Thursday, May 28 , 2020
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1937 - 2020
'A Tribute to
Mr Ivan Pedropillai
Late Patron/Former Chairman'

Tamil Heritage

Vision of Hope

The question remains as to whether Tamils will be brave and prepared to move on from the past violent years of suffering >> More
..... Ancient Indus Civilisation

Early Port Cities in the Malay Peninsula
The ethnic Tamil people of the southernmost region of India played the active part to transfer their religious and cultural traits from their homeland to Southeast Asia. >> More
Call for Submissions
OHCHR Investigation on
Sri Lanka
Individuals, organisations and governments are invited to submit information
Tamil Eelam Freedom Charter
The creation of an independent and sovereign State of Tamil Eelam remains the only viable option to lead a life with security, dignity and equality, both individually and collectively.


"There are legitimate issues raised by the Tamil community and they have a legitimate desire to control their own lives, to rule their own destinies, and to govern themselves in their homeland.''

U.S. Assistant Secretary of
State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher


Have No Fear !

Those who would deny the Tamils their rights use the language of terrorism to demonise and discredit our legitimate grievances

Sri Lanka
"Indeed, it is an enduring scandal that there have been virtually no convictions of government officials for killing Tamils, and many Tamils doubt that the rule of law will protect their lives."

United Nations

Tamil Declaration for Self Determination
Vaddukoddai Resolution-1976

Tamil Eelam
Demand in International Law
The UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (G.A Resolution 2200 of 1966) in Article 1 states: "All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development."



1918 - 2005
'Dedication to
CJT Thamotheram
Late Patron'




  :: News
Early Port Cities in the Malay Peninsula
[ TWG ] [ 28 May 2020 00:20 GMT ]

As this work will show, it was not an Indianization but a Tamilization, since the ethnic Tamil people of the southernmost region of India played the active part to transfer their religious and cultural traits from their homeland to Southeast Asia. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan Tamils living abroad struggle to reclaim land from afar
[ Thomson Reuters Foundation ] [ 27 May 2020 01:00 GMT ]

In Jaffna, more than 3,000 acres - about 12% of the land that was occupied - are still under military and police control, according to data from the city government. [Full Story]

Coronavirus India: Death and despair as migrant workers flee cities
[ BBC ] [ 26 May 2020 20:20 GMT ]

And some of them never made it home as they died because of exhaustion or in accidents. [Full Story]

India coronavirus: Bollywood actor Sonu Sood hailed for helping migrants
[ BBC ] [ 25 May 2020 15:44 GMT ]

And with state borders sealed and trains and buses suspended, thousands of men, women and children were left with no other option but to walk, sometimes more than 1,000km (620 miles) to reach home. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan Officials Stoke Covid-19 Communal Hate
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 24 May 2020 09:50 GMT ]

Eleven years since the end of Sri Lanka's long and brutal civil war, the government has disavowed promised steps toward truth, justice, and accountability for war crimes. [Full Story]

11 years on, Tamils remember loved ones amid pandemic
[ The Hindu ] [ 23 May 2020 01:30 GMT ]

'It's easy for some to say let’s forget the past and move on. But maybe moving on is about remembering and being able to freely remember,” [Full Story]

Behind Gotabaya Rajapaksa's threat to quit global bodies
[ Observer Research Foundation ] [ 22 May 2020 18:22 GMT ]

In the March session next year, the UNHRC is required to evaluate the progress made in the past two-plus years of time given to Sri Lanka to meet its mutually-agreed accountability commitments. [Full Story]

Government uses lockdown to prevent Tamils from remembering their civil war dead
[ Asia News ] [ 21 May 2020 11:45 GMT ]

Tamils feel discriminated by the central government. [Full Story]

Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day
[ Tamil Youth Organisation ] [ 20 May 2020 21:09 GMT ]

Whilst 11 years have passed since the genocide, there has still been little progress made in terms of justice, and accountability for the Tamil victims in Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Unitedly and strategically working for the betterment of the Tamil people
[ GTF ] [ 19 May 2020 01:59 GMT ]

