Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Bharatanatyam world record in Colombo sparks row over recognition and costs
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…

EU announces housing project for war victims in North-East

Dec 6, 2015
The European Union will invest 14 million Euros to build houses and improve infrastructure in 9 divisions of the North and East.

The EU programme will seek to benefit over 300,000 people in Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya and Batticaloa.

The Habitat for Humanity project aims to construct at least 16,000 houses for conflict affected persons, minimise debt and provide holistic development support.

Speaking during the inauguration of the project, Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, David Daly, said,

Sri Lanka to heighten security at Colombo international airport

Dec 5, 2015
Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority Director General HMC Nimalsri announced that Sri Lanka will heighten security measures at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo to combat terrorism.

The official said that Sri Lanka was mandated to use body scanners to screen passengers at airports and would use the body scanners depending on the security threat level and if there was a need.

He added that Sri Lanka was currently studying other possible internationally adopted measures, reports Colombo Page.

Sri Lanka rejects calls for re-merger of Northern and Eastern provinces

Dec 5, 2015
Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake rejected the idea of a re-merger of the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

Responding to a question by The Hindu on whether the two provinces be merged, Mr Karunanayake said,

 “At the moment we are trying to embrace all races, all religions together. I do not think we should segregate geographically.”

TNA constituent party will not back budget unless Tamil prisoners are freed

Dec 5, 2015
The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), a constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance, announced that it would not back Sri Lanka’s 2016 budget in parliament unless the Tamil political prisoners were freed.

The TELO leader, Selvam Adaikalanathan informed the Tamil National Alliance of his decision today, reports Colombo Gazette.

The Tamil National Alliance, formed of a coalition of parties including TELO, backed th second reading of Sri Lanka’s 2016 budget in parliament last week.

Sri Lankan army constructs new Buddhist temple building in Eastern Province

Dec 5, 2015

The Sri Lankan declared open a new building for a Buddhist temple in Batticaloa last week, according to an official army website.

The new building at the Sri Pantharma Temple in Vellaveli in the Eastern Province, was opened on November 27th, as Tamils across the North-East and the world marked Tamil remembrance day.

Dead bodies spotted floating off Trincomalee coast

Dec 5, 2015

At least six dead bodies have been spotted floating off the coast of Trincomalee on Sunday, reported the Sri Lankan harbour police.

Trincomalee harbour police informed the Sri Lankan navy about the finding, who reportedly launched a search operation on Sunday evening.

Sri Lankan troops place 28 Buddha statues in new vihara building in Kilinochchi

Dec 5, 2015

Troops from the Sri Lankan military orchestrated a religious ceremony and placed 28 Buddha statues in a newly constructed Buddhist vihara building in Kilinochchi last week.

‘No one can put pressure on us’ states Sri Lankan prime minister

Dec 5, 2015

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe brushed off claims that his government had come under pressure to sign the Rome Statue and join the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Colombo Gazette reported the prime minister as saying,

“No one can put pressure on us and no one has put pressure on us”.

He went on to state that Sri Lanka would not be joining the ICC and reports of mass atrocities, as outlined in a UN report earlier this year, would be addressed through a domestic accountability mechanism.

International laws need to be incorporated into Sri Lanka's domestic law for war crime court - Taylor Dibbert

Dec 4, 2015
Commenting on the former Sri Lankan president's claims of setting up a war crimes court in January, Taylor Dibbert questioned how such an effective court could be set up without proper victim’s consultations and failure to ratify international law.

Full opinion reproduced below.

Sri Lanka has recently announced that it will create a new court to examine abuses which allegedly transpired during the country's civil war. The government has noted that this is going to be a domestic mechanism, but hasn't ruled out the possibility of some international involvement. The abrupt announcement of this special court came as a surprise to many. Former president Chandrika Kumaratunga has stated that the court will commence its work either later this month or in January.

IMF to consider Sri Lanka's request for stand-by agreement

Dec 4, 2015
The International Monetary Fund is considering Sri Lanka’s request for a standby agreement after the country’s foreign exchange reserves fell to a two year low.

The IMF’s response will depend on an assessment of Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic vulnerabilities, the nature of the balance of payments said the IMF’s representative in Colombo.

 Responding to emailed questions, Eteri Kvintradze said,

“We have not formally entered into program negotiations nor do we have any new missions to Colombo scheduled outside of technical assistance and regular surveillance.”
Sri Lanka to heighten security at Colombo international airport
Sri Lanka rejects calls for re-merger of Northern and Eastern provinces
TNA constituent party will not back budget unless Tamil prisoners are freed
Sri Lankan army constructs new Buddhist temple building in Eastern Province
Dead bodies spotted floating off Trincomalee coast
Sri Lankan troops place 28 Buddha statues in new vihara building in Kilinochchi
‘No one can put pressure on us’ states Sri Lankan prime minister
International laws need to be incorporated into Sri Lanka's domestic law for war crime court - Taylor Dibbert
IMF to consider Sri Lanka's request for stand-by agreement
Sirisena says appointing Karuna as minister aids reconciliation
Sri Lanka to heighten security at Colombo international airport
Sri Lanka rejects calls for re-merger of Northern and Eastern provinces
TNA constituent party will not back budget unless Tamil prisoners are freed
Sri Lankan army constructs new Buddhist temple building in Eastern Province
Dead bodies spotted floating off Trincomalee coast
Sri Lankan troops place 28 Buddha statues in new vihara building in Kilinochchi
‘No one can put pressure on us’ states Sri Lankan prime minister
International laws need to be incorporated into Sri Lanka's domestic law for war crime court - Taylor Dibbert
IMF to consider Sri Lanka's request for stand-by agreement
Sirisena says appointing Karuna as minister aids reconciliation