Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sri Lanka extends emergency rule as only Tamil MPs oppose the measure
Sri Lanka's parliament on Tuesday approved a further extension of the country's state of public emergency, with all seven votes against the measure cast by Tamil Members of Parliament. The motion was passed by 135 votes in favour and seven against, a majority of 128. The seven MPs who opposed the extension were Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Sivagnanam Shritharan, K. Kodeeswaran, G. Srineshan, T.…

UN Sec General urges election to be inclusive of minorities

Jan 5, 2015
The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, urged Sri Lanka to ensure that the upcoming presidential elections on January 8 was "inclusive, including for minorities".

"Obviously, we've seen the recent events in Sri Lanka, even those today and I think it makes the Secretary‑General's call for reconciliation and political dialogue that much more important and also his call to the Government to ensure that the elections are peaceful and that they're inclusive, including for minorities,” Ban Ki Moon's spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying to a press briefing this week.

Ensure people can vote without fear says Amnesty

Jan 5, 2015
Amnesty International urged officials in Sri Lanka to ensure that people could vote in the presidential election on January 8 "without fear", amid what it described as a "surge in election-related harassment and violence".

“The growing harassment and violence against those campaigning in the coming elections is deeply troubling – the authorities have a responsibility to ensure that all people in Sri Lanka can exercise their rights to political participation and freedom of expression without facing threats or violence, and that on election day they can vote without fear,” said David Griffiths, Amnesty International’s Deputy Asia Pacific Director.

Challenges Ahead: Sri Lanka's mass atrocities and international justice

Jan 5, 2015
Nirmanusan Balasundaram
Detailing the difficulties faced by Tamil voters in the North-East during Sri Lanka's presidential election on January 8, the exiled journalist Nirmanusan Balasundaram, called for a strong international justice mechanism to be set up, stating that regardless of who wins the election, Tamils could not expect justice through a domestic process.

"A gruelling battle is taking place in Sri Lanka between both leading presidential candidates despite certain factors which keep them united, such as ‘war victory’, denial of mass atrocities and rejection of an international investigation into such atrocities. Disturbingly all leading figures in the presidential debate are in competition with each other for self-proclamation and self-promotion in terms of credibility for the war victory, and complete denial of responsibility or acknowledgement of mass atrocities during the war," Mr Balasundaram wrote.

"Regardless of which leading candidate is to win Sri Lanka’s seventh presidential election, victims and survivors of mass atrocities will find it difficult to expect justice or a genuine and credible domestic mechanism into these heinous crimes. Considering Sri Lanka’s political dynamics, the culture of impunity in Sri Lanka will remain unchanged regardless of the outcome of the election. The colour may change but the cage will remain the same," he added.

Sritharan and Maavai campaign for Maithri in Kilinochchi

Jan 5, 2015


The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs S. Sritharan and Mavai Senathirajah held a campaign rally in Kilinochchi on Monday, urging locals to come out and cast their vote.

The rally took place at the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi's Kilinochchi office.



Army attack in Killinochchi injures two children

Jan 5, 2015
An adult and two children were admitted to hospital after being injured after army soldiers attacked a shop owner in Killinochchi reports the Uthayan.

A 46 year old man, who runs a sewing shop in the region, was attacked by an Sri Lankan army on Sunday night, resulting in injuries to his head.

When locals gathered at the scene to find out what had happened, and seek justice, further army soldiers were called to the area, resulting in a further 2 children being injured during consequential scuffles.

Indian foreign minister orders return of mistreated workers in Sri Lanka

Jan 5, 2015
Indian workers in Sri Lanka will be returned home after the Indian high Commission in Colombo intervened following allegations of mistreatment by management in Sri Lanka, reports The Hindu.

The Indian foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, issued the directive, after relatives of the workers appealed to the central government to secure the return of the mistreated workers.

Sri Lankan navy chase away Tamil Nadu fishermen

Jan 5, 2015
The Sri Lankan navy reportedly threatened and chased away a group of Tamil Nadu fishermen at gunpoint, early on Tuesday.

The president of the Rameswaram Fishermen Association stated that over 1,000 boats had left Tamil Nadu to fish near Katchatheevu.

The fishermen were subsequently chased away by the navy, who damaged the nets of more than 20 boats in the process.

No justice for assassinated human rights lawyer Kumar Ponnambalam, 15 years on

Jan 4, 2015
Kumar Ponnamabalam, assassinated 5 Jan 2000.


Fifteen years after Kumar Ponnambalam, a prominent human rights lawyer and leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) was assassinated in a busy Colombo suburb during Chandrika Kumaratunge's government, his killers have not been brought to justice.

Mr Ponnambalam, who was renowned for his pro bono work in defending Tamil and Sinhala youths detained under Sri Lanka's draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, had filed reports in important human rights cases that incriminated the Chandrika government, including the gang rape and murder of the Tamil girl, Krishanthi Kumaraswamy and mass graves in Chemmani. 

He was shot dead by unidentified gunman on January 5th, 2000, whilst in his car on Ramakrishna Lane, in the Tamil area of Colombo, Wellawatte.

No demilitarisation of North, no agreement on devolution - Maithri

Jan 4, 2015
Reiterating his earlier statements vowing to ensure the military remained in the Tamil areas, the common opposition's presidential candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, said he had "no intention of withdrawing the army from the north" if he wins the election on January 8.

International pressure for accountability will not go away whoever wins election says ICG

Jan 4, 2015
The International Crisis Group (ICG) warned that international pressure on Sri Lanka to ensure accountability for the mass atrocities against the Tamil people at the end of the ethnic conflict in 2009 would not go away whoever won the presidential election on January 8.

"Sirisena [the common opposition's presidential candidate] has promised to continue the current government’s policy of rejecting efforts by the international community to ensure accountability for the thousands of civilian deaths incurred at government hands at the end of the civil conflict in 2009," the ICG's senior Sri Lanka analyst, Alan Keenan, wrote on Monday.

"These efforts have not gone away, even five years after that bloody denouement, but rather have intensified."

"Thus whether Rajapaksa or Sirisena, whoever wins will need adequately to address the many credible allegations over the army’s conduct at the end of the war if they are effectively to reduce international pressure."

Ensure people can vote without fear says Amnesty
Challenges Ahead: Sri Lanka's mass atrocities and international justice
Sritharan and Maavai campaign for Maithri in Kilinochchi
Army attack in Killinochchi injures two children
Indian foreign minister orders return of mistreated workers in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan navy chase away Tamil Nadu fishermen
No justice for assassinated human rights lawyer Kumar Ponnambalam, 15 years on
No demilitarisation of North, no agreement on devolution - Maithri
International pressure for accountability will not go away whoever wins election says ICG
TNA yet to decide on whether to join govt if Maithri wins
Ensure people can vote without fear says Amnesty
Challenges Ahead: Sri Lanka's mass atrocities and international justice
Sritharan and Maavai campaign for Maithri in Kilinochchi
Army attack in Killinochchi injures two children
Indian foreign minister orders return of mistreated workers in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan navy chase away Tamil Nadu fishermen
No justice for assassinated human rights lawyer Kumar Ponnambalam, 15 years on
No demilitarisation of North, no agreement on devolution - Maithri
International pressure for accountability will not go away whoever wins election says ICG
TNA yet to decide on whether to join govt if Maithri wins