Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Today marks 52 years since the death of Ponnuthurai Sivakumaran, the first Tamil to die in the liberation struggle.  Sivakumaran was a member of the Tamil Manavar Peravai (or Tamil Student Federation, TSF) and a leading militant in the early armed Tamil struggle. With decades of Sri Lankan state repression and deadly anti-Tamil pogroms already having taken place, Tamil militant…

Chemmani protest enters third day as Tamils demands answers for disappearances

The ongoing protest demanding justice for the victims of the Chemmani mass graves entered its third consecutive day on Wednesday, with families of the disappeared maintaining a solemn vigil at the site in Jaffna.

Statue of Thanthai Chelva vandalised and beheaded in Mannar

A statue of SJV Chelvanayakam, fondly known as Thanthai Chelva, the leader widely regarded as the father of the Tamil nation, was found vandalised in Mannar during the early hours of 25 June, prompting outrage from Tamil political figures and local residents.

Tamils present demand for international accountability to UN rights chief in Trincomalee

During United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk’s visit to the Eastern Province on Tuesday, Tamil victims, families of the disappeared, civil society representatives, and human rights activists staged a protest and submitted a statement outlining urgent demands and concerns.

UN human rights chief warns Sri Lanka of ‘impunity trap’ in Colombo

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned Sri Lanka against falling into the “impunity trap” and urged the government “to hold to account the perpetrators of the most severe crimes” during an address in Colombo on Tuesday.

Explainer - What are the Chemmani mass graves?

Chemmani, a village on the outskirts of Jaffna, is a serene and beautiful town that has come to take on a notorious reputation. It is the site of mass graves, where potentially, hundreds of Tamils who were murdered by the Sri Lankan military lie buried.

Sri Lankan Airlines declare loss of 8.4 billion LKR

The state-owned ailing airline declared a loss of 8.4 billion LKR over the 2024/2025 financial year, requiring an extra allocation of nearly 30 billion LKR to keep it afloat. 

‘Unextinguished Flame’ vigil for Chemmani mass grave continues into second day

The “Unextinguished Flame” vigil demanding justice for the Chemmani mass graves entered its second consecutive day on Tuesday, as Tamils gathered near the Jaffna junction in Chemmani to press for international accountability.

Valikamam North land protest enters fourth day as Tamil owners display deeds

Tamil landowners in Valikamam North, Jaffna, continued their protest for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, demanding the return of over 2,400 acres of land still occupied by the Sri Lankan military within the so-called ‘High Security Zone’ (HSZ).

Sri Lankan Airline A320 suffers multiple in-flight system failures at 34,000 feet

A Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A320 has suffered multiple system failures of key instruments during a flight from Colombo to Singapore, forcing an emergency landing in Medan, Indonesia, after declaring a mayday to air traffic controllers. 

In pictures - Tamils rally in Brussels demanding justice and freedom for Tamil Eelam


A demonstration under the banner “Rise for Freedom, Tamils” took place on Monday outside the European Union headquarters in Brussels, as Tamils gathered to demand international justice for the Tamil genocide and reaffirm their call for the liberation of Tamil Eelam.

The protest, which drew large crowds from across Europe, marked what organisers described as a “popular uprising” for Tamil self-determination.