• India launches probe into police killings of alleged smugglers

    Apr 13
    India’s National Human Rights Commission ordered an investigation into the killing of 20 alleged sandalwood smugglers after hearing two testimonials on Monday.

    The testimonies countered police claims that the alleged loggers were shot in an exchange last week, claiming instead that they were executed.
  • Liberal party celebrates Tamil contributions in Canada at Tamil New Year
    The leader of Canada's Liberal party, Justin Trudeau, celebrated the contributions made by Tamil Canadians as Tamils around the world celebrated Tamil new year on April 14.

    "This day is an important opportunity for us all to reflect on the valuable contributions Tamil-Canadians have made, and continue to make, to our national fabric," Mr Trudeau said in a statement released on Tuesday, wishing everyone: “Iniya Tamizh Puthaandu Nalvazhthukkal.”

  • NDP commends Tamil Canadians for courage and determination at Tamil New Year
    Canada's New Democrat Party wished Tamils in Canada a happy and prosperous new year on Tuesday, commending them determination in the face of adversity.

    In a statement on behalf of the NDP, Scarborough Rouge River MP, Rathika Sitsabaiesan said:

    “I would like to recognize the outstanding contributions of the many Canadians of Tamil descent and commend them for their courage and determination in the face of adversity – values that all Canadians can learn from."

  • Pray for life without militarisation at this Tamil new year says Wigneswaran
    The chief minister of the northern province, C V Wigneswaran, expressed his hope that a life without subjugation and free from militarisation would begin this year for the Tamil people, as Tamils celebrated new year on Monday.
     
    " We should pray that atleast in this coming new year the continuing militarised environment that surrounds us and makes our people feel that they lack freedom is removed.," Mr Wigneswaran was quoted by the Uthayan as saying, when addressing a cultural event at Nelliyadi Central College, marking Tamil New Year.

  • Sri Lanka postpones domestic inquiry again

    Sri Lanka will not start a domestic war crimes probe before September, said Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith Perera to Ceylon Today, despite President Maithripala Sirisena’s pledge last week to launch an inquiry in June.

    The deputy minister said Sri Lanka would only present a report on the modalities on how such a domestic inquiry would be conducted at the UNHRC in September.

    Mr Perera said the government achieved a “great diplomatic victory” in March this year, referring to the deferral of the OISL report until September.

    "We made it clear to the UN that there was no need for an international inquiry and told that we have an independent judiciary and independent public service,” he said.

  • Labour Party will continue to push for a full international investigation - Ed Miliband

    The leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband has pledged to continue to push for a "full and independent international investigation" into war crimes in Sri Lanka, in a video message to the British Tamil community marking the Tamil New Year.

    Thanking the British Tamil community for the "incredible contribution" it has made to the UK, the opposition leader said the Labour Party has always been "a friend of the Tamil community".

  • Tamil civil society groups welcome UN official's report
    The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF), a network of civil society groups in the North-East, welcomed the statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff, released on Saturday, following his visit to the island.

    "We are pleased that Mr de Grieff has addressed many issues that was raised by TCSF in his meeting with him," the group said on its social media page on Monday.

  • IFJ condemns intimidation of Tamil journalists by Sri Lankan police
    The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Free Media movement (FMM) condemned the arrest of an Uthayan journalist and intimidation of 3 further Tamil journalists in Jaffna.

    In a statement released on Monday the IFJ, noting that Sri Lanka's commitments to media freedom were “clearly slow in filtrating to the police in the country’s north,” said,

    “This is clearly an attempt to police and intimidate journalists in Jaffna and sows the dismissal status of press freedom in Sri Lanka even after the promise by the new government to improve the safety situation.”
  • Sri Lanka's sports minister tells Olympic committee no political interference
    Responding to a letter by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) warning Sri Lanka that it risked its international status over its decision to hold elections under a contentious sports law introduced by the new government, Sri Lanka's sports minister, Navin Dissanayake, denied that the ministry was exerting any pressure on sporting bodies.
  • Sri Lankan army camps built on top of destroyed Tamil homes
    The Sri Lankan military has constructed army camps on top of the destroyed houses of displaced Tamils in Jaffna, reports the Uthayan.

    The discovery was made after the military granted permission for a small group of Tamils to view their land in Palai Veemankamam, which had been seized by the military.

    “They built army camps on lands where our homes were,” said one of the Tamils who was granted access to their land. One home, belonging to 74 year old  Mr Kanthasamypillai, has been completely destroyed, with an army camp now stood in its place.
  • Changing Sri Lanka's electoral boundaries will lead to less Tamil representation in parliament warns TNA
    The Tamil National Alliance and the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress (SLMC) called on  the government to avoid implementing the delimitation of electoral boundaries in the Northern Province for the next 10 years,  until displaced people are resettled in their original lands, including those that fled the country due to conflict.
  • Sri Lankan soldiers deliver traffic awareness programme to Tamil children

    (Security Force Headquarters East)

    The Sri Lankan military organised an awareness programme on traffic law to students of the Methodist Tamil School in Pothuvil earlier this week.

    The lecture was delivered by a police officer from Pothuvil police station, and army officials and teachers of the school were also present.

    The military's ongoing involvement in Tamil affairs almost 6 years after the end of the armed conflict has been widely condemned by Tamil politicians and activists, with numerous calls for the new president, Maithripala Sirisena to demilitarise the North-East.

  • Tamil struggle stands on its own arguments says former anti-apartheid activist
     The Tamil struggle stands on its own and own arguments and does not need justification, said that a former anti-apartheid activist who works in on promoting justice, reconciliation and democracy around the world.
  • Sri Lankan state bank lost millions in stock exchange investments says finance minister

    Sri Lanka’s state owned National Savings Bank (NSB) lost millions of rupees through investments in the Colombo Stock Exchange, said the government’s finance minister Ravi Karunanayake.

  • Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force provides weapons training to politician and businessmen

    Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force (STF) provided weapons training to a politician and 10 other businessmen, reports the Sunday Leader.

    According to the paper, defence sources stated the training was provided after applications were submitted to obtain firearms.

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