Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Amnesty International has called for the release of detained Tamil rapper Sangeethan Ganeshkumar and renewed demands for the repeal of Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), warning that the legislation continues to facilitate arbitrary detention and human rights abuses. In a statement issued this week, the international rights organisation expressed concern over the continued use of…

Draft UNHRC resolution fails to offer meaningful progress - CTC

The draft resolution tabled today at the opening session of the UN Human Rights Council on Sri Lanka "falls short" said Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) in a statement released this evening.

Calling on the Council to take "decisive action", CTC said that the draft resolution "fails to offer any meaningful progress towards accountability, let alone reconciliation."

CTC added,
"The proposed resolution effectively mutes the chorus of calls for an International Commission of Inquiry, and instead continues to give Sri Lanka time and space. The proposal appears to seek the High Commissioner’s assistance in undertaking an investigation, however, it does not give her the mandate, resources, or direction to investigate and make a legal finding of fact."

Strong calls for international investigation on first day of HRC session

Opening of Human Rights Council 25th Session (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)

Calls for an independent investigation into crimes in Sri Lanka featured strongly on the first day of the 25th UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva.

India downplays Mahinda meeting

The Indian government said today that the meeting between Manmohan Singh and Mahinda Rajapaksa may occur “only on the sidelines” of the BIMSTEC summit in Burma, and that it would not be an exclusive meeting; PTI quoted Union Minister V Narayanasamy.

DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi had slammed the Indian prime minister for agreeing to a meeting with Rajapaksa.

Sources in Burma also said that India was looking for much more progress on reconciliation on Sri Lanka.

SL minister calls for unity against moves for sanctions

Sri Lankan officials today, reiterated that they were ready to face any challenge and allegations tabled against Sri Lanka, and urged the country to be united in the event of attempts by the United States to impose sanctions on Sri Lanka.

Urging Sri Lankans to remain united when confronted with challenges from the international community, government minister, Wimal Weerawamse, said,

Army denies involvement in Mullaitivu grave

The Sri Lankan army has denied involvement in the recently unearthed grave in Mullaitivu arguing that there was an "an attempt to use these premature conclusions to support their claims for an international investigation which is not really necessary" 

The Northern Province's Minister T. Raviharan of the TNA had said local residents believed many more graves existed in the area.

Speaking to the Reuters news agency, acting judicial medical officer Sinnaiyah Sivaruban said,
"We have found nine skeletons of mostly women with burn injuries,"

"Three local people have said the bodies were dumped in this land on February 9, 2009, after they were killed in an army multi-barrel shell attack, and that there is another mass grave 200 meters from this. But we don't know the truth."

Tamils demand international investigation into political prisoner death

Tamils demonstrated in Jaffna today, demanding an international investigation into the death of the Tamil political prisoner, and British citizen, Gopithas, in a Sri Lankan prison last week.

Photo:Tamilwin
 
Calling for an international investigation into the death, Tamils demanded wider accountability for all enforced disappearances, as well as the de-militarisation of the North-East and for the Tamil people’s right to self-determination to be respected.

Sinhala parties unite against SLMC over report to UN Human Rights chief

Two parties from the ruling government coalition have campaigned against another government partner, the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress (SLMC), after reports that the party leader Rauf Hakeem had handed over a report to UN High Commissioner Navi Pillay detailing attacks on Muslims.

Both the National Freedom Front (NFF) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) have slammed Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem over the incident, which led to a reported clash from an irate Sri Lankan President, who accused him of “betraying the country”.

Karunanidhi slams Singh’s plan to meet Rajapaksa

DMK leader M Karunanidhi has hit out at Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his “indifferent” approach towards the issue of Tamils on the island of Sri Lanka, slamming his plans to meet Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Writing in the party organ "Murasoli", Karunanidhi stated,

Tamil talent takes centre stage at LSE



‘Raise Your Voice’, an event held by the Tamil Student Initiative (tsi) to showcase and empower emerging creative talent, proved to be an apt reminder of the growing creative versatility within the Tamil student community.

Italian Tamil activists found not guilty of terrorism charges

An Italian appeals court has ruled that the LTTE should not be considered as a terrorist organisation, according to the Uthayan.

The ruling relates to the case of 28 Italian Tamils who were cleared of terrorism charges by a court in Napoli in 2011, as the LTTE cannot be described as a terrorist organisation.