Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

The LGBTQIA+ community in Jaffna held their fifth annual Pride Walk, under the theme  “We Exist For Each Other".  The walk, organised by the Jaffna Transgender Network, began outside the iconic Jaffna Public Library and proceeded along Hospital Road and Pannai Road before ending at Jaffna Fort.  Members of the LGBTQIA+ community, human rights activists, civil society…

Majority of North-East Tamils support ideals of LTTE leader - TNA MP

Speaking in Parliament today, TNA MP, Sivagnanam Sritharan, outlined that the majority of the Tamil people in the North-East had voted for the TNA to support the ideals of the LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran.

Sritharan further reiterated that the Tamil people had a right to commemorate the Tamil cadres that lost their lives in the ethnic conflict.

Asserting that the Tamil people had a right to commemorate the Tamil cadres that lost their lives in the ethnic conflict, Mr Sritharan said, "tomorrow, each Tamil, will think of the Maaveerar from morning till dusk."

Tamil poet to be deported after being detained by TID

The Sri Lankan born Tamil poet and Norwegian citizen Shanmugampillai Jayapalan, who was arrested by the Terrorist Investigative Department (TID) on Friday, will be deported by Sri Lankan immigration, confirmed the Government Information Department today.

Escalating repression of Maaveerar remembrance met with Tamil defiance

Published 22:39 GMT

The Sri Lankan government's heightened repression of any acts of remembrance commemorating fallen LTTE cadre, in the run up to this year's Maaveerar Naal (Heroes' Day) on November 27th, has been met with Tamil defiance.

Breaking The Silence Journal: SOAS


Following on from LSE and UCL, the ‘Breaking the Silence’ genocide awaresness exhibition travelled to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) earlier this week.

Breaking The Silence Journal: SOAS


Following on from LSE and UCL, the ‘Breaking the Silence’ genocide awaresness exhibition travelled to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) earlier this week.

Kings College London Tamil Society speak out at Youth Maaveerar Naal

Speaking at Youth Maaveerar Naal  hosted by Imperial College London on Monday, students representing Kings College London spoke in remembrance of those that had lost their lives fighting against the genocide of the Eelam Tamil nation.

The full speech is reproduced below:

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A poem recited at Youth Maaveerar Naal held at Imperial College London earlier this week and written by a student at St George's University.

Tamil Nadu police destroy Maaveerar Naal remembrance memorial

Tamil Nadu police destroying Heroes Day tombstone (All pictures: TamilWin)

Eelam Tamils in a refugee camp in Sengkalpattu, Tamil Nadu, had their annual Maveerar Naal remembrance event disrupted by Tamil Nadu police, reports TamilWin.

According to the news site, Eelam Tamils in the camp hold a memorial event every year, lighting candles at a symbolic tomb stone, but this year police interrupted the proceedings, demolished the monument and cleared away the red and yellow decorations.

Sri Lanka bans Tamil remembrance

Sri Lanka has banned any activities to commemorate the Tamil fighters that died in the armed conflict.

Army spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya has said that any attempts to promote or glorify the LTTE, both directly and indirectly, under the guise of media freedom will be punished, in relation to the upcoming Heroes' Day on November 27, when Tamils remember those that gave their lives for the struggle.

China explains earlier call to address human rights issues

Responding to questions regarding an earlier statement which urged Sri Lanka to address human rights issues, China today reiterated its acknowledgement of progress in Sri Lanka, despite growing concerns over the deteriorating  state of reconciliation and human rights on the island.

In an emailed statement, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo, claimed that the progress they saw in Sri Lanka meant that there was no change in stance,
concluding, “the Sri Lankan people have the wisdom and capacity to deal appropriately with their internal affairs.”