Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

A protest march was held last month opposing limestone excavation, mineral sand mining and a proposed wind power project across the villages of Veravil, Valaipadu, Ponnaveli and Kiranchi, in the Poonakary Divisional Secretariat division of Kilinochchi. The demonstration was organised against plans to establish wind power stations and to carry out mineral sand and limestone extraction in the…

Two suspects arrested over Jaffna judge shooting

Two men were arrested on Sunday over their suspected involvement in the shooting of a Jaffna High Court judge on Saturday. 

Judge Ilancheliyan managed to escape unharmed but one police officer was killed in the incident. 

The identities of the suspects remains unknown. 

“This is a threat to the judiciary,” Judge Ilancheliyan told journalists, adding that he believed the attack to be related to any number of dangerous cases that he has been overseeing for the past eight months.

Judge Ilancheliyan's police bodyguard dies of injuries from shooting

One of two of Jaffna High Court judge Ilancheliyan’s police bodyguards has died in hospital, succumbing to bullet injuries sustained while protecting the judge from an attempt on his life in Nallur yesterday.

51-year-old Sgt. Hemaratne died shortly after midnight, despite the efforts of the Intensive Care Unit at Jaffna Teaching Hospital.

Sri Lanka to benefit from tariff free exports of travel goods to US market

Exports of travel goods from Sri Lanka will be duty free entry to the United States following a decision by the US to approve the inclusion of travel goods from all General System of Preferences (GSP) beneficiary countries, reports Xinhua News.

Sri Lanka was included in the expanded US General System of Preferences scheme on July 1 according to a statement released by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry on Friday.

Police given 2 months to complete investigations into high profile crimes by Rajapaksa regime

Sri Lanka's police have been given a two month deadline by the Ministry of Law and Order to complete investigations on high profile cases committed by the former government, Economy Next reported. 

According to the paper Minister Sagala Ratnayaka is taking a "hands on approach" to ensure progress after Mr Sirisena urged him "to deliver or depart". 

The cases are expected to include the assassination of a prominent Sinhala editor, Lasantha Wickremetunga and the murder of Wasim Thajudeen. 

Sri Lanka's former Haiti peace-keeping mission commander appointed as Army Chief of Staff

The former of commander of Sri Lanka’s contingent of peace keeping troops to Haiti has been appointed as the Army Chief of Staff reports Adaderana.lk.

Sri Lanka’s soldiers were implicated with rape and running child sex rings whilst serving as UN Peace Keeping forces in Haiti. In 2007 a group of Haitian children identified 134 peacekeepers from Sri Lanka in a child sex ring that lasted several years. Though repatriated none of the implicated soldiers were prosecuted in Sri Lanka.

Shots fired at Jaffna High Court judge in suspected assassination attempt

The Jaffna High Court judge Ilancheliyan was fired at on Saturday evening, in a suspected assassination attempt which the judge believes to be linked to his overseeing of dangerous criminal cases.

Black July a reminder to remain vigilant against bigotry - Premier of Ontario

The Premier of Ontario said the Black July pogrom of 1983 serves as a reminder of the need to “remain ever-vigilant against all forms of bigotry and intolerance,” in a message of commemoration this week.

“History is a great teacher — for those who are open to its lessons,” said Premier Kathleen Wynne. “That is why today, you pause to remember the victims of violent acts against Tamils. We also remember the lives lost and displaced in the Sri Lankan Civil War that followed.”

‘Time to focus on accountability in Sri Lanka’ – Jeremy Corbyn

The Leader of the Opposition in Britain Jeremy Corbyn has called for a focus on accountability in Sri Lanka and an audit of British funding for the training of Sri Lankan police, as he expressed deep concern over reports of the ongoing torture of Tamils.

Responding to a report by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) which documented continued human rights violations by Sri Lankan security forces, Mr Corbyn said he was “deeply concerned… about the ongoing torture of Tamils”.

Sri Lankan navy arrest 8 more Tamil Nadu fishermen

The Sri Lankan navy have arrested eight more Tamil Nadu fishermen on Friday, for allegedly crossing into Sri Lankan waters. 

The fishermen, who were detained off the coast of Point Pedro, have been transferred to Kankesanthurai navy camp for further investigation.

This the latest in a series of arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy. 

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CID orders NPC councillor to Colombo for questioning

Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) ordered the Northern Provincial Council member, M. K. Shivajilingam to the CID headquarters in Colombo for questioning, it emerged this week, over comments he had made about Mullivaikkal commemorations at a press conference at Jaffna Press Club in May

Mr Shivajilingam however has refused to travel, informing the CID that he is unable to travel to Colombo, a minimum 8 hour journey from Valvettithurai, where he is based.

If the CID wish to take a statement from him, they should come to Valvettithurai police station, Mr Shivajilingam said.