Card number and telephone number of the occupants of the houses.

Sri Lankan Minister claims to have uncovered the ‘masterminds’ of the Easter Sunday attacks

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara claimed that Naufar Moulavi and Hajjul Akbar, who are members of the Islamic State (IS)-linked National Towheed Jamaat (NTJ), were the masterminds of the Easter Sunday bombings which claimed the lives of over 250 people in 2019.

Tamil mother of political prisoner intimidated and threatened

A Tamil mother has submitted a complaint at the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission in Jaffna, after being bombarded with threatening calls for advocating the release of Tamil political prisoners.

The international community must send an unequivocal message' - Tamil diaspora groups condemn the arrest of Jaffna's Mayor

Tamil diaspora institutions, including United States Tamil Action Group (USTAG) and People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL)  have condemned the arrest of Jaffna's Mayor and called for an "unequivocal message" from the international community to signal that his arrest is "an unacceptable abuse of power".

UNP condemn arrest of Jaffna Mayor

Responding to the arrest of Jaffna Mayor, Viswalingam Manivannan, under charges of “attempting to resurrect the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the United National Party have issued a statement condemning the arrest under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and stating that “an inquiry into any alleged wrongdoing […] must be carried out by the relevant Ministry prior to any police action”.

A threat to democracy' - Canadian politicians condemn arrest of Jaffna Mayor

Canadian politicians have condemned the arrest of the Mayor of Jaffna V. Manivannan by Sri Lanka’s Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) and demanded his immediate release.

This is fascism' - Tamil political leaders condemn Mayor of Jaffna's arrest

Following Sri Lanka’s Terrorism Investigation Division (TID)'s arrest of Jaffna Mayor Viswalingam Manivannan, Tamil political leaders have issued stern condemnations of the police and TID’s actions.

Manivannan was arrested under charges of attempting to resurrect the Liberational Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) following allegations that the uniform worn by the Jaffna Municipal Council task force resembled those worn by the LTTE’s police. The task force was established to enforce penalties against environmental infractions such as littering and spitting