Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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'These four should be put in jail' - Ganesan accuses NPP of hypocrisy
Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader Mano Ganesan has accused the National People's Power (NPP) government of hypocrisy over the arrest of Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeskumar under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), pointing to NPP politicians who had themselves circulated songs glorifying the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during election campaigns. Sangeethsan, known…

ICRC says missing in Sri Lanka must not be forgotten

Aug 28, 2014
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urged the international community not to forget missing persons worldwide, including those in Sri Lanka.

"States have an obligation under international humanitarian law to take all feasible measures to clarify the fate and whereabouts of people who have gone missing and to inform their families accordingly," said the vice-president of the ICRC, Christine Beerli.

Stating that the ICRC was working on the cases of 52,000 missing persons worldwide, staff member Marianne Pecassou said:

"This figure is just the tip of the iceberg, since these cases are only the ones brought to the attention of the ICRC by relatives. We know that many more people remain unaccounted for around the world."

Sri Lanka to strengthen defence cooperation with Pakistan

Aug 28, 2014

(Picture: The Nation)

Sri Lanka looks to make political solution for Tamils irrelevant - TNA tells India

Aug 27, 2014
Sri Lanka is working to make a political solution for Tamils irrelevant by breaking the linguistic and cultural contiguity in the North-East by militarisation and resettlement of Sinhalese families, the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) told Indian press on Wednesday.

“Their objective is also to change the composition and change the cultural and linguistic identity of Tamil regions. The most urgent need is that this should end. It is their hope that if they continue with this, a political solution for Tamils will be irrelevant, a solution would become redundant and they can have their own way,” said R Sampanthan.

Sampanthan’s comments come after the TNA delegation travelled to India to hold talks with Prime Minister Modi regarding the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Dead body recovered from lagoon in Eastern Province

Aug 27, 2014
The body of a 66-year old man was recovered from Santhiveli Lagoon in Eravoor this week, reports Eastern Province-based website Batti news.

Arumugam Sithamparampillai had left his home in Santhiveli on Tuesday to attend to his livestock in a neighbouring village. His body was discovered later that evening floating in the lagoon by his son, who had gone out to fish.

The police, lead by officer M.S.M Nazeer, are currently investigating the death.

Minister Bernier celebrates Tamil business success in Canada

Aug 27, 2014


Canada's Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism, Maxime Bernier, celebrated the success and entrepreneurial spirit of the Tamil community in Canada, highlighting their contributions to the Canadian economy.

As part of the Canadian federal government’s pre-budgetary consultations Minister Bernier met with representatives of the Canadian Tamils' Chamber of Commerce (CTCC) in Toronto on Wednesday.

“I can see they have a huge impact, like other small business owners, they’re the true Canadians," Minister Bernier told the Tamil Guardian following the meeting.

“They’re very good entrepreneurs, it’s a plus for us as Canadians to have these entrepreneurs with us,” said the minister, who was Canada's foreign affairs minister during the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. 

UK country guidance on ‘Tamil separatism’ highlights human rights violations by Sri Lanka

Aug 27, 2014

The UK Home Office issued a new asylum country guidance report on ‘Tamil Separatism’ on Thursday, drawing on several reports detailing human rights violations by Sri Lanka against Tamil separatists and people that are perceived to be.

The report provides “guidance to Home Office decision makers on handling [asylum] claims made by nationals/residents of - as well as country of origin information (COI) about – Sri Lanka”.

We would have to go to war' to retrieve Katchatheevu says Indian attorney general

Aug 26, 2014

The Indian Supreme Court has heard that retrieving the small island of Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka will impossible, reported the Times of India.

"The island was given to Sri Lanka on the basis of a bilateral agreement in 1974. To retrieve it now, we have to go to war," attorney general Mukul Rohatgi told the court.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and opposition leader M Karunanidhi are presenting petitions to the Supreme Court next week, calling for a retrieval of the uninhabited island in the Palk Strait.

Tamil Nadu’s assembly some years ago unanimously passed a resolution moved by Jayalalithaa, calling on the government of India to take “immediate steps to retrieve Katchatheevu Island ceded in 1970 to Sri Lanka".

Katchatheevu has been used by fishermen of both countries for decades, however Tamil Nadu fishermen are routinely arrested and harassed by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Locals clash with police over government land surveying in Trinco

Aug 26, 2014
Locals in Trincomalee district clashed with police after government officials attempted to survey land in Trincomalee, Pulmoddai and Arisimalai.

A 54 year old local man, Abookkar, was admitted to Pulmoddai hospital with injuries.

Locals rushed to the scene in protest, when surveyors arrived Tuesday morning at 8.30am escorted by armed police, Batticaloa News reports.

The locals, who said they were displaced from their homes and currently staying at relatives' houses in Pulmoddai, demanded that the land surveying be halted, stating that it was being done to divide the villages of Ponmalaikuda, Veerantheevu and Theththavadi.


2 Indians arrested in Sri Lanka over video footage of parliament

Aug 26, 2014
Sri Lankan police arrested two Indian citizens Tuesday for allegedly recording and  possessing photographs and video footage of Parliament and the Prime Minister's residence, reports PTI. 

The men, who have not been identified, were arrested on a tipoff whilst travelling in a three wheeler taxi in Colombo, the police spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana said.

SL missions in Europe discuss how to counter human rights campaigns

Aug 26, 2014
Sri Lanka's missions in Europe met with the External Affairs Minister GL Peiris this week, to review progress and discuss "initiatives to counter campaigns against the country, using human rights and other issues as political tools", Colombo Page reports.

The meeting included Sri Lanka's ambassadors in France, Germany and Italy, as well as the country's Permanent Representative at the United Nations in Geneva, Ravinatha Aryasinha.

Making suggestions regarding a "coordinated strategy", the envoys reportedly gave "perspectives of special relevance to the countries in which they are serving".

Sri Lanka to strengthen defence cooperation with Pakistan
Sri Lanka looks to make political solution for Tamils irrelevant - TNA tells India
Dead body recovered from lagoon in Eastern Province
Minister Bernier celebrates Tamil business success in Canada
UK country guidance on ‘Tamil separatism’ highlights human rights violations by Sri Lanka
We would have to go to war' to retrieve Katchatheevu says Indian attorney general
Locals clash with police over government land surveying in Trinco
2 Indians arrested in Sri Lanka over video footage of parliament
SL missions in Europe discuss how to counter human rights campaigns
Police station opened to 'establish law and order' in North-East
Sri Lanka to strengthen defence cooperation with Pakistan
Sri Lanka looks to make political solution for Tamils irrelevant - TNA tells India
Dead body recovered from lagoon in Eastern Province
Minister Bernier celebrates Tamil business success in Canada
UK country guidance on ‘Tamil separatism’ highlights human rights violations by Sri Lanka
We would have to go to war' to retrieve Katchatheevu says Indian attorney general
Locals clash with police over government land surveying in Trinco
2 Indians arrested in Sri Lanka over video footage of parliament
SL missions in Europe discuss how to counter human rights campaigns
Police station opened to 'establish law and order' in North-East