Tamil Affairs

‘Return our boys’- Tamil Nadu villagers demand the return of dead fishermen captured by Sri Lankan navy

Oct 23

For four days villagers in Kottaipattinam, Tamil Nadu, have been staging a sit-in protest to demand the return of two Tamil fishermen captured by the Sri Lankan navy, as well as the corpse of Rajkiran.

The protests come days after the fishermen were captured by Sri Lankan authorities with Kottaipattinam’s Fishermen Association’s Leader, Chinnaadaikalam, maintaining that Rajkiran was murdered by the Sri Lankan navy.

“We have seen pictures of the body. This is not what a person looks like if they drown. The Sri Lankans have given him acid and tortured him. That’s why his body has swelled up. We want answers from the government”.

Another incident of Sri Lankan police brutality reported in Batticaloa

A Sri Lankan police officer has reportedly carried out another assault on a Tamil youth in Batticaloa, less than 24 hours after a video of a different officer kicking and punching two youths emerged.

Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division summons BBC journalist for investigation

Sri Lankan Terrorism Investigation Division has summoned Tamil journalists including U.L.Mabruk, a BBC Tamil journalist, for investigation.

Mabruk has been asked to report to the Division’s office in Colombo on November 8.

Testimony of Julie Chung – Nominee for US Ambassador to Sri Lanka

Julie Chung, the US nominee ambassador to Sri Lanka, testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations earlier this week.

See the full video of her hearing and read the full text of her testimony below.

More Sri Lankan soldiers in schools - Militarised vaccine drive for Mannar students

Sri Lankan security forces administered COVID-19 vaccines for Mannar students preparing for the GCE Advanced Level on Thursday.

US donates $2.5 million for urgent Covid-19 assistance in Sri Lanka

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced that it will provide an additional US$2.5 million dollars in "urgent COVID-19 assistance" for Sri Lanka.

The $US2.5 million in American Rescue plan funds will "accelerate equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations and strengthen the ability of health workers to address COVID-19," explained USAID in a statement.

TNA MP highlights ’39 arrested in North-East in last three months under PTA’

_{File photo: TNA MP Sivagnanam Sritharan}

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Sivagnanam Sritharan told Sri Lankan parliament that, “39 [Tamils were] arrested in North-East in last three months” during a discussion on children's rights on Thursday.

If that's what you want, that's what you'll have' - Sumanthiran responds after colleagues labelled 'Tigers'

Memorial to be built at Jaffna hospital to commemorate IPKF massacre

The 34th anniversary of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) massacre was marked at Jaffna Teaching Hospital, with staff and faculty members holding a commemorative ceremony on Thursday.

Sri Lankan police brutalise Tamil youth in Batticaloa

A Sri Lankan police officer was seen brutalising two Tamil citizens in Batticaloa this evening, kicking one individual and dragging and slapping another individual on a motorcycle.

Referendum needed to recognise Tamil Eelam' - NSSP leader Wickramabahu Karunaratne

In a statement, Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) leader Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne called for the international recognition of the “ongoing” genocide of Tamils and the recognition of Eelam as a state.

“A systematic referendum is needed to recognize Tamil Eelam internationally,” Dr. Karunaratne stated.

Beth Van Schaack nominated for US Ambassador at Large for Global Criminal Justice

Dr Beth Van Schaack, an esteemed human rights lawyer and academic that has written extensively on accountability and justice in Sri Lanka, has been nominated by US president Joe Biden for the post of Ambassador at Large for Global Criminal Justice at the Department of State.

See more of her work on accountability in Sri Lanka below.

Tamil Canadians donate over 18,000 lbs of food in Thiyagi Thileepan Food Drive

In collaboration with several other Tamil Canadian organizations, the Tamil Canadian Centre for Civic Action (TCCCA) donated 18,792lbs of food in their second annual Thiyagi Thileepan Food Drive.