• Young woman reported missing in Batticaloa

    Oct 03
    A 20 year old woman was reported missing in Batticaloa by her mother on Friday, reports Uthayan.

    The young woman, Nirojini Kanthasamy, was last seen on September 22, when she left home to pawn her ring at the bank in Vaaharai, her mother told the human rights commission in Batticaloa.
  • Tamils fearful of giving evidence to UN inquiry amid govt intimidation says TNA MP
    Tamils in the North-East are very afraid of coming forward to submit evidence to the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) underway, said TNA MP Maavai Senathirajah.

    "People are scared," Senathirajah said, speaking to Tamil Guardian after a meeting with Tamils in London on Friday.

    "The government has issued severe threats [against Tamils wishing to submit evidence] and intimidation is extremely prevalent," he said, adding that there was no guarantee of protection to witnesses.

    "The government is also trying to counter Tamil witnesses, by making its own submissions," Senathirajah added.

  • Only LTTE supporters don't acknowledge Sri Lanka's progress - Rajapaksa

    Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said during a meeting with supporters that only politicians who represented the LTTE, and those who supported their cause, did not acknowledge the progress made by the government, reported state media.

    “No one is getting killed by bombs anywhere now. Highways which were only dreams for us before are now a reality. We will soon commence the construction of Kandy and Northern highways. Even the roads in rural areas are now been improved and carpeted. 96% of the population is now have electricity. We will be able to provide power to the remaining 4% by next year.”

    “It is only a handful of politicians who represented the LTTE and those who supported their cause do not acknowledge this progress. I could not change them,” he said, while speaking at a meeting with Sri Lankan organisations based in Europe, during his visit to Rome

  • NPC declares November tree planting month
    The Northern Provincial Council's Agriculture and Environment Minister P. Ayngaranesan said action is underway to ensure 100,000 trees are planted in the month of November, declaring it the first of an annual tree planting month.
  • US: no softening in Sri Lanka policy
    Dismissing Sri Lankan media reports that the US Secretary of State had assured President Mahinda Rajapaksa of a softening in the US' stance on Sri Lanka, the US State Department said it "has not changed and it certainly has not softened".

    Asked at a press briefing if the US stance had softened a spokesperson for the State Department, Jen Psaki, said "absolutely not".

    "The only thing that was right was that the Secretary did speak with the Sri Lankan President on the margins of the UN General Assembly. He did so with the express purpose of conveying that U.S. policy with regard to Sri Lanka has not changed and it certainly has not softened," she added.

  • Pakistan Navy ships dock in Colombo

    Photo courtesy: Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence

    Two ships from the Pakistani Navy arrived to a ceremonial welcome in Colombo this week, as they made their way from Malaysia to Pakistan.

    The two ships, "PNS Saif" a frigate with Surface to Surface, Surface to Air missiles and a Close-in-Weapon-System, and "PNS Nasr" from the Pakistan Navy Fleet's 09th Auxiliary and Mine Warfare Squadron, are due to leave Colombo on Saturday.

  • Hackers breach Myanmar news site to demand apology for discrediting the BBS
    A popular news website in Myanmar was breached by hackers who demanded an apology for the paper’s labelling of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist organisation, Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) as “radical,” reports Agence France Presse.

    The hacker attack came after the news website covered a meeting between Buddhist organisations Wiruthu and the BBS, which hail from Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Evidence suggests that the hacking attempts of the site could be traced to be coming from Sri Lanka.

    The attack came days after staff at the newspapers office in Rangoon received a telephone threat of a fire bomb attack in response to the same article.

  • North-East under close watch of Sri Lanka's military

    A Sri Lankan military official said the army was keeping a close watch on the activities of Tamils to prevent any promotion of “terrorism and anti-state activities”.

    Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, head of the security forces in Kilinochchi, said that this was necessary to prevent a revival of the LTTE, reported the New Indian Express.

    “What is ‘spying’ for you is ‘being aware’ for us. It is a thin line which divides spying from being aware,” he said.

    Ranasinghe justified the presence of military personnel at civilian events.

    “We do not interfere with the proceedings. We just listen to find out if anyone is promoting terrorism and anti-state activities,” he said.

  • Rajapaksa to meet Pope Francis in the Vatican

    President Mahinda Rajapaksa has left Sri Lanka for a visit to the Vatican, on an invitation by The Holy See.

    The president is expected to meet Pope Francis on Friday, before talks with Cardinal Parolin, who is secretary of state and prime minister of The Holy See.

    Pope Francis is due to visit Sri Lanka in January next year.

    Rajapaksa will be accompanied by Minister of External Affairs G. L. Peiris, Deputy Minister of External Affairs Neomal Perera, Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga, Monitoring MP of the Ministry of External Affairs Sajin de Vass Gunawardena and Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Kshenuka Senewiratne.

  • Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Disappearances lacks credibility - CPA
    The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) expressed deep concern regarding the integrity and credibility of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate into Complaints Regarding the Missing Persons.

    A statement released by the Colombo based organisation, on Thursday, brought forward several criticisms after observing public sitting of the Presidential Commission.

    Some of the concerns included: inaccurate translations, a lack of witness and victim protection and misleading questions.

  • Who do you think you're fooling' shouts Tamil mother at Presidential Commission
    A Tamil mother in Mulangavil slammed the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Disappeared, after she was offered poultry farming when she had attended to register the disappearance of her son.

    “Who are you fooling, you cannot fool God. I want my child," she shouted, after storming out of the Commission's session in Mulangavil.


  • Sri Lanka dismisses Amnesty report to UNHRC
    Sri Lanka is not concerned by an Amnesty International report submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Committee said the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commissioner, on Thursday.

    Amnesty International submitted a 40 page report documenting violations of civil and political rights to the UNHRC International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which will convene on 07 October.
  • Sri Lankan authorities block journalism workshop

    Published 29/09/14

    Updated 17:30 BST 01/10/14

  • UK Ministers and MPs rally behind Tamil calls for justice

    MP Nick De Bois addressing the event

    The Chairman of the Conservative party, British government ministers and Members of Parliament voiced their support for the Tamil community in the United Kingdom and backed calls for justice for the Tamil people at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham this week.

  • Australian asylum policies 'reckless' says Human Rights Law Centre
    Criticising the Australian government's continued deportation of asylum seekers fleeing Sri Lanka as "extremely reckless", the Human Rights Law Centre, said Australia was placing the deportees in direct danger.

    Speaking as further evidence of the rape and torture of Tamil deportees emerged, this time those who had been deported from Australia, HRLC's Director of Advocacy and Research, Emily Howie, said:
    “The Immigration Department should stop denying Sri Lankans the opportunity to use the proper processes to make claims for protection. By using a flimsy screening process, Australia is being extremely reckless and risks placing men, women and children directly in danger."
Subscribe to Tamil Affairs

Most-Read Articles

Senior Buddhist monk from Anuradhapura remanded over sexual abuse of minor
A senior Sri Lankan Buddhist monk and chief prelate of the Anuradhapura Atamasthana,…
Velupillay makes history as first Tamil at a FIFA World Cup
Photograph: @Socceroos Nishan Velupillay has been selected in Australia's squad…
17 years today - A massacre in Mullivaikkal
To mark 17 years since the Sri Lankan military onslaught that massacred tens…
In Pictures - Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day commemorated in Mullivaikkal
All photographs by Uthayarasa Shalin Thousands of Tamils gathered at Mullivaikkal…
Tamil rapper arrested for ‘terrorism’ over TikTok video
A Tamil rapper from Kilinochchi has been arrested and remanded under Sri Lanka's…