Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Sri Lanka's United National Party (UNP) has accused the National People's Power (NPP) government of attempting to undermine Buddhism and interfere in the affairs of the Buddhist clergy, as controversy continues over proposed reforms aimed at addressing misconduct within the Buddhist Sangha. The dispute comes amid heightened public scrutiny of Buddhist institutions following allegations of…

Head of Army inquiry denies war crimes

The head of a Sri Lankan Army inquiry into allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity has denied that any human rights abuses had taken place, while addressing troops earlier this week.

Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, who has appointed a five member of Army officers to inquire into “alleged civilian casualties”, made the statement in Puthukudirippu, which saw some of the heaviest civilian casualties in the closing stages of the war.

Sri Lanka’s emerging economic crisis

From AFP (see full text here):

Sri Lanka to stop importing Iran oil

Sri Lanka will stop importing oil from Iran at the end of March, ahead of the US sanctions deadline of June 29, the island’s Sunday Times newspaper said.

Sri Lanka has depended almost entirely on Iran for its crude oil supplies, getting 93 percent from there.

Sri Lanka has started purchasing Saudi Arabian oil, and Iraq is offering to supply “substantial quantities” of fuel, the paper said.

Just as Dutugemunu said!

What is India’s ambition in Sri Lanka?

According to the Sunday Times editorial today, “to carve out a powerful autonomous Northern Province which it can use as its base on Sri Lankan soil through its proxy - the Tamil National Alliance.”

Shavendra Silva shunned again in New York

Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Palita Kohona, has boycotted a Commonwealth Day Reception hosted by the UK mission, after his controversial deputy, Major General Shavendra Silva, was refused an invitation, according to the Sunday Times.

The latest incident points to further isolation of Silva, who was recently expelled from a UN Peacekeeping Advisory Panel after his appointment was deemed “not appropriate”. Sri Lanka responded angrily to the humiliation, liking it to a "public lynching without trial".

Tamil war widows ‘forced into prostitution to feed children’

Women who have lost male members of their households during the war are being forced to turn to prostitution, according to women’s rights activists in Colombo.

Geetha Lakmini of World Fisherfolk Solidarity Movement told reporters that,
"One village in Madhu area is infamous for prostitution because they have no male family members, no jobs and there is no other way of survival."

"The only way to feed their children is to sell their body."

Britain calls for support at UN Human Rights Council

Following the screening of Channel 4’s latest documentary, the British Foreign Office has called on the UN Human Rights Council to pass a proposed resolution on Sri Lanka.

Commenting on the documentary, Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt said,
"Once again, Channel 4 has brought to international attention important and disturbing evidence to support allegations of grave abuses in Sri Lanka."

England cricket captain says decision to tour Sri Lanka lies with the government

Speaking as the English cricket team began their tour of Sri Lanka, England’s cricket captain Andrew Strauss stated that it was up to the British government to decide whether or not to tour the island.

As Sri Lanka comes under increasing pressure regarding allegations of war crimes and the airing of Channel 4's documentary on British television on Wednesday night, Strauss was questioned on whether the English team was comfortable playing cricket against Sri Lanka. He commented,
"It's a bit of a tricky one. All round us, we see atrocities taking place all over the world and in war a lot of unsavoury things happen on both sides. I personally think the political issues are best dealt with by the politicians and administrators."

"But that doesn't mean we should stick our heads in the sand. If the government feel there is cases to answer to a great enough extent that the England team shouldn't be touring somewhere then that is a call they need to make. Until that is the case, it would be wrong for us to focus on anything other than the cricket."

"You must be careful that if you are investigating anything, you investigate it very thoroughly because otherwise there's nothing worse than a little bit of knowledge.
When asked by the BBC if Strauss or any other members of them team had wanted to find out more on Sri Lanka’s human rights violations, he responded,
I think it’s something that you keep an eye out for when you see it in the news... But ultimately there are people that are paid to look into these things, and they’re mainly in the government. They need to do their job and we need to do ours. ”
See our earlier posts:

‘Should England’s cricket team tour Sri Lanka?’ (10 March 2012)

Australian Greens push for SL High Commissioner to be recalled

Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon has called upon the Australian Government to send back Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Australia Admiral TSG Samarasinghe, until an independent international investigation into war crimes on the island has commenced.

In a statement released by the Australian Greens, Senator Lee Rhiannon said,