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.…

School girl reported missing in Jaffna

Oct 19, 2014
A 17 year old high school student has been reported missing in Jaffna after she failed to return home from a tuition class, reports the Uthayan.

Sivanesan Perani, who lives and goes to school in Mandaithivu, was reported missing in Jaffna on Monday. 

The parents of Perani have informed the police, who are reportedly investigating the disappearance.

Young woman reported missing in Batticaloa (04 October 2014)

Tamil Refugee Council welcomes Packer's decision to watch 'No Fire Zone' before Colombo casino launch

Oct 18, 2014
The Australia based group, Tamil Refugee Council, welcomed the decision by the business tycoon, James Packer, to watch the 'No Fire Zone' documentary, ahead of launching a multi-million dollar casino in Sri Lanka.

Packer pledged to view the documentary, which was recently nominated for a prestigious Emmy award, at the annual general meeting of his business enterprise, Crown Resorts, in Perth this week.

Local refugee activist, Victoria Martin-Iverson, gave Packer a copy, after questions were raised about his plans to build the casino in Colombo.

"My heart bleeds for people caught in conflicts," Packer was quoted as saying by the West Australian newspaper, expressing sympathy for those, including Tamils in 2009.

Urging Packer to reconsider his business venture, the spokesperson for the Tamil Refugee Council, Trevor Grant, said Packer's decision was "welcome news".

UN official stopped from entering North by Defence Ministry travel restrictions

Oct 18, 2014
A United Nations official was stopped from entering the North on Wednesday, due to the Ministry of Defence's newly re-introduced travel restrictions, requiring all foreign citizens to seek prior permission from the Ministry to enter the Tamil region in the North of the island.

Beth Crawford, the country representative for the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), was turned away at Omanthai check point, reports Sri Lanka's Sunday Times.

UK, Canada, Australia warn citizens of Sri Lanka's restrictions on travel to North

Oct 18, 2014
The UK, Canada and Australia warned their citizens of the Sri Lanka's new travel restrictions on visiting the North of the island, in updated travel advisories this week.

The new restrictions, require all foreign nationals to obtain permission from the Ministry of Defence prior to entering the North. The clearance request is expected to take 2-3 days to process.

The UK's Foreign Office's travel advice now states:
"The security forces have imposed restrictions preventing all foreign passport holders (including British nationals) travelling to the Northern Province. All foreign passport holders planning to travel to the north must get prior approval from the Ministry of Defence.

You should send a written request to the following address/fax: Secretary Ministry of Defence & Urban Development (Attn: Military Liaison Officer) 15/5 Baladaksha Mawatha Colombo 3 Fax: +94 11 2328109

Military activities are ongoing."

Fears travel restrictions to North will affect tourism

Oct 18, 2014
Highlighting that at least 8.6% of tourists in Sri Lanka go to the north-east, Sri Lanka’s tourism board said it was caught unaware of the new travel restrictions placed on foreigners travelling to the North, reports the SundayTimes.lk.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority director general, said “I thought the ban was temporary due to President’s visit to the north last week. We have not got any communication as yet.”

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EU will have to rethink 'flawed' proscription of LTTE says ECJ lawyer

Oct 18, 2014
The European Union decision to ban the LTTE in 2006 needs to be rethought after the recent European Court Justice (ECJ) ruling exposed “big mistakes” in the proscription outlined a lawyer representing LTTE at the ECJ.

Speaking to TamilNet, Victor Koppe, highlighting that the ECJ ruling had exposed that  proscription of the LTTE by EU was “flawed in various aspects,” said,

“I think it is up to the European Union to really ask itself the question, should we want to continue with this ban. The world situation is changed so much. I think this would be a very appropriate moment to rethink and reconsider this decision to put the LTTE on EU terrorist list.”

Stressing the need for the European Union to re-justify its LTTE ban, Koppe added,
 
“There should be a fundamental reconsideration in the position of the European Union. They made some – very strong – big mistakes. It is time to reconsider things with this decision in hand.”

Government appointed officials in NPC do not serve people says TNA MP

Oct 18, 2014
Government appointed officials in the Northern Provincial Council do not serve the people said a Tamil National Alliance MP on Sunday.

