Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Pon. Sivakumaran, the first Tamil to die in the liberation struggle, was remembered today in Urumpirai, Jaffna, on the 52nd anniversary of his death.  Sivakumaran was a member of the Tamil Manavar Peravai (or Tamil Student Federation, TSF) and a leading militant in the early armed Tamil struggle. On 5th June 1974, Sivakumaran was surrounded by Sri Lankan security forces. He had…

Sasikumar responds to ‘Tourist Family’ criticism over Eelam Tamil portrayal

Tamil actor Sasikumar has addressed the criticism surrounding his recent film 'Tourist Family', in an interview with film critic Sudhir Srinivasan, in which he defends speaking up for Eelam Tamils and slammed film censorship in India.

The discussion covered criticisms focusing on the film’s portrayal of Eelam Tamil refugees in India. Sasikumar responds to concerns about whitewashing, censorship, and representation, while also speaking about his upcoming film, 'Freedom', which features Eelam Tamil characters but in a different light.

A child’s toy, a baby’s milk bottle and school bag – Tamils gather to identify items at Chemmani

Over 200 people, including families of the disappeared, gathered to view dozens of items of evidence that were unearthed from the Chemmani mass graves earlier today, as more bodies continue to be identified at the site.

The Sri Lankan Navy commander and the infamous torture site

The recent arrest of former Sri Lankan Navy Commander Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne has intensified calls for accountability, with the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) releasing a new dossier, details his links to one of the island’s most notorious torture sites.

Tamil political parties and civil society urge UN to refer Sri Lanka to the ICC

A coalition of Tamil political parties, over 100 civil society groups, religious leaders, and academic institutions from across the North-East have called on member states of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take decisive action against Sri Lanka by initiating a referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the crime of genocide.

Australian Senators demand international investigation into Chemmani mass graves

Australian Senators have issued calls for an international investigation into the mass graves in Chemmani, Jaffna, where forensic teams have exhumed more than 130 skeletal remains so far.

Protests erupt over 'Kingdom' film as Seeman demands ban for insulting Eelam Tamils

Anger is mounting across Tamil Nadu over the release of the Telugu-language film Kingdom, which has been accused of portraying Eelam Tamils in a deeply derogatory and historically inaccurate manner. In Ramanathapuram, protesters were seen tearing down banners of the film outside Jagan Theatre, with calls growing louder for the movie to be banned from further screenings across the South India state.

Sri Lanka’s Anti-Corruption Commission to prosecute officials over failure to declare assets

Sri Lanka’s Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has announced that legal proceedings will be launched against public officials who have failed to submit their annual declarations of assets and liabilities for 2025, as the Anura Kumara Dissanayake administration intensifies its campaign to crack down on alleged corruption.

Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister pledges to raise call for general amnesty for Tamil political prisoners

Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has pledged to raise the issue of Tamil political prisoners with president Anura Kumara Dissanayake and initiate steps toward securing a general amnesty for those who have been incarcerated for decades.

Mannar residents protest wind turbine project, legal action underway

Hundreds of residents took to the streets of Mannar on Monday to protest the installation of new wind power towers on the island, warning that the project was being forced through without local consent and in violation of past pledges by Sri Lanka’s political leadership.

Chemmani mass grave: 135 skeletal remains identified as forensic probe expands

Five more skeletal assemblages have been identified and six previously documented remains were fully exhumed on Monday from the Chemmani mass grave sites in Jaffna, bringing the total number of skeletal remains fully excavated to 126, and the number identified so far to 135.