Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Temperatures are rising, impacting women led businesses in the north writes Amita Arudpragasam for the Himal Southasian, as extreme heat events linked to climate change become more frequent. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, 2024 was the hottest year on record, and temperatures are only set to increase. By May last year, there were reports that at least seven people had…

Army colony planned in Palaly

A new Army colony is being planned in the Jaffna peninsula announced Sri Lanka's army commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.

Speaking to the Sinhala language newspaper Divaina, Jayasuriya said existing army camps would be 'withdrawn' and 'relocated' into an army colony in the Palaly region.

Govt responsible for calls to abolish 13th Amendment: Sumanthiran

A parliamentarian from the Tamil National Alliance, M.A Sumanthiran, speaking to the Sunday Leader, outlined that the government was  responsible for the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) calls to abolish the 13 Amendment.

SL military soldier suspected of Vavuniya child rape

A Sri Lankan military soldier is suspected to have perpetrated the rape of a 7 year old girl in Nedunkeni, Vavuniya, reports Uthayan.

The incident led to a protest by local Tamils, demanding that the culprit be arrested.

Police reported on Tuesday evening that a Sri Lankan military soldier had been arrested.

German NGO interrogated by SL police

Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has interrogated members of the German NGO the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, for allegedly working beyond its legal mandate.

The NGO, which has been working on the island since 1974, has had their local representative Sagarika Delgoda interrogated by CID.

According to ColomboPage,

Sri Lanka concerned over US MoU with Trincomalee urban council

The Sri Lankan government has expressed concern over a recent Memorandum of understanding, signed between the US Embassy in Colombo and the Trincomalee Urban Council, to establish an ‘American Corner’, a public information centre.

Unnamed officials said the External Affairs Ministry had no knowledge of this and did not authorise the MoU, reported the DailyMirror.

Two American corners already exist in Jaffna and Kandy.

JHU to incite the masses against the 13th Amendment

A party in coalition with Sri Lanka’s ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU,) announced today, that steps would be taken to mobilise the public in calls to abolish the 13th Amendment of the constitution.

JHU parliamentarian, Ven. Athuraliye Ratana, stressed that the public must urge the government to change its stance on the 13th Amendment.

Commonwealth Business Council looks to increase investment in SL

The Director General of the Commonwealth Business Council, Mr Peter Callaghan, met Sri Lanka’s Minister of External Affairs, G.L Peiris, for discussions relating to the arrangements for the Business Forum, a side-line event that will be held at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Sri Lanka announces Commonwealth propaganda initiative

Amidst discontent over Sri Lanka's hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Sri lanka will launch a campaign to ‘promote’ the Colombo ahead of the meeting.

Mervyn Silva, the agony aunt

Sri Lanka's Public Relations and Public Affairs Minister, Mervyn Silva, has decided to launch a hotline for public complaints, reports Colombo Page. The hotline would allow the user to choose their language of choice, out of Sinhala, Tamil and English.

JHU reveal 19th Amendment proposal

A ruling government coalition party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), have submitted a motion proposing a 19th amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution, earlier on Thursday.

The proposal “aims primarily to repeal the 13th amendment”, which was labelled in the motion as a “threat to the independence, sovereignty, unity and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka”.