Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

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  The lawyer representing detained Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeskumar challenged allegations that his client sought to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during proceedings before the Jaffna Magistrate's Court this week, arguing that the material cited by police contains no reference to the organisation or its leadership. Sangeethsan, better known by his stage name…

It wasn't the army, says the army - volume II

The report by the Sri Lankan Army Court of Inquiry, which was appointed by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, was handed over to the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday.

JHU tells India to look at Kashmir crimes first

The Sinhala nationalist JHU (Jathika Hela Urumaya) said that India should look at its own human rights violations, including those in Kashmir.

Science and technology Minister and Gen Secretary of the JHU Patali Champika Ranawake said the recent Indian delegation visit was part of a campaign to distort the image of Sri Lanka.

India’s former ambassador to UN on Sri Lanka’s war crimes, country-specific resolutions and China

Updated 13:45 Hardeep S Puri retired last month from the Indian Foreign Service.

In an op-ed in The Hindu, India’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Hardeep S. Puri, calls for a “full and final” investigation of allegations of Sri Lankan war crimes in 2009.

Asylum seeker boat arrives at Australian port

A boat carrying 66 asylum seekers from Sri Lanka has arrived at the busy Western Australian port of Geraldton, completely undetected until its arrival.

US Ambassador warns of 'next steps' after Geneva

The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele J. Sison, has warned that unless accountability was addressed in Sri Lanka, the island would see a “return to a conflict situation”, whilst addressing the Foreign Correspondents Association of Sri Lanka.

See her full speech here.

Speaking in Colombo, Sison said,

“History has shown that societies that do not adequately address reconciliation and accountability usually return to a conflict situation at some point down the road. Thus, however difficult this process is, it is ultimately vital to the stability of Sri Lanka”.

As we examine next steps, we will renew our consideration of all mechanisms available, both in the Human Rights Council and beyond. But it is important to emphasise that calls for reconciliation and accountability should not simply be seen as exhortations by the international community – reconciliation and accountability should be viewed as essential to ensuring a peaceful and prosperous future for the country”.

“We looked at the conditions around the country. We compared those to the government's commitments and stated goals. We realised that not only were many of the concerns that led to the first resolution still there, but also that in some ways the situation had deteriorated."

In terms of accountability, Sison expanded saying,

"We mean identifying those responsible for committing abuses and imposing consequences for these acts or omissions."

Sri Lanka will not comply with resolution - GL Peiris

Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister GL Peiris has stated that Sri Lanka will not comply with a recently passed resolution at the UN Human Rights Council this March.

Speaking in Parliament, the Minister said,

Sri Lanka cannot acquiesce with the resolution adopted.

Bodu Bala Sena plan US visit to create 'worldwide BBS network'

The Sinhala Buddhist group of Sri Lankan monks, the Bodu Bala Sena, who are responsible for recent anti-Muslim campaigns, have announced that they will be sending a delegation to the US in order to contruct a worldwide BBS network.

The executive committee member, Dilantha Vithanage, made the announcement on Monday.

The delegation will include the Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero and the national organiser Witharandeniye Nanda Thero.

Only in #lka ...

Tweet from an organisation of Sinhala Buddhist monks on the morning of an anti-Muslim campaign.

Buddhist monks fight for Kollywood films to be banned

The organisation of Sinhala Buddhist monks, Ravana Balaya, has launched a campaign to ban the screening of all films from Tamil Nadu in Sri Lanka.

The secretary of the Ravana Balaya, the Buddhist monk Iththepane Saddhathissa Thero, announced that a letter would be handed over to the Public Performance Board on Tuesday.

Ministry of External Affairs fights back

Sri Lanka invited those "who make unfounded and exaggerated allegations as well as unrealistic demands as solutions" to visit Sri Lanka for themselves and see the progress themselves, in a statement issued today by the External Affairs Ministry. Deeming the call by the Tamil Nadu state assembly as "disturbing", the ministry asserted that the reports of Tamil Nadu fishermen being attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy were "erroneous and without any factual basis".