Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

A protest march was held last month opposing limestone excavation, mineral sand mining and a proposed wind power project across the villages of Veravil, Valaipadu, Ponnaveli and Kiranchi, in the Poonakary Divisional Secretariat division of Kilinochchi. The demonstration was organised against plans to establish wind power stations and to carry out mineral sand and limestone extraction in the…

Caste violence condemned in Jaffna after men assault youth and set fire to houses

Politicians and civil society activists have been condemning the brutal caste-based violence that took place in Jaffna in late September. 

A gang of dominant-caste youth and men reportedly waylaid a pair of boys belonging to an oppressed community last month and assaulted them indiscriminately. The incident took place in Arasady, a village in Vaddukoddai. 

Inbanathan, 60, father of one of the boys, lost a finger in the ensuing skirmish in which the aggressors reportedly started to swing a sword against the youth.

Sri Lankan police summon Batticaloa council members over Sathurukondan massacre commemoration

Decades after the Sathurukondan massacre, justice remains elusive and whilst the perpetrators remain at large, Batticaloa Municipal Councillor Thuraisingam Mathan said that Sri Lankan police are instead carrying out an investigation against those who paid tribute at the Sathurukondan massacre memorial on its 31st anniversary. 

Nauseating military publicity stunt' - Red carpet for accused war criminal in Jaffna

The Sri Lanka army’s war crimes accused chief reportedly handed over a military-built home to a former Tamil political prisoner who was released from prison earlier this year, in a lavish ceremony yesterday.

Shavendra Silva, a commander who is currently barred from travel to the US over his role in the execution of Tamils, arrived in Chunnakam in Jaffna dressed in full camouflage uniform and escorted by blacked-out and armed troops.

Sri Lanka lashes out at Moody’s after yet another downgrade and warnings of default

The Sri Lankan government has lashed out at credit rating agency Moody’s, after it hit Colombo with yet another downgrade of debt rating, stating that the island was at risk of default without a clear debt repayment plan and low foreign exchange reserves .

Silva tells Jaffna troops that Tamils appreciate occupation

The war crimes accused head of the Sri Lankan army visited Jaffna this week, where he told occupying troops that local Tamils are “well aware of tireless services” of the military, despite “misleading utterances” by “elements in the North”.

Shavendra Silva, a commander who is currently barred from travel to the US over his role in war crimes, arrived at the Security Force Headquarters - Jaffna (SFHQ-J), with the military having occupied the peninsula since the invasion 26 years ago.

Stripped naked, assaulted and beaten by senior Sri Lankan police officer

Lawyers representing a driver who was beaten in public by a Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) in Ratnapura have reported that their client was "grossly assaulted, physically, and sexually tortured" by the SDIG and two other officers.

Greenwashing genocide? The UK welcomes Sri Lanka's notorious president

Writing in Declassified UK, Archana Ravichandradeva and Sutharshan Sukumaran warm against Sri Lanka's efforts to pave out its appalling human rights record with the language of environmental stewardship and urge the UK to "redouble its commitment to accountability, justice and a political solution that resolves the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka".

Sri Lankan foreign minister visits Cambridge University as British MPs slam the country's human rights record

Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris visited Jesus College of the University of Cambridge on 31 October, for a discussion related to issues in Sri Lanka and a "way forward".

Among those participating were Professor Sir Ivan Lawrence QC, the Rt. Hon. Sir Rupert Jackson PC QC, Professor Mads Andenas QC, Professor Andy Haynes, Professor Barry Rider, Ms Kim Hollis QC and Dr. Dominic Thomas - James.

Scottish Tamils continue campaign for justice against genocide

As Sri Lankan war criminal turned President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, continues his visit to Scotland during the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, Scottish Tamils continue their protest demanding justice for genocide.

In The Herald and The National political adverts were placed highlighting Sri Lanka’s attempt to pave over their atrocities with claims of environmental stewardship.

Responding to claims of climate leadership from Sri Lanka, Alan Keenan, Senior Consultant on Sri Lanka at the International Crisis Group stated:

Gotabaya claims Sri Lanka is ‘open to fair and just criticism’

Addressing the fifth anniversary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Sri Lankan President, and accused war criminal, Gotabaya Rajapaksa claimed that the country was ‘open to fair and just criticism’.

This comes as the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders expressed concern over Sri Lanka's inaction to respond to threats against human rights defenders.