Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Sri Lanka's parliament on Tuesday approved a further extension of the country's state of public emergency, with all seven votes against the measure cast by Tamil Members of Parliament. The motion was passed by 135 votes in favour and seven against, a majority of 128. The seven MPs who opposed the extension were Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Sivagnanam Shritharan, K. Kodeeswaran, G. Srineshan, T.…

Sri Lankan PM admits ‘economy has completely collapsed’

Sri Lanka’s prime minister told parliament that the country’s economy has “completely collapsed” and admitted that “no country or organisation in the world is willing to provide fuel to us,” as the financial crisis on the island worsens.

‘We want justice, not fuel’ – The Guardian on Tamil protests in Sri Lanka

Tamils in the North-East have reiterated their demand for justice, as families of the disappeared and local politicians spoke to The Guardian this week.

In a piece by Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Rubatheesan Sandran in Mullaitivu published earlier today, former councillor Ravikaran Thurairajah said “if we staged a protest here like they are doing in Galle Face, they would shoot us dead”.

Concerned by future resolutions, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister may delist select diaspora organisations

Reporting in the Sunday Times LK has indicated that four Tamil diaspora organisations and 318 individuals are to be delisted by the Sri Lankan government in a move to ward off a strong resolution in September when the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council will be held.

SJB Proposed 21st Amendment struck down by Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has judged that the majority of clauses in the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB), Sri Lanka’s main opposition party, proposed 21st Amendment are unconstitutional and will require a two-thirds majority in parliament to be passed as well as approval via a public referendum.

The bill sought to abolish the executive Presidency that is in existence at present and transfer power to Parliament.

Land for the landless' - Malayaha Tamils rally through Hatton calling for equal land rights

Malayaha Tamils rallied through Hatton today demanding equal land rights and declaring 21 June as Sri Lanka's "National Day of the Landless".

Demonstrators held placards and chanted slogans asking for "20 perches of land to build a house" and "agricultural land with a house" as Malayaha Tamil community continue to be denied land rights. 

US announces $5.7 million in humanitarian assistance for cash-strapped Sri Lanka

Today the United States announced the latest installment of $5.7 million in humanitarian assistance "to address the immediate needs of people hardest hit by the economic crisis in Sri Lanka."

In a statement, the US said the funding will "provide cash assistance, short-term jobs, and agriculture supplies such as seeds directly to crisis-affected people to meet their basic needs" as the island faces its worst economic crises in decades. 

Shaking hands with war criminals – Australia’s Home Affairs minister meets Sri Lankan military

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil met with senior Sri Lankan military officials today, including those accused of war crimes and genocide, as she continued her visit of Colombo today.

O'Neil was photographed shaking hands with Sri Lanka’s defence secretary Kamal Gunaratne, a man who has been named in several United Nations reports and accused of war crimes.

Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha praises Canadian parliament for Tamil genocide remembrance

The Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha in Jaffna has passed a resolution welcoming the Canandian parliament motion recognising May 18 as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day - a landmark move that made it the first parliament in the world to recognise the Tamil genocide.

A Madhusudhan, a member of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), moved a resolution that welcomed the Canadian parliament move and condemned Sri Lanka’s genocide of Tamils.

CIVICUS adds Sri Lanka to 'human rights watch list'

Sri Lanka has been added to a “human rights watch list” by CIVICUS, a global alliance of over 10,000 civil society organisations, which highlighted the violent crackdown on anti-government protests and attacks on journalists.

Stating that there has been a “rapid decline in civic freedoms”, CIVICUS said there had been a “lack of accountability for the attack on protesters peacefully demonstrating”.

Tamil Eelam – Tamil Nadu links draw closer as flight and ferries set to resume

Flights from Jaffna’s Palaly airport to Chennai are set to be resumed next month said Sri Lanka’s prime minister, as reports of restarting a ferry service from the North-East to India also emerged, drawing together closer links between the two Tamil regions.