It is important that the Tamil community remain conscious and sensitive to the immense suffering and sacrifices made by large sections of our community during the decades-long struggle. [Full Story]

Today marks the eleventh anniversary of the Mullivaikkal Massacre, marked annually as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day
[ PEARL ] [ 18 May 2020 21:55 GMT ]

Today, we mourn the dead, attempt to understand our collective trauma and commit to fulfilling Tamil aspirations for sovereignty, freedom, and justice. [Full Story]

Video - Prof. Francis Boyle on Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign and the Genocide of Tamils
[ Counter Current ] [ 17 May 2020 19:55 GMT ]

Among others, he has Published The Tamil Genocide by Sri Lanka: The Global Failure to Protect Tamil Rights Under International Law. [Full Story]

Global Simulcasting of Mullivaikkaal Remembrance on May 18, 2020
[ BTF ] [ 16 May 2020 20:40 GMT ]

This worldwide event will start with a moment of silence conveyed online from Australia, UK, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, USA and other parts of the world, to pay tribute to the innocent lives killed. [Full Story]

Coronavirus leaves Gulf migrant workers stranded
[ BBC ] [ 15 May 2020 23:59 GMT ]

'I came here to fulfil my dreams, but now I just want to go back to my family,' he says. 'I don't care if that means that I end up earning less money.' [Full Story]

TNA seeks release of 'political prisoners' in Sri Lanka
[ The Hindu ] [ 14 May 2020 10:25 GMT ]

Tamil political parties and civil society organisations have for long sought the release of PTA detainees - many of whom were not charged. [Full Story]

'Post-War Sri Lanka: Fractured and Unjust for Tamils'
[ The Diplomat ] [ 13 May 2020 23:55 GMT ]

'Until the world recognises the suffering of Tamils and upholds justice through fair and egalitarian policy, the Tamil homeland will remain shrouded in an air of premeditated misery.' [Full Story]

No income now and future uncertain for these people
[ The Hindu ] [ 12 May 2020 02:32 GMT ]

The Sri Lankan refugee camp in Koodal Nagar remains barricaded since April 26 after a 36 year-old man there tested positive for COVID-19. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's Expansion into Despotism Goes Unchallenged by Western Democracies
[ International Policy Digest ] [ 11 May 2020 00:15 GMT ]

While domestic criticism of Rajapaksa remains ineffectual, the international community too has been silent. [Full Story]

You People - Nikita Lalwani review: a complex read going behind the smiles at your local restaurant
[ The Telegraph UK ] [ 10 May 2020 12:30 GMT ]

In the kitchen, there's Shan, who fled the Sri Lankan civil war after his father was murdered. [Full Story]

Bargain abatement: Vietnam and the Indian state of Kerala curbed covid-19 on the cheap - Their secret is quick and efficient public-health systems
[ The Economist ] [ 09 May 2020 19:55 GMT ]

Cultural factors may have aided Vietnam's effort, such as a willingness to study and learn from China, social comfort with wearing protective masks, acceptance of being isolated away. [Full Story]

Post Conflict Development and Status of Implementation of Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka
[ Academia.edu ] [ 08 May 2020 11:45 GMT ]

Apart from political will, neumorologically thirteen will not be the final; we have to go for above thirteen amendments to the Constitution for the post conflict development in Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Threatened with death. Then arrested. Still detained. Help #FreeRamzyRazeek
[ Sri Lanka Campaign ] [ 07 May 2020 22:35 GMT ]

Nearly a month on, he remains in detention without any formal charges having been brought against him. [Full Story]

Sampanthan's appeal for Tamil diaspora funds
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 06 May 2020 19:00 GMT ]

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R Sampanthan was full of praise for the Tamil diaspora, as he made an appeal for relief funds to come directly through his party's former lawmakers. [Full Story]

COVID-19: Out of chaos comes opportunity. But opportunity must be seized to become reality.
[ LBO ] [ 05 May 2020 23:55 GMT ]

A ladder for visionary policy makers, for diligent students and their savvy teachers, for agile entrepreneurs and for the regions beyond the Western Province to climb. [Full Story]

