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…

Tamil youth beaten to death by Sri Lankan Intelligence officials

Chandran Vithusan, 22

A young Tamil man, who was arrested by the Sri Lankan Intelligence Division last night at a house in East Iruthayapuram, Batticaloa, has died in detention this morning. 

The body of Chandran Vithusan, 22, who was arrested outside his house in East Iruthayapuram by people who identified themselves as intelligence officers at 10.30pm last night, has been handed over this morning. 

Former LTTE cadre arrested in Batticaloa for 'reviving' the organisation

A former Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre was arrested under the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) yesterday for allegedly 'reorganising' the LTTE. 

Following a tip-off from the district intelligence unit, Kaluvanchikudi police arrested Nagalingam Pradeepan, at his home in Porathivu, Batticaloa.

The draconian legislation allows for unlawful detention practices where individuals can be detained for 18 months without charge, though some have been detained for decades. 

German Tamils mark 40th anniversary of Jaffna library burning

German Tamils gathered in Bebelplatz, Berlin, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the burning of the Jaffna library.

Tamil families of disappeared commemorate the burning of Jaffna library

Tamil families of the disappeared marked the 40th anniversary of the burning of the Jaffna library in Vavuniya yesterday. 

“The burning of Jaffna library was tantamount to genocide against Tamils,” said Ko. Rajkumar, secretary of the organisation. 

“The burning took place in the early hours of June 1, 1981 by a mob orchestrated by Sinhala chauvinists with the support of the Sri Lankan government,” he added.  

COVID-19 vaccination program launched across Jaffna

The public vaccination program against COVID-19 began in Jaffna, on Sunday.

Former Scottish Justice Minister raises concerns over UK-Sri Lanka police training contract

During a British parliamentary debate on Sri Lanka community policing, former Scottish Justice Minister and MP Kenny Macaskill,  questioned the resumption of the UK's police training in Sri Lanka and highlighted the controversial appointed Minister of Community Police Services, Dilum Amunugama.

Jaffna University English lecturer passes away due to COVID-19

Sriranjani Anandakumarasamy who taught English at the University of Jaffna passed away last Friday, May 28, after contracting the coronavirus. 

One of Anandakumarasamy’s family members who works at a private firm contracted the virus first, after which she was also detected positive for COVID-19 through the PCR test. 

Sri Lankan army illegally fishing in Mannar

The Sri Lankan army has been reported to be illegally fishing in a pond near Thiruketheeswaram, Mannar, owned by the Thiruketheeswaram farmers’ organisation.

In spite of the pond belonging to a private body, the army deployed in Mannar has been repeatedly fishing in it day in and day out without any permission from the owners. The pond was reported leased to an individual for a period of three months but the army's activities has caused the person great distress.

Families in Vavuniya pushed to starvation due to travel ban

Approximately 80 families residing in Karkulam village in the Vavuniya Divisional Secretariat, who relied on daily-wage work such as construction and cutting timber for their livelihood, have been rendered jobless due to the ban on travel and pushed to the point of starvation.

Families across the North-East have report similar conditions due to the deprivation of work causing acute economic distress. 

Sri Lanka claims it is not a dumping ground for Chinese garbage

Sri Lankan government spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, rebuked claims that Sri Lanka was importing garbage from Chin describing them as mere gossip.

Rambukwella made these remarks during a press conference where he further claimed that Sri Lanka was receiving its vaccine from China at a lower price than the price given to other countries.