Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Keir Starmer's announcement that he will resign as Labour leader, and remain in Downing Street only until his successor is chosen, brings to an end a premiership that began on the back of some of the strongest pledges a British party leader had ever made to Tamils. Speaking outside Number 10 on Monday morning, Starmer said he would ask Labour's National Executive Committee to set out a…

UK calls on Sri Lanka to address the issue of land grabs

During the 42nd Universal Period Review of human rights, UK permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Simon Manley CMG urged Sri Lanka to address the issue of land grabs in the North and East, the Tamil homeland, and allow memorialisation activities.

Sri Lanka looks to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia

On Monday, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Ali Sabry met with a delegation led by the director of Saudi Fund Development (SFD) Mohammed Almasoud, during which Sabry expressed his gratitude of Saudi Arabia’s “continuous assistance despite challenges” as well its support for an extension of an International Monetary Fund loan.

On Twitter, Sabry stated:

Amnesty International urges Sri Lankan police to show restraint

 Responding to the death of a protester in Colombo, and the injuring of dozens, Amnesty International has issued a statement calling on Sri Lankan police to show restraint in dealing with protesters and urgent for an independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations.

Another budget defeated at Jaffna Municipal Council

The Jaffna Municipal Council remains without a working budget after the latest attempt to pass one was defeated today.

The latest budget presented by Emmanuel Arnold, himself initially ousted in 2020 following a defeated budget, was defeated by 6 votes with 16 council members voting for the budget, 22 against and 1 abstaining.

This follows the resignation of former mayor Viswalingam Manivannan whose budget was defeated in December 2022.

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam - A masterfully crafted dream

Overall, ‘Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam’ is a film about duality: both a wonderful slice of life film and a philosophical work of magical realism. Equally importantly, it is a masterful display of fantastic filmmaking, both simple and brilliant.

Sri Lanka approves USD$ 442 million wind power plants with plan to export energy to India

Sri Lanks's board of investment approved the construction of two wind power plants by India's Adani Green Energy to be developed in the Mannar and Ponneryn area of the North.

Sri Lanka again abstains on UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion

Sri Lanka has again abstained on a UN resolution calling for an immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine and for Russia to withdraw its presence from Ukrainian territory.

The nonbinding resolution comes on the anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and reaffirms support for Ukrainian sovereignty and maintains the need for accountability for war crimes.

A plot to reinstall Mahinda Rajapaksa as PM

 

MP Professor Channa Jayasumana, a former member of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), has alleged a plot by members of the SLPP to force the resignation of current Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and replaced him with disgraced former President and Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sinhalisation: New Buddha statue placed in Achuveli

A new Buddha statue has been placed under a tree in Nilavari, Achuveli under the cover of night as part of the ongoing Sinhalisation of the North-East. 

Locals have reported that the Buddha statue was only placed there after a Sri Lankan military checkpoint was recently set up in the area. 

Sri Lanka's TID summons IBC Tamil chairman

Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) have summoned Baskaran Kandiah, chairman of mass media company, IBC Tamil. 

The summons orders Kandiah to give a statement at the TID's Kilinochchi office tomorrow on an investigation that is being conducted by the anti-terrorism unit. However, the summons fails to mention what the investigation is in relation to.