Karunanidhi a visionary and a reformist pushing for social justice
[ Outlook ] [ 04 May 2020 20:21 GMT ]

Tamil Nadu has raced ahead of most states on the parameters of growth, social justice and good governance,'. [Full Story]

RAJA RAJA CHOLAN THE GREAT (AD 985-1014 CE)
[ TamilNadu Tourism ] [ 03 May 2020 09:25 GMT ]

As a staggering administrator, intense warrior, a magnanimous philanthropist, and a lover of beautiful art and architecture, Raja Raja Cholan is an inevitable character in Tamil and world history. [Full Story]

A Tribute to Vanangaa Thamilan Mr Ivan Pedropillai (1937 -2020) - A Tamil Warrior !
[ TWG ] [ 02 May 2020 14:45 GMT ]

We grieve the loss of this colossus amongst us, but we also celebrate the life of one so special, eloquent and caring. May his soul Rest In Peace. [Full Story]

Ivan Pedropillai (1937 - 2020) - Patron of TWG, former Chairman and Editor In Chief Passed Away Yesterday
[ TWG ] [ 29 Apr 2020 17:17 GMT ]

A passionate advocate for the fair treatment of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka, he worked exhaustively to support many causes in the broader community. [Full Story]

Manufacturers focus on making PPE kits, face masks in Tamil Nadu's Tirupur
[ India Today ] [ 28 Apr 2020 23:10 GMT ]

With many of their finished goods stranded in warehouses or in transit, the industry is having stranded goods worth Rs 9,000 crore. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Threats To Human Rights And Rule Of Law Amid Coronavirus Pandemic – OpEd
[ Eurasia Review ] [ 27 Apr 2020 23:55 GMT ]

It is therefore essential that civil society organisations continue to speak up, and play a prominent and active role in probing, questioning, and challenging the actions of their governments. [Full Story]

'The Sri Lanka government will never give us anything meaningful'
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 26 Apr 2020 22:58 GMT ]

Marking 15 years since the killing of Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram, popularly known as 'Taraki', we have reproduced his final written piece. [Full Story]

Government ordered to pay $200k in Tamil family case
[ Brisbane Times ] [ 25 Apr 2020 21:28 GMT ]

We have spent so much time in detention and we are very depressed. We ask the government to let us out, let us live in peace. [Full Story]

Families hit by Kochchikade attack feel helpless and hopeless
[ Daily Mirror ] [ 24 Apr 2020 03:12 GMT ]

'From last month onwards, victims' families have gone down mentally because of the first year remembrance. [Full Story]

Syria civil war: Germany holds unprecedented state torture trial
[ BBC ] [ 23 Apr 2020 18:05 GMT ]

Key evidence against the pair came from the tens of thousands of photos taken by a military defector known as Caesar, who fled Syria in 2013. [Full Story]

Coronavirus in India: Desperate migrant workers trapped in lockdown
[ BBC ] [ 22 Apr 2020 22:45 GMT ]

'By shutting everything down, you may be able to save 100,000 lives, but if the lockdown continues, you'll kill one million from hunger and starvation.' [Full Story]

Sri Lanka attacks: Easter Sunday bombings marked one year on
[ BBC ] [ 21 Apr 2020 16:17 GMT ]

But the day is not going unnoticed - not least for those whose lives were changed forever by the violence. [Full Story]

Breaking Bad - Uncovering The Oil Industry's Dirty Secret
[ BBC ] [ 20 Apr 2020 00:35 GMT ]

'Sometimes we feel like we're animals. We're treated like insects by these people.' [Full Story]

The Slow March Towards Accountability for War Crimes
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 19 Apr 2020 00:22 GMT ]

The current situation in Sri Lanka underlines why an international approach is often the only way. [Full Story]

'Relief': appeal win means Biloela family can put claim Sri Lanka is not safe, says supporter
[ The Guardian UK ] [ 18 Apr 2020 20:01 GMT ]

'We are moving in the right direction,' friend says after verdict that asylum seeker family was denied procedural fairness. [Full Story]

