Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader Mano Ganesan has accused the National People's Power (NPP) government of hypocrisy over the arrest of Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeskumar under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), pointing to NPP politicians who had themselves circulated songs glorifying the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during election campaigns. Sangeethsan, known…

‘A case to be answered’ - Jeremy Corbyn on Tamil genocide and accountability 

If the Sri Lankan government continues to reject key tenets of a UN Human Rights Council resolution on accountability then “clearly something has to be done in another direction,” UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn told the Tamil Guardian in an interview this weekend.

Cross Party UK MPs join Tamils in London to remember Mullivaikkal massacre

Cross party UK MPs joined Tamils in London to remember the Mullivaikkal massacre that took place ten years ago.

John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor of Exchequer said, “some of you will remember that we stood in Parliament together and heard reports of almost genocidal attacks on the Tamil people. Not just 10 years ago, but some of us remember standing with you 1983."

May 18 marked in Tamil Nadu

The tenth anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide was commemorated in Thanjavur on May 18 at the ‘Mullivaikkal Muttram’ memorial centre.

No war crimes were committed by Sri Lanka says Rajapaksa

<p><img alt="Image removed." src="/core/misc/icons/e32700/error.svg" title="This image has been removed. For security reasons, only images from the local domain are allowed." height="16" width="16" class="filter-image-invalid"></p> <p>Marking 10 years since the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said no war crimes were committed during the final stages of the war against the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), adding that Sri Lanka wouldn’t have been able to defeat the separatist group without the help of the US.</p>

Remembering a reserved hero: Brigadier Balraj

Today marks 11 years since the death of Brigadier Balraj, a senior commander with the LTTE, who passed away from a sudden heart attack in 2008.

Brig. Balraj was famed for his courage, leadership and skills on the battlefield.

Fitch Ratings warns of low economic growth in Sri Lanka

Fitch Ratings warned of increased external financing pressures and lower economic growth in Sri Lanka this year, in a statement released last week. 

"The tragic Easter bombings in Sri Lanka will result in lower economic growth this year and could increase external financing pressures," the statement said, adding that a 5% reduction in Fitch-estimated GDP was expected with reduced tourism. 

"These pressures are mitigated by the government's continued adherence to economic policies and targets that have enabled Sri Lanka to get its IMF programme back on track."

Muslim Hansard officer arrested for helping suicide bomber

Sri Lankan police on Saturday arrested a Muslim indexing officer at the parliament's Hansard Department, accusing him of aiding and abetting one of the Easter Sunday suicide bombers, Zahran Hashim. 

The suspect, Mohamed Naushad Jalaldeen from Kandy, was arrested in Kurunegala following information obtained from an electro-cardiologist at the local teaching hospital, who was also arrested over association to the group Zahran led, National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ). 

Jalaldeen started working in parliament in 2006, when he joined the Transation Department. 

Devotees gather at Mullaitivu temple as military looks on

The iconic Vattrapalai Amman temple in Mullaitivu was forced to hold its annual festival amid a heightened security presence. 

Sri Lanka's exports to Pakistan plummet after anti-Muslim violence

Exports from Sri Lanka to Pakistan have plummeted, the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Business Forum said this month, after days of anti-Muslim violence attacking Muslim businesses, homes and mosques. 

"It is the Muslim community in Sri Lanka that imports Pakistani products and sells them there. They are partners of Pakistani exporters,” the Forum's chairperson, Aslam Pakhali told the Express Tribune. 

"Their shops, super stores and godowns are being targeted. The goods exported from Pakistan have been unloaded at the Sri Lankan port, but the importers are not getting them cleared because of the deteriorating law and order situation there," he added. 

Tamils across the world mark Mullivaikkal genocide

Tamils around the world held vigils, rallies, marches and exhibitions to mark May 18 as Tamil Genocide Day.