Tamil Affairs

Tamil News

Latest news from and about the homeland

A newly published study has identified the earliest scientifically confirmed evidence of prehistoric human settlement on Velanai Island in the Jaffna Peninsula, dating back around 3,460 years and overturning an erroneous long-held Sri Lankan assumption that the region was largely uninhabited until much later. The study, published in the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology and led by…

Charity coordinator claims he was forced to give confession after torture to implicate Hejaaz Hizbullah

Mohamed Sulthan, the coordinator of Save the Pearls, has told the Fort Magistrates Court that he was tortured in order to implicate the prominent Muslim human rights lawyer, Hejaaz Hizbullah. 

Sulthan's defence lawyer detailed the names of three Terrorist Investigation Department officers who he alleges undertook the torture. Sulthan was originally arrested under allegations of teaching "extremism" at a Madrasa school and has been detained for 18 months.

Shocked and dismayed' - All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama responds Gnanasara's appointment

Responding to the appointment of former convict and extremist monk, Galagodaaththe Gnanasara, to head the Presidential Task Force on "One country, one law",  the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) expressed shock and dismay on behalf of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka.

In their statement, Ash Shaikh M. Arkam Nooramith the General Secretary for the ACJU maintained that Gnanasara's appointment "appointment tarnishes the reputation of our country in the international arena" and hampered "peace and harmony initiatives".

Remembering the Jaffna exodus – 500,000 displaced

On the day 26 years ago, over half a million Tamil men, women and children fled their homes in Jaffna as the Sri Lankan military launched a military offensive to capture the peninsula, under the leadership of then president Chandrika Kumaratunga.

On October 30, 1995, the entire town of Jaffna, the largest Tamil population centre on the island, streamed out in a mass exodus for the safety of the Vanni, which was then controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Rajapaksa leaves for Scotland as Tamil campaign steps up

Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa departed for Scotland on Saturday, heading a high level delegation to the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, where protests are planned to greet him.

Rajapaksa was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s environment minister Mahinda Amaraweera and several other senior officials, including Foreign Secretary and fellow accused war criminal, Jayanath Colombage.

Digital campaign takes off in Scotland ahead of Rajapaksa visit

As Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa prepares to visit Glasgow tomorrow, a campaign by Scottish Tamil activists went digital this week, protesting against his visit to the country.

Alongside newspaper adverts and projections on landmarks across Scotland, a set of online advertisements were placed in The Herald and other websites this week.

Over 50,000 adverts were reportedly based strategically targeting postcodes in Glasgow, where Rajapaksa is set to speak at a side event on nitrogen use.

Rajapaksa to speak at COP26 side event as Tamils prepare to protest

Sri Lanka’s war crimes accused president Gotabaya Rajapaksa is set to speak at a side event tomorrow during the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, as Tamils from across the UK are gathering in Scotland to protest his appearance.

Canadian politicians denounce Instagram’s ban of Tamil Guardian

Canadian politicians from both the Liberal and Conservative parties slammed Instagram and Facebook, which has been rebranded to Meta, last night, after the social media platform removed the Tamil Guardian Instagram account for more than 48 hours this week.

Evidence of Sri Lankan crimes against Tamils is ‘overwhelming’ – Wayne Jordash QC on landmark ICC submission

World-leading expert in international rights and humanitarian law Wayne Jordash QC is calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UK to investigate crimes perpetrated against Sri Lankan Tamils.

Jaffna families of the disappeared protest outside UN office urging international action

Tamil families of the disappeared held a protest outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office this morning in Jaffna as they demand answers regarding the fates and locations of their forcibly disappeared loved ones. 

The families have been holding roadside protests since 2017 under horrible weather conditions calling for justice and accountability. 

"Where are they? Where are our loved ones?" the families chanted. 

Sri Lanka's counter-terrorism department summons Tamil activist over social media posts

Sri Lanka's Counter-Terrorism Investigation Department (CTID) summoned Tamil community activist Kanagasabai Vimalathas, over his social media posts relating to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). 

The Mullaitivu based activist, was interrogated for over four hours in Vavuniya in relation to his posts on social networking sites such as Facebook, Whatsapp and Viber and was also questioned over his social activism organisation.