So many candidates, so little time - Can the world find a good covid-19 vaccine quickly enough?
[ The Economist ] [ 17 Apr 2020 01:10 GMT ]

The science of vaccination may well offer humankind a viable exit from the straits that the covid-19 pandemic has stuck it in. Politics could still see some people trampled underfoot in the rush to get out. [Full Story]

A military mindset : Sri Lanka's response to the coronavirus pandemic
[ The Polis Project ] [ 16 Apr 2020 03:41 GMT ]

Nowhere is the military's presence felt more acutely than in the primarily Tamil North-East. [Full Story]

British Tamil community rallies together in wake of coronavirus outbreak
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 15 Apr 2020 02:00 GMT ]

'We are a strong and resilient community,' added Raj. 'Although this is a new crisis, we have faced genocide and rally with that same spirit to help those less fortunate.' [Full Story]

Coronavirus: 'World faces worst recession since Great Depression'
[ BBC ] [ 14 Apr 2020 02:28 GMT ]

It said the pandemic had plunged the world into a 'crisis like no other'. [Full Story]

To Be Human Dust: Sri Lanka's 'Children Of The Sun'
[ Roar Media ] [ 13 Apr 2020 01:10 GMT ]

The film is also a powerful reminder of Sri Lanka's misfortune to come, as a kingdom embroiled in its own conflict. [Full Story]

How Delhi bus rape and murder galvanised India
[ BBC ] [ 12 Apr 2020 09:30 GMT ]

Why the case brought so many to the streets to protest and why it forced the government to reform anti-rape laws and set up fast-track courts. [Full Story]

Fighting it the Chinese way - China backs unproven treatments for covid-19
[ The Economist ] [ 11 Apr 2020 23:10 GMT ]

Traditional medicine is not just a placebo, claims the government. [Full Story]

Justice disappears for victims of the Sri Lankan civil war
[ East Asia Forum ] [ 10 Apr 2020 14:25 GMT ]

The UN estimates over 40,000 Tamil civilians may have died in these few short months. [Full Story]

2000 years on, the mystery of an ancient Bell remains unsolved
[ Indian Newslink ] [ 09 Apr 2020 22:15 GMT ]

Tamil is the oldest and the first of the six Original in the world. The other five are Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Chinese. [Full Story]

Coronavirus pandemic: Tracking the global outbreak
[ BBC ] [ 08 Apr 2020 11:00 GMT ]

This series of maps and charts tracks the spread of the virus since it emerged in China in December last year. [Full Story]

THE RISE, FALL, AND TRIUMPH OF SOUTH ASIAN INSURGENCIES: PART II - SRI LANKA
[ Georgetown Public Policy Review ] [ 07 Apr 2020 16:17 GMT ]

Sri Lanka's civil conflict has its origins in the country's history with British colonialism. [Full Story]

How will humans, by nature social animals, fare when isolated?
[ The Economist ] [ 06 Apr 2020 00:44 GMT ]

If lockdowns stretch on for months, old people will suffer particularly acutely. [Full Story]

Transnational Terror: Sri Lankan Easter Attacks
[ Harvard Political Review ] [ 05 Apr 2020 02:02 GMT ]

Sri Lanka has the potential to recover by strengthening inter-religious relations and easing tensions, providing an example of unity for the world. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka Uses Pandemic to Curtail Free Expression
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 04 Apr 2020 09:00 GMT ]

A failure to uphold the right to freedom of expression during the pandemic undermines basic human rights and could undermine trust in government actions. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Religious minorities must have their final rites respected
[ Amnesty International ] [ 03 Apr 2020 23:22 GMT ]

The only way to deal with this crisis is as one, united in our support for the health workers on the frontlines and people from all backgrounds who are at risk during the pandemic,' [Full Story]

BBK Partnership, Jaffna’s accountants to the World
[ LBO ] [ 02 Apr 2020 00:02 GMT ]

He encourages others to come and setup business here as nothing would make him happier than competitors creating new jobs in the North. [Full Story]

