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…

Remembering Murugathasan 14 years on

 

On this day 14 years ago, Murugathasan Varnakulasingham, self-immolated outside the United Nations Human Rights Council in protest at the inaction of the international community, in the face of the relentless onslaught of the Sri Lankan military on Tamils in the Vanni.

TNPF MP released on bail after being arrested for protesting visit by Sri Lankan President

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) MP Selvarajah Kajendren was released on bail last night after being arrested for protesting against Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to Jaffna. 

TNPF MP Kajendren arrested alongside peaceful protesters

Sri Lankan police have arrested Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), Selvarajah Kajendren, for his involvement in the black flag protests against the Sri Lankan president’s visit to Jaffna.

Sinhala Buddhist monks clash with Sri Lankan police

Sri Lanka’s Buddhist clergy, the Maha Sangha, clashed with Sri Lankan police amidst their protest against the 13th amendment.

The demonstrators were barred by police from approaching Sri Lanka’s parliament. The nationalist Buddhist monks burned a copy of the 13th amendment to signal their anger at the president’s vow to implement the amendment.

The Sinhala Buddhist clergy has railed against the 13th amendment claiming that it would encourage separatism.

Day 4 – Eelam Tamils continue demands to end military occupation

As Eelam Tamils across the North-East continue their protest to end the Sri Lankan military’s occupation of the Tamil homeland, they are met with intimidation, surveillance and violence.

During their journey from Batticaloa from Verugal, stones were pelted at a bus carrying the Tamil Families of the Disappeared near an army camp in Amparai. Protesters were also photographed by plain-clothed military officers as they continued their journey.

Swiss court acquits Tamil man and orders that he receives compensation

Switzerland's Federal Court has acquitted a Swiss-Tamil man accused of fraud and ordered he receives 19,400 francs in compensation. 

End the occupation! - More Sri Lankan police surveillance as rally enters Eastern province

Plain clothed Sri Lankan police officers followed the 'End the Occupation' rally as it left Mullaitivu this morning and headed to Trincomalee on day 3 of its journey from the Northern to the Eastern province. 

‘We’ll never consent to the division of this nation’ – Sri Lankan President’s Independence Day address

In his special address on the 75th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s Independence Day, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe vowed he would “maximum division of power in a unitary state” but would “never consent to the division of this nation”.

 

Federalism

His statement comes as Tamils across the North and East, as well as those in diaspora, have rallied against Sri Lanka’s Independence Day celebrations and demanded a political solution that meets their demands for self-determination.

End the occupation! - North to East rally reaches Mullaitivu amidst Sri Lankan police surveillance

The 'North to East' rally demanding an end to the occupation of the Tamil homeland reached Mullaitivu this evening despite surveillance by Sri Lankan police.