Speaking to the Sunday Times on the government appointed NPC governor’s secretariat and chief secretary's failure to attend an event aimed at resolving problems related to land, birth and death certificates and other issues Selvam Adaikalanathan, said,

Tamil Nadu parties call for LTTE ban to be lifted after ECJ ruling

Oct 17, 2014
Political parties in Tamil Nadu called for the ban on the LTTE to be lifted, after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) annulled measures taken against LTTE over procedural grounds in a ruling delivered on Thursday.

"The ECJ’s decision will boost the efforts of Sri Lankan Tamils to form a nation of their own," said the founder of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), S. Ramadoss, was quoted by The Hindu as saying.

He called on India to "take its cue" from the ECJ annulment, the paper added.

The leader of the Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK), Thol Thirumavalavan said the ruling "exposed the canards spread by the Indian and Sri Lankan governments against the LTTE".

We are not prepared to accept OISL report says SL ambassador in US

Oct 17, 2014
Sri Lanka's ambassador to the United States, Prasad Kariyawasam, dismissed the impact of the UN inquiry into mass atrocities in the country, stating that Sri Lanka is not prepared to accept the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) report, which is due in March 2015.

Asked by NewsFirst during an interview whether March would be a decisive time for Sri Lanka, Ambassador Kariyawasam said,

"I don’t understand why it is decisive. Next march they will be presenting a report on Sri Lanka to the Human Rights Council. We don’t accept this report and we are not prepared to accept it as well. This is because we have identified their process as one which is wrong and unsuccessful."

"We don’t think this report is decisive for the future of the country however we are ready to face any repercussions that could occur due to this report. We are currently engaging in discussions with members of Congress and I believe that, through their intervention, we could minimise the repercussions that could occur as a result of this report," he added.

Asked about the international criticism Sri Lanka has increasingly received over the past few years, Kariyawasam blamed "Tamil extremist groups" in the diaspora.

Sajin Vaas, BBS warn EU annulment of LTTE proscription measures aids Tamil diaspora

Oct 17, 2014
Sri Lanka's External Affairs Ministry Monitoring MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardene condemned the General Court of European Union's ruling on Thursday to annul the measures taken against the LTTE, warning that it would aid the Tamil diaspora.

"The EU decision to lift the ban on the LTTE was a shot in the arm for the LTTE and the diaspora," Gunawardene told journalists at a press conference in the SLFP headquarters, the Daily Mirror reports.

"With this decision all EU members would regard the LTTE as a legitimate organisation," he added.

The ruling was also condemned by the Buddhist monk group, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS). The BBS called on the Sri Lankan government to "take steps to curb separatist elements that were still active in [Sri Lanka]", the Daily Mirror reported.

Tamil Refugee Council welcomes Packer's decision to watch 'No Fire Zone' before Colombo casino launch
UN official stopped from entering North by Defence Ministry travel restrictions
UK, Canada, Australia warn citizens of Sri Lanka's restrictions on travel to North
Fears travel restrictions to North will affect tourism
EU will have to rethink 'flawed' proscription of LTTE says ECJ lawyer
Government appointed officials in NPC do not serve people says TNA MP
Tamil Nadu parties call for LTTE ban to be lifted after ECJ ruling
We are not prepared to accept OISL report says SL ambassador in US
Sajin Vaas, BBS warn EU annulment of LTTE proscription measures aids Tamil diaspora
NPC member faces military interrogation
Tamil Refugee Council welcomes Packer's decision to watch 'No Fire Zone' before Colombo casino launch
UN official stopped from entering North by Defence Ministry travel restrictions
UK, Canada, Australia warn citizens of Sri Lanka's restrictions on travel to North
Fears travel restrictions to North will affect tourism
EU will have to rethink 'flawed' proscription of LTTE says ECJ lawyer
Government appointed officials in NPC do not serve people says TNA MP
Tamil Nadu parties call for LTTE ban to be lifted after ECJ ruling
We are not prepared to accept OISL report says SL ambassador in US
Sajin Vaas, BBS warn EU annulment of LTTE proscription measures aids Tamil diaspora
NPC member faces military interrogation