Australian government continues to imprison Tamil refugee family
[ World Socialist Web Site ] [ 01 Apr 2020 14:29 GMT ]

The inhuman treatment of this family is part of an international assault on refugees, from the US-Mexico border to Europe and the world over. [Full Story]

Global Tamil Forum calls for a consideration of universal jurisdiction
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 31 Mar 2020 01:41 GMT ]

'It is time to end the diplomatic charade that Sri Lanka on its own will deliver on accountability and reconciliation. [Full Story]

Fascinating documentaries - all streaming - shine a light on the Rolling Stones, cats, dogs and more
[ Seattle Times ] [ 30 Mar 2020 22:05 GMT ]

While you're stuck at home, consider broadening your horizons with these fascinating and mostly little-known docs below. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Justice Undone for Massacre Victims
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 29 Mar 2020 00:02 GMT ]

'It should be clear that to deliver justice for victims and to deter future atrocities, an international justice mechanism is needed in Sri Lanka.' [Full Story]

Human Rights during COVID19: Sri Lanka Tamils community
[ eTN ] [ 28 Mar 2020 00:15 GMT ]

The international community is experiencing what the Tamil community is far too familiar with. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka pardons soldier who killed Tamil civilians
[ Aljazeera ] [ 27 Mar 2020 01:10 GMT ]

Sri Lanka's president on Thursday pardoned and released an army officer sentenced to death for slitting the throats of Tamil civilians, including four children, during the island's bloody ethnic war. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka 'will never' exercise accountability for war crimes - Sumanthiran
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 26 Mar 2020 19:35 GMT ]

Sumanthiran told The Hindu that 'all the institutions of the state will eventually conspire together and let the offenders go free'. [Full Story]

Justice reversed for victims of the Mirusuvil massacre, Sri Lanka
[ Amnesty International ] [ 25 Mar 2020 22:44 GMT ]

After many long years, the victims of the Mirusuvil massacre from 2000 finally got a semblance of justice in 2015. It is despicable to have that justice reversed through an arbitrary Executive decision,' said Biraj Patnaik. [Full Story]

The Sri Lankan Civil War, a murdered photographer and the after-life come together in Shehan Karunatilaka's latest
[ Firstpost ] [ 24 Mar 2020 23:48 GMT ]

But many Sri Lankans who have lost and suffered cannot escape the ghosts of those dark days.' [Full Story]

My Return to Sri Lanka - Hope abounds in this island nation
[ The Epoch Times ] [ 23 Mar 2020 17:10 GMT ]

And everyone tells me the same thing-that in a country so long torn by conflict, the peace, between Buddhist and Muslim and Christian, and Tamil and Singhalese, is something they cannot lose, not now. [Full Story]

ONE WORLD PRAGUE 2020 Critique : Scars
[ Cineuropa ] [ 22 Mar 2020 23:50 GMT ]

Written by Agnieszka Zwiefka, Scars is a German-Polish co-production staged by Stefan Kloos. [Full Story]

Invisible people and their stories
[ Telegraph India ] [ 21 Mar 2020 14:45 GMT ]

What makes Amnesty a significant book is Aravind Adiga's scathing indictment of Australia's hypocrisies. [Full Story]

UN rights body should ensure accountability in Sri Lanka and annual updating of OPT database
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 20 Mar 2020 01:45 GMT ]

Sri Lanka has had its opportunity. Now the Human Rights Council needs to create an international accountability mechanism as a matter of urgency. [Full Story]

SRI LANKA: JOINT ORAL STATEMENT AT HRC 43
[ Amnesty International ] [ 19 Mar 2020 10:30 GMT ]

We urge this Council to hold Sri Lanka accountable to its obligations under international law. [Full Report]

'It was never my plan to be the boss of a huge company'
[ BBC ] [ 18 Mar 2020 22:03 GMT ]

Born in Pittsburgh in 1976, to parents who had emigrated to the US from India (Tamil Nadu), his dad was a chemist, and his mother was a nuclear scientist. [Full Story]

