Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Tamil residents, landowners and activists in Maruthankerni have halted a land survey linked to an attempted acquisition reportedly for Sri Lankan military purposes in Vadamaradchi East. The move, which took place in the Maruthankerni area of the Jaffna district, drew strong opposition from the landowner and local residents, who warned that handing land to the Sri Lankan military could lead to…

Tamil Nadu students protest against Rajapaksa invite


Photo:Tamil Youths & Students Federation

Students in Chennai protested against the the invitation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the swearing-in ceremony of Indian Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, earlier on Saturday.

Gathering outside the BJP office in Chennai, students from the Tamil Youths and Students Federation, the Tamil Nadu Students Movement, the Balachandran Students Movement and Progressive Students Front chanted slogans against Rajapaksa's visit to Delhi.

Speaking to the Tamil Guardian, V Prabhakaran of the Tamil Youths and Students Federation stated, “We started this agitation in contempt of the Modi government's decision to invite the genocidal criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa for the Prime Minister's swearing in ceremony”.

Profiles of May 2009: Mayuran

Illustration Keera Ratnam

India must make amends and support investigation – Amnesty International

Amnesty International has called upon the newly elected Indian government to heed the voice of its citizens and back an international investigation into violations of international law in Sri Lanka.

Shashikumar Velath, programmes director at Amnesty International India,

“It has been five years, since the war ended, but Sri Lankan authorities have failed to bring those responsible for serious violations and abuses to justice"

NPC CM rejects Rajapaksa invitation to Modi swearing-in ceremony

The Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council CV Wigneswaran has rejected an offer from Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to “accompany” him to the swearing-in ceremony of India’s Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi later this month.

The Twitter account of the Tamil National Alliance tweeted on Friday that Wigneswaran “rejected the President's invitation to 'accompany' him to the swearing in of the PM of India in a strongly worded letter”. (See letter below).

The statement came as Rajapaksa confirmed his attendance at the ceremony due to take place on the 26th of May.

TNPF Kilinochchi organiser detained by military intelligence

19:45 BST

The Tamil National People's Front's (TNPF) regional organiser in Kilinochchi has been detained by military intelligence officers said party leader, after officers arrived at the organiser's house this evening, instructing him to accompany them for questioning.

"Kilinochchi Organiser Jega is currently being forced by military [intelligence] to leave his house with them for inquiry," TNPF leader, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam had tweeted earlier this evening stating that they feared he had been detained after he was not answering any calls to his mobile phone.

"TNPF Kilinochchi Organiser Jega has texted party [General Secretary] S Kajendran saying he is currently being taken to Vavuniya by TID [Terrorism Investigation Division]" Mr. Ponnambalam tweeted moments earlier.

No-confidence motion in government defeated

The no-confidence motion, brought by the main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP), together with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has been defeated by 94 votes yesterday.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and National Freedom Front (NFF), both partners within the ruling coalition, were absent during the vote.

Jaffna Uni students launch boycott in protest against death threats

Students at the University of Jaffna announced two days of strike, protesting over the anonymous death threats issued to staff and students earlier this week.

In a posters around the premises, students said: "We the students of the University of Jaffna, hereby declare a two day (Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd) strike because of the anonymous [threats] to the University Society."

Northern Provincial Council remembers Mullivaikal massacre 5 years on

Photograph @Hamsanan


The Northern Provincial Council held a Mullivaikal memorial event this morning, during the NPC's 9th meeting in Kaithadi, lighting candles in remembrance of the tens of thousands that were slaughtered in May 2009.

Photograph @Uthayarasashalin

Wearing black shawls around their necks several NPC members including Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, Ananthy Sasitharan and M.K. Shivajilingham of the Tamil National Alliance, as well as NPC opposition leader, Thavarasa, took part in the remembrance event, the Uthayan reported.

Photograph Uthayan

Tamil Nadu parties criticise Rajapaksa's invitation to Modi's swearing-in ceremony

Political parties in Tamil Nadu have criticised the decision to invite Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the swearing in ceremony of India's Prime Minister-designate, Narendra Modi.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister 'dismayed' at Rajapaksa invite for Modi swearing-in ceremony

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa, has expressed her dismay at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the swearing in ceremony of India's Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, stating that it has “deeply upset the people of Tamil Nadu”.

In a statement released on Thursday, Jayalalithaa, who heads India's third largest party, said,
“The entire country and indeed the entire world is aware of the various Resolutions passed in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly during the last three years, with regard to the war crimes, ethnic pogrom and genocide perpetrated against the Sri Lankan Tamil people by the Sri Lankan Army under the Rajapaksa Government in Sri Lanka during the final stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka.”