• ‘This is precisely what we mean’

    May 20
    The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to Sri Lanka’s GL Peiris on issues of accountability, free media, human rights and demilitarising the North, according the spokesperson Victoria Nuland, a move that was rejected just hours later by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
  • Mahinda and Basil decide to expand fertiliser subsidies
    Sri Lanka has announced that a new subsidy for fertilisers would be granted to farmers with supplementary crop cultivations, expanding a scheme currently only available for paddy farmers.
  • Marina Beach candlelight vigil held for Mullivaikal

    Thousands of people gathered on Marina Beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to remember those that perished in Mullivaikal, shouting slogans of grievance and calling in international independent investigation into war crimes.

    Organised by the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam and the May 17th Movement, the crowd also called for a referendum in establishing a separate state and were heard to shout slogans such as, “We will never forget India’s betrayal” and “We will never condone”.

    An organisation called Youth Against War Crimes and Genocide also took part in the event, collecting signatures for their campaign.

    See below for more photos.

  • Over 200 Tamil prisoners on hunger strike
    A total of 234 Tamil detainees are now on hunger strike at prisons across the country, which has stretched into its fifth day, with more detainees joining the protest.

    The detainees, some who have been held without charge for several years, have asked to be either charged or released.
  • Row over lending of Buddha's relics

    India’s plans to lend ancient fragments of the Buddha’s bones to Sri Lanka have been slammed by Tamil Nadu activists.

    Sri Lanka signed an agreement with India on Friday, permitting the transfer of the relics for the celebrations marking the 2,600th anniversary of Buddha’s enlightenment.

  • Media organisations criticise Supreme Court decision
    The Committee to Protect Journalists has slammed the Sri Lankan Supreme Court’s decision to rejection a petition on the government’s website censorship earlier this week, filed by members of the Free Media Movement.

    Bob Dietz, coordinator of CPJ’s Asia Program stated,
  • Rajapaksa pardons General Fonseka
    President Mahinda Rajapaksa has used a presidential pardon to grant the former army General Sarath Fonseka release from prison, after he was jailed in 2010.

    Around 2,000 supporters greeted Fonseka at his release, waving the Sri Lankan flag and chanting,
    "Victory to our war hero! Victory to our leader!"
  • Honouring our symbols of strength and courage
    Addressing the Mullivaikkal remembrance event in Trafalgar Square, London on Saturday, Jan Jananayagam of Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) paid tribute to the thousands of Tamil lives lost, calling them “symbols of strength and courage”.

    Taking the opportunity to remember life in the Vanni before the assault by the Sri Lankan Army, she stated,
  • May 18th defines precisely what cannot be reconciled' - TYO UK

    Addressing the Mullaivaikkal remembrance event in London, on Saturday, the Tamil Youth Organisation UK (TYO UK), condemned the ongoing abuses, colonisation and oppression taking place in the North-East and asserted, "history makes two things very clear.

  • Eelam Tamils 'will resist subjugation' - BTF

    The British Tamil Forum condemned the continued oppression of the Tamil nation in their speech at London's Mullivaikal remembrance event on Saturday.

    BTF asserted that the Tamil people will never accept 'servitude in their own land' and 'subjugation' will be 'resisted'.

  • UK Tamil university societies condemn Jaffna student attack
    British Tamil students from across the United Kingdom have released a joint statement, denouncing the attack on the secretary of the Jaffna University Student Union.

    In a statement released on Saturday, student organisations deplored the “brutal act of violence that seeks to terrorise Tamil youth”, after Paramalingam Tharsananth was assaulted by a gang, alleged to have been linked with Sri Lankan army intelligence.

    The student was due to speak at a remembrance event in Jaffna University, marking three years since the massacre at Mullaivaikkal.

    Signed by 12 British university Tamil societies and the Tamil Youth Organisation UK, the statement goes on to say,
    "The attack marks yet another attempt by the Sri Lankan state, through intimidation, aggression and sheer violence, to deny Tamils the very basic of rights – the right to mourn our dead.
    Justice is paramount. However, reflecting on over sixty years of genocide faced by the Tamil nation, we view this attack as another in that continuum. We note with dismay and abhorrence that it will no doubt be met with injustice and impunity. 

    Our thoughts are with our brothers and sisters in the North-East who continue to face this genocide today."
    See the full statement and list of signatories below.

  • Tamil detainees across island join hunger strike
    Around 100 jailed Tamil prisoners have joined a hunger strike launched on Thursday, demanding either immediate court action or to be released.

    The detainees include 50 being held in Vavuniya prison, 20 held in Kalutara prison and 30 in Colombo Remand Prison.

    They joined another group of 80 prisoners who started their hunger strike earlier this week, with many of the detainees having been held without charge for several years.
  • Tamil parties hold remembrance events in Jaffna

  • Prayers in Kilinochchi for Mullivaikkal victims

    Photograph TamilNet

  • Events across Tamil Nadu mark Mullivaikkal massacre

    Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu

    Tamils honoured the victims of Mullivaikkal by lighting candles at remembrance events held across Tamil Nadu, including Coimbatore, Hosur, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Saami Malai and Chidambaram.

    The events, organised by the Tamil Desiya Pothu Udamai Katchi have been taking place over the past two days, with more planned. 

    Tamil Nadu youth and student organisations took part in remembrance events in Chidambaram.

    Kovai, Tamil Nadu

    Organisers have announced that further events are taking place in Chennai this weekend. An event will be held in the T.Nagar region of Chennai on Saturday followed by a large event, at Marina Beach on Sunday, where the veteran political activist Pazha Nedumaran, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, Tamil Desiya Pothu Udamai Katchi leader Mani Arasan, director Seeman, Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam leader Kolathur Mani and the leader of the May 17th Movement Thirumurugan will be participating.

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