Tamil scholars of non-Tamil background
[ Wikipedia ] [ 17 Mar 2020 00:05 GMT ]

Sailing from Lisbon he reached Goa in October 1710, from where he proceeded immediately to South India. He arrived in Madurai in May 1711. [Full Story]

2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Sri Lanka
[ U.S. Department of State ] [ 16 Mar 2020 11:15 GMT ]

Despite the country's cosponsorship of the 2015, 2017, and 2019 resolutions, senior government officials continued to make public statements attacking the UN process and asserting they would not take any steps to hold 'war heroes' accountable. [Full Story]

Coronavirus quarantine centres in North-East ‘has created fear among the people' - Sumanthiran
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 15 Mar 2020 14:55 GMT ]

By forcing those in isolation to travel so far from their point of entry, there was a risk that further spread could occur said one clinician. [Full Story]

France blames Sri Lanka for UN probe withdrawal
[ Asia Times ] [ 14 Mar 2020 00:10 GMT ]

“I tend to say that in order to reach economic development, you have to get reconciliation. So, the fight against impunity is obviously an important objective.” [Full Story]

Sinhalization of the North-East: Seruwila-Verugal
[ Pearl ] [ 13 Mar 2020 12:01 GMT ]

The scheme eventually altered the demographics of the region significantly. Existing Tamil and Muslim villages also saw their names changed to Sinhala names. [Full Story]

An 'unhappy marriage' that has saved thousands of lives
[ BBC ] [ 12 Mar 2020 20:45 GMT ]

'Everyone wants to change the world but no-one is ready to change themselves,' Uma says. 'I changed my attitude and I donated one kidney, but I also got a brother in return.' [Full Story]

The Forgotten Gem Perched on the Indian Ocean
[ Daily Beast ] [ 11 Mar 2020 00:33 GMT ]

Taking my sandals, I walked to the road past a few cows and knew that I would be carrying these memories of Jaffna for a long time. [Full Story]

Internationalized mechanism is the only way forward in Sri Lanka
[ Pearl ] [ 10 Mar 2020 12:05 GMT ]

The risk of recurrence is too high to let impunity prevail in Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Rajapaksa eyes Sri Lanka election landslide to tighten grip on power
[ Nikkei Asian Review ] [ 09 Mar 2020 20:10 GMT ]

'The Rajapaksas cemented their credentials as champions of the Sinhalese cause during Mahinda's term, and the minorities expected Gotabaya to follow in similar stride,' [Full Story]

Campaigners chagrin rises as cynical Sri Lankan government formally withdraw from UN Human Rights Council a week before Special Rapporteur report
[ Pakistan Christian Post ] [ 08 Mar 2020 18:30 GMT ]

'By withdrawing from the UNHRC co-sponsored resolution the Sri Lankan Government has exhibited little or no passion to correct the wrongs of the past and it has been a devastating blow to campaigners. [Full Story]

As No One Can Remove 13A, Try the Next Best Option of Merging Seven Sinhala-Majority Provinces into One Province
[ Lankaweb ] [ 07 Mar 2020 03:12 GMT ]

We can rationalize 13A as it is not going anywhere unfortunately. [Full Story]

A Sydney teenager has addressed the UN, criticising Australia's detention of two sick Tamil refugees
[ SBS ] [ 06 Mar 2020 21:15 GMT ]

In casting a critical eye on Australia's immigration policies, the year 12 student urged the United Nations to assess the situation and intervene as necessary. [Full Story]

The good immigrant’s dilemma
[ Livemint ] [ 05 Mar 2020 02:16 GMT ]

At home, as a Tamil, he is reviled by the Sri Lankan state; in his adopted home, Danny is just a poor brown man, who lives in a storeroom above a shop and cleans the homes of the rich. [Full Story]

Banning of Silva is a small victory for Tamils
[ The Hofstra Chronicle ] [ 04 Mar 2020 14:45 GMT ]

Silva’s ban, nevertheless, is but one small victory in the larger mission of securing indigenous rights in an increasingly nationalistic world. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan Tamil women fight for land a decade after war ends
[ The Thomson Reuters Trust ] [ 03 Mar 2020 23:56 GMT ]

