Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to Puthukudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu yesterday for local election campaigning saw an intense security clampdown across the district, with heavy deployment of armed forces and police. Security presence was notably heightened in key areas including Mullaitivu town, Mullivaikkal, and Puthukudiyiruppu. Members of the public attending the meeting…

Sri Lankan navy and STF arrest 3 Indian nationals in East

Three Indian nationals were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy and the Special Task Force on Friday for allegedly violating immigration laws. 

All three people arrested are from Tamil Nadu and aged 27, 36 and 41, Colombo Page reported. 

They had been harvesting a paddy field in Nindavur where they were arrested, the paper added. 

Eastern Uni to be evacuated as tensions prevail after Sinhala students attack staff

The Eastern University has been ordered to be evacuated as tensions remained high following the attack on security staff by Sinhala students on Tuesday. 

The order was issused on Saturday by the Eravur Magistrate Court, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Two security staff, including one female member of staff, were hospitalised following the attack. 

Sri Lankan government 'has not lived up to its commitments' - GTF

Criticising the failure of the Sri Lankan government to make significant progress on implemented the UN Human Rights Council resolution it co-sponsored, the Global Tamil Forum reiterated the need for accountability, stating the "the present coalition government has not lived up to its commitments and yet to take any meaningful steps in this respect."

"No efforts have been made by the top Sri Lankan leaders to integrate credible international participation in the local judicial processes as stipulated in the UNHRC resolutions," the organisation said. 

TNA meets with Norwegian ambassador

The Tamil National Alliance met with Norway's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther on Friday. 

The TNA was represented by its leader, R Sampanthan and TNA spokesperson, M A Sumanthiran. 

 

Tamil preschool children given tour of Palaly air base by Sri Lankan Army

Tamil preschool children were given a tour of Palaly air base by Sri Lankan soldiers on Friday.

The base is inside a high security zone, military-occupied land which is usually inaccessible to locals.

48 children from the Karaveddy Child Jesus Pre-School, along with their parents and 5 members of staff were given the tour.

Ceylon Electricity Board fencing off 200 acres private paddy land in Sampur

Fencing activity by the Ceylon Electricity Board on paddy lands in Sampur has angered the land’s recently resettled owners.

Trincomalee MP K. Thurairetnasingam wrote to President Sirisena following outcry by the owners of paddy land in Kilalveli that their livelihood lands were being encroached upon.

“These paddy lands have been ploughed, levelled and made ready for paddy cultivation. At this stage it is being taken by CEB without the concern of the owners of such land. This action is seen by the people as a highly inhuman action,” Mr Thurairetnasingam wrote.

Sri Lankan soldier turned Buddhist monk in Jaffna  to preach to troops

A former Major General in the Sri Lankan army who was accused of murder and torture and has since been ordained as a Buddhist monk was in Jaffna this week, delivering a lecture to Sri Lankan soldiers.

Sri Lanka's public debt to rise to 85% of GDP warns IMF

Sri Lanka’s public debt is expected to rise to 85% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with the current account deficit widening to 2.5% of GDP warned the International Monetary Fund. 

The IMF's second review of Sri Lanka under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF)., released on Thursday, further found that though progress on structural fiscal reform had been made “political resistance” was stalling some processes including energy pricing reform.

Stressing that public debt continued to remain unsustainably high, the report said,

US House of Representatives delegation meets with TNA

A cross-party delegation from the US House of Representatives met with the Tamil National Alliance on Thursday during a visit to Sri Lanka. 

The delegation which included the Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas, were accompanied by the US ambassador to the island, Atul Keshap, and met with the leader of the TNA, R Sampanthan and the TNA spokesperson and MP, M A Sumanthiran. 

Asian Human Rights Commission urges action over Tamil boy killed by Sri Lanka's STF

The Asian Human Rights Commission in a statement on Thursday urged action over the death of a Tamil boy who was killed during a police chase by Sri Lanka's Special Task Force. 

"The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information about Mr. Sathasivam Madisam of Karadiyanaru in the Batticaloa District," the AHRC said in its statement.