Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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Vavuniya High Court freezes governor's removal of mayor
The Vavuniya High Court has issued an interim order suspending the gazette through which the Northern Province governor removed the Vavuniya mayor, S. Kandeepan, from office, freezing the decision that had triggered protests across the town. The order was made on Friday, when the court took up a writ application filed by Kandeepan challenging the governor's move. Speaking to reporters…

Families in Jaffna call for immediate release of Tamil political prisoners

Mar 1, 2016


Families of Tamil political prisoners protested in Jaffna on Wednesday, urging the government to release them immediately.

Normality remains elusive in Sri Lanka's North - Joshua Hammer

Mar 1, 2016
Seven years after a brutal war, peace and tourism have returned to Sri Lanka’s north, but normality remains more elusive, concludes New York Times travel journalist Joshua Hammer.

See full article below.

Sri Lanka finance minister dismisses Fitch Ratings downgrade

Feb 29, 2016
Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister and Central Bank Governor dismissed the recent downgrading of Sri Lanka’s ratings by global ratings agency Fitch Ratings, reports Economynext.com

Speaking to reports in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s finance minister Ravi Karunayake said,
“That’s only one institution. These are only perceptions of certain institutions.”

Fitch ratings lowered Sri Lanka’s ratings from ‘BB-‘ to ‘B+’ stating that Sri Lanka faced “increased refinancing risks on account of high upcoming external debt maturities on foreign exchange reserves” and an increased “likelihood of Sri Lanka requiring external liquidity support from the IMF and other multilateral institutions.”

The rating agency added that Sir Lanka’s budget did little to address the of Sri Lanka’s gross general government debt (GGGD).

Sri Lanka to hold discussions with IMF in March-April (29 Feb 2016)
IMF and Sri Lanka 'hammering out a way forward' from debt (26 Feb 2016
Sri Lankan govt considers IMF bailout conditions (16 Feb 2016)

The dangers of trade deals with the Sri Lankan military - Andreas Scheuller

Feb 29, 2016
Unscrutinised investment from the European countries “risks reinforcing ethnic discrimination and hindering reconciliation in Sri Lanka,” writes the head of the International Crimes and Accountability program at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights Andreas Schueller.

Adding that the biggest economic actor in Sri Lanka’s “heavily northern and northeastern regions,” Mr Schueller expressed concern that trade agreements and investment could end up “profiting the military and thus strengthening its position in the region, denying the resettled Tamil population any development opportunities.”

See full piece below.

International community has an important part to play in Sri Lanka's reconciliation - UK High Commissioner

Feb 29, 2016

The international community has an important part to play in Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process,  said the British High Commissioner whilst visiting the Buddhist Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy.

Missing LTTE cadre identified by parents as captured alive

Feb 28, 2016
The parents of a missing LTTE cadre on Monday told the President's Missing Persons Commission in Chavakachcheri their son was one of the LTTE cadres photographed alive under the custody of the Sri Lankan military at the end of the armed conflict.

 Photograph ITJP

Sri Lanka to hold discussions with IMF in March-April

Feb 28, 2016
Sri Lanka will hold discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the next two months, reported LBO.

The discussions will be aimed at gaining an endorsement of the government's fiscal consolidation plan and at establishing a support mechanism for its balance of payments.

Depending on the outcome of the discussions, Sri Lanka may seek to raise up to 1.5 billion dollars from international markets this year.

See here.

Myanmar to seek legal expertise from Sri Lanka

Feb 28, 2016
A team of lawyers from Myanmar will be visiting Sri Lanka next month in order to seek legal expertise.

Meeting with the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and attended a BASL organised conference, the Myanmar team will learn how to set up a legal system.

See here and here.

US expresses commitment to support Sri Lanka in implementing UNHRC resolution

Feb 28, 2016
The United States expressed support to Sri Lanka in implementing its commitments to the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on accountability and reconciliation, in a joint statement with the Sri Lankan ministry of foreign affairs.

The below statement was released by the Governments of Sri Lanka and the United States of America after the first annual US – Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue was held on February 26 2016 in Washington DC. 

Sirisena upset at Sri Lanka's foreign minister's international statements – Ceylon Today

Feb 28, 2016
Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena is upset with his foreign minister’s openness to international involvement into an alleged war crimes probe reports Ceylon Today.

Labelling Sirisena’s rejection of international involvement as ‘personal opinion’ Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera indicated that international involvement had not been ruled out during a partnership dialogue with the United States in Washington DC.
Normality remains elusive in Sri Lanka's North - Joshua Hammer
Sri Lanka finance minister dismisses Fitch Ratings downgrade
The dangers of trade deals with the Sri Lankan military - Andreas Scheuller
International community has an important part to play in Sri Lanka's reconciliation - UK High Commissioner
Missing LTTE cadre identified by parents as captured alive
Sri Lanka to hold discussions with IMF in March-April
Myanmar to seek legal expertise from Sri Lanka
US expresses commitment to support Sri Lanka in implementing UNHRC resolution
Sirisena upset at Sri Lanka's foreign minister's international statements – Ceylon Today
International role in justice mechanism of 'utmost importance' says Amnesty
Normality remains elusive in Sri Lanka's North - Joshua Hammer
Sri Lanka finance minister dismisses Fitch Ratings downgrade
The dangers of trade deals with the Sri Lankan military - Andreas Scheuller
International community has an important part to play in Sri Lanka's reconciliation - UK High Commissioner
Missing LTTE cadre identified by parents as captured alive
Sri Lanka to hold discussions with IMF in March-April
Myanmar to seek legal expertise from Sri Lanka
US expresses commitment to support Sri Lanka in implementing UNHRC resolution
Sirisena upset at Sri Lanka's foreign minister's international statements – Ceylon Today
International role in justice mechanism of 'utmost importance' says Amnesty