'We lost everything in the war; why must we also lose the land we have lived on for generations? These are our homes, our livelihoods,'. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Security Agencies Shutting Down Civic Space
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 02 Mar 2020 23:20 GMT ]

'Sri Lankans are seeing their civil and political rights being stripped away and replaced by authoritarian structures at a rapid pace,' Ganguly said. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan government, companies and unions conspire to impose harsh wage deal on estate workers
[ WSWS ] [ 01 Mar 2020 00:10 GMT ]

Workers face the danger that an agreement is being prepared secretly to impose these models to increase workers’ exploitation. [Full Story]

UN Rights Council Should Uphold Sri Lanka Commitments
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 29 Feb 2020 23:55 GMT ]

Instead of placing faith in empty government promises, the Core Group should be leading the call for the council to create an international justice mechanism. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Withdrawal from UN commitments requires robust response by Human Rights Council
[ Amnesty International ] [ 28 Feb 2020 20:45 GMT ]

Amnesty International calls on the Council to establish an international accountability mechanism to ensure the victims of decades-long conflict get the justice that is owed to them [Full Story]

Tamils fret over Sri Lanka's withdrawal from UN resolution
[ La-croix International ] [ 27 Feb 2020 18:33 GMT ]

According to the UN the war claimed the lives of at least 40,000 civilians in its final days alone. [Full Story]

How fear set in overnight in Sri Lanka
[ BBC ] [ 26 Feb 2020 22:07 GMT ]

Many fear that the Rajapaksa brothers' return to power will re-open old wounds and rivalries, but most are afraid to speak out. [Full Story]

In Sri Lanka, yet another chance at post-war recovery
[ The Hindu ] [ 25 Feb 2020 23:58 GMT ]

'A lot of time has gone by. From the outside it might seem somewhat normal now. But if you ask me if there is peace, I can't say yes.' [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Fulfil the demands of the families of the disappeared
[ Amnesty International ] [ 24 Feb 2020 14:22 GMT ]

The Sri Lankan government must deliver justice, truth and reparation to the families of the forcibly disappeared, Amnesty International said today. [Full Story]

India is in Lanka scheme of things, but not Tamils
[ Free Press Journal ] [ 23 Feb 2020 00:10 GMT ]

The Rajapaksa brothers will have to make their peace with them(Tamils), apart from expiating their past record, if Sri Lanka is to regain its reputation as the Isle of Serendip. [Full Story]

Transitional justice: States should include issue of missing persons and their families in the process
[ International Committee of the Red Cross ] [ 22 Feb 2020 13:23 GMT ]

Statement to the UN Security Council Open Debate on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace: Transitional Justice in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations. [Full Story]

Abandoned promises?
[ Sri Lanka Campaign ] [ 21 Feb 2020 00:30 GMT ]

It is vital that members of the international community remain vigilant - and that they maintain a firm and principled stance on the need to deal with the past in Sri Lanka. [Full Report]

Sri Lanka says it will withdraw from UN rights resolution
[ Aljazeera ] [ 20 Feb 2020 20:35 GMT ]

Mahinda's administration was on the verge of international sanctions because of its refusal to investigate the alleged war crimes when he was defeated at the January 2015 elections. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Families of 'Disappeared' Threatened
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 19 Feb 2020 00:05 GMT ]

'Family members of Sri Lanka's many 'disappeared' have a right to know what happened to their loved ones,' Ganguly said. [Full Story]

Conference: 'Tamil Dialogues: TOGETHER TOWARDS TOMORROW'
[ TIC ] [ 18 Feb 2020 18:00 GMT ]

Conference will take place on Sunday, 22 March 2020 from 9:30 - 18:00 at SOAS University (London) in the Khalili Lecture Theatre. [Full Story]

Mahinda's India Visit: Reading Between The Lines - Analysis
[ Eurasia Review ] [ 17 Feb 2020 23:45 GMT ]

