Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Gampaha bus stand
A brazen shooting incident was reported near the Gampaha public bus stand on Wednesday, as two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at a moving lorry in broad daylight before fleeing the scene. The two passengers inside the lorry reportedly abandoned the vehicle and ran into a nearby shop in an attempt to seek refuge. The lorry sustained visible damage in the attack. Local…

Family abducted by white van in Batticaloa

A family of four was abducted by a group claiming to be from the army in a white van on Wednesday in Batticaloa, reports Tamilwin.

The van was reportedly intercepted after villagers alerted the police, and the drivers on interrogation claimed that they were going to a nearby military camp, and the family was being taken based on a 'personal grudge'.

A military spokesperson accused external groups of carrying out such calculated abductions to frame and ruin the 'good reputation' of the security forces.

#BoycottLKA campaign steps up to the crease in London

The #Boycottlka campaign moved to the Kennington Oval in London, today. In the lead up to the highly anticipated International Cricket Champions Trophy match between England and Sri Lanka, several activists handed out leaflets amongst large crowds outside the Oval

Activist explains the importance of a boycott of Sri Lanka

Rapp 'disappointed' on accountability in Sri Lanka

The US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues, Stephen Rapp, has expressed his disappointment at Sri Lanka’s progress on accountability issues.

Questioned by the Inner City Press on accountability, Rapp said the US sponsored two resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council, which "express our disappointment that provisions of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission haven't been implemented, in regard reconciliation... between Tamil and major communities in Sri Lanka and particular disappointment on accountability for the alleged grave atrocities near the end of the conflict on both sides."

More tales of the 'dangerous separatist line'

The Deputy Minister of Investment Promotion, Faizer Mustapha, has joined the long line of Sri Lankan politicians opposing the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) proposals.

Mustapha says that holding elections for an NPC with land and police powers would be dangerous since the main Tamil party, the TNA 'still harbours a separatist line', reports ColomboPage.

Birds of a feather ...

The UNP and JHU met today to discuss the UNP's draft document on the constitution.

Earlier, the UNP's General Secretary Tissa Attanayake welcomed the meeting saying, "The fact that a hard line party was willing to sit down and talk to us on constitutional reform is indicative of the fact that our new radical programme has had a positive impact on the political fraternity."

A meeting between the UNP and JVP has also been planned, said Attanayake.

UK rejects calls to bar Sri Lanka from WWI event

The British government has rejected calls by human rights organisations to ban Sri Lanka from attending an event commemorating World War I.

Campaigners from Amnesty Scotland had called for the ban for the ceremony in Glasgow, but Westminster has dismissed concerns, according to the Herald Scotland.

TNA summoned to New Delhi

The TNA was called to New Delhi for urgent talks by India's Central government reports the Uthayan newspaper, which is run by TNA MP E. Saravanabhavan.

According to the paper, the talks, intended to take place early next week, will focus on moves by the Sri Lankan government to change the 13th Amendment. The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid are reported to take part. The TNA leader R. Sampanthan, and leaders of constituent parties are all called upon to attend.

Student attacked in Batticaloa

A Batticaloa university student was assaulted by a group of unidentified attackers, reports Tamilwin.

3rd year student at the Eastern University, Y Amirtharaj is reportedly receiving treatment for injuries sustained from the attack on Monday night.

Student union members implied that the attack may have been connected to upcoming union elections.

Divine law enforcement

A group of monks have raided and shut down an “illegal” Muslim slaughterhouse, which has been operating in Wattala for the past 12 years.

“I got a tip-off a week back from one of the residents of the area about the slaughterhouse,” Buddhist monk Dandeniye Samithananda told the Sunday Times.

“We decided to raid the place ourselves because the residents said that they have made series of complaints to the area police but action wasn’t taken to stop the operators.”

The monk, from a Buddhist temple in Kelaniya, said he was hiding outside the abattoir with other villagers, just after poya day, a sacred day every full moon for Buddhist, when the slaughter of animals is banned.

SL uses Commonwealth membership to validate claims of reconciliation

The Sri Lankan government claimed that the progress it has made in addressing human rights concerns and reconciliation is accepted by many in the international community.

Responding to criticism placed on Si Lanka in the General Debate of the 23rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, the Sri Lankan delegation expressed shock at Canada’s claims of “ on-going violations and human rights and lack of reconciliation in Sri lanka.

After deploying the usual rhetoric on resettlement, reintegration of ex-combatants, infrastructure development, the Sri Lankan delegate drew upon the nations membership and role in the commonwealth to validate claims of resettlement and reconciliation.