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…

Tamil Nadu ill-informed on plight of Tamils – SL envoy

The Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Prasad Kariyawasam, warned that India will be isolated if PM Manmohan Singh boycotts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

“If PM Singh doesn’t go, we have to think about who it will affect. Who will be isolated? Every other country barring Canada is attending. So those who don’t attend will be in isolation.

Opposition backs Tamil Nadu resolution on CHOGM

In an unprecedented show of political solidarity, parties within the Tamil Nadu state assembly and outside, all backed a resolution brought forward by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, calling for India to boycott the upcoming CHOGM.

The Hindu reported Congress Legislative party leader K. Gopinatha asy saying,
"We welcome the resolution. But we should take care to ensure that our stand in no way affect the Sri Lankan Tamils”.

Teacher's grants withdrawn from the North-East

 A trade union in Sri Lanka’s education sector deplored the withdrawal of allowances granted to teaching assistants in the North-East, today.

According to the Ceylon Teachers Union, teachings assistants were granted Rs. 4000 in the months of July August and September.

CHOGM development will benefit the people of the country - Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa said today that expenses incurred by the government to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo next month will be  an investment for the future of the country and its people.

Raped, murdered and mutilated body found in Jaffna temple

The dead body of a 47-year old Tamil woman was found on the premises of Naachchimaar Kovil in Jaffna this month, badly mutilated and raped according to medical sources.

The Sri Lankan military has been accused of the rape and murder.

The victim was identified as 47-year-old Markandu Yogarany, a war displaced woman from Vavuniya who was suffering from mental health issues, following the end of the armed conflict. She was staying with the Holy Family Convent who had reported her missing since the 4th of October.

The body was discovered on the temple premises on the 17th of October.

WARNING: Graphic images are featured below.


BBC hear stories of torture and rape victims in the North-East

In a recent report from the North-East of Sri Lanka, BBC correspondent heard the stories of  Tamil victims of torture, rape and arbitrary detention by the Sri Lankan military.

Click here for the full interview.

Tamil Nadu passes resolution calling for Indian boycott of CHOGM

The Tamil Nadu Assembly, convened today to unanimously pass a resolution that called on India to ‘completely’ boycott the upcoming Common Wealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo.

SL army chief meets high brass of US army

The Sri Lankan Army Commander Daya Ratnayake attended the 60th annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) in Washington earlier this week.

Channel 4 questions director of Commonwealth Secretary General's office

Unable to establish correspondence with the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, Channel 4 news anchor, Jon Snow, questioned the director of the Secretary General’s office, Simon Gimson, on the purpose of holding Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka. 

Suu Kyi agrees with Cameron on engagement with Sri Lanka

The Burmese opposition leader and human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi has said that David Cameron should engage with all parties in Sri Lanka, after increasing pressure on the prime minister not to attend the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on the island.