Modi also sent out a polite reminder on the limited window of opportunity available to the Rajapaksa brothers to reach a domestically evolved political solution to the ethnic question. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka out of the shadows
[ The Tribune ] [ 16 Feb 2020 22:17 GMT ]

Rajapaksa point-blank ruled out any solution to the Tamil problem that 'the majority community in Sri Lanka will not accept'. [Full Story]

Public Designation, Due to Gross Violations of Human Rights, of Shavendra Silva of Sri Lanka Under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act
[ U.S. Department of State ] [ 15 Feb 2020 00:25 GMT ]

The United States will continue to use all available tools and authorities, as appropriate, to address human rights violations and abuses around the world no matter when they occurred or who perpetrated them. [Full Story]

The challenge of inequality in a rapidly changing world
[ UN Dept of Economic and Social Affairs ] [ 14 Feb 2020 00:30 GMT ]

The World Social Report 2020 examines the impact of four such megatrends on inequality: technological innovation, climate change, urbanization and international migration. [Full Report PDF]

Uki offers an alternate route from the Northern Province into the tech industry
[ LBO ] [ 13 Feb 2020 00:25 GMT ]

Yarl IT Hub is a group of IT professionals with roots in Sri Lanka's Northern Province, though many are now based in Colombo and overseas. Their stated aim is 'To Make Jaffna The Next Silicon Valley'. [Full Story]

Beyond Rajapaksa's Visit, Are India and Sri Lanka Really on the Same Page?
[ The Diplomat ] [ 12 Feb 2020 23:55 GMT ]

Modi in his press statement said, 'I am confident that the Government of Sri Lanka will realize the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, and respect within a united Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Launch of Frames of Power: Citizen modelling perceptions of Sri Lanka's constitution
[ Ground Views ] [ 11 Feb 2020 22:15 GMT ]

Building on the critically acclaimed Corridors of Power project, Frames of Power is a pioneering & unique web platform for citizens to visually model & compare perceptions of constitutional power. [Full Story]

Building a working-class movement for Tamil rights
[ The Socialist ] [ 10 Feb 2020 23:57 GMT ]

Tamil Solidarity organised this meeting to bring out the political significance of the book for the struggle for the rights of the Tamil-speaking people. [Full Story]

Guess, who is wooing Sri Lanka now?
[ Observer Research Foundation ] [ 09 Feb 2020 23:45 GMT ]

It is as yet unclear if Moscow is in it all by itself, or is also fronting for China, too. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka And Geneva's 43rd Session Of The UN HRC - OpEd
[ Eurasia Review ] [ 08 Feb 2020 00:40 GMT ]

India and the international community are responsible for today's situation of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: The ruling elite's hollow national independence celebrations
[ World Socialist Web Site ] [ 07 Feb 2020 01:15 GMT ]

The SEP fights for a Sri Lankan and Eelam Socialist Republic, as part of a Union of South Asian socialist republics. [Full Story]

EDM tabled to support the establishment of Tamil Heritage Month in the UK
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 06 Feb 2020 20:55 GMT ]

In Canada, following a unanimous decision in the House of Commons, a resolution was passed in 2016 to declare January as Tamil Heritage Month. [Full Story]

Gravitas: Sri Lanka drops Tamil version of national anthem
[ WION ] [ 05 Feb 2020 09:40 GMT ]

Is the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government forcing the Sinhalese identity on Lankan Tamils? [Full Story]

2019 in review - Sri Lanka: Security fears trump freedoms
[ Amnesty International ] [ 04 Feb 2020 14:12 GMT ]

Unrealized government commitments to pursue truth, justice and reparations, continued impunity for violations and abuses, compromised freedoms of religion and expression characterized 2019 for Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan activists make their point in Tamil
[ UCA News ] [ 03 Feb 2020 23:55 GMT ]

About 27 percent of Sri Lankans regard Tamil as their mother tongue. [Full Story]

How Landmines Made This Sri Lankan Lagoon an Avian Paradise
[ Atlas Obscura ] [ 02 Feb 2020 23:49 GMT ]

Mangroves grew tall and thick across a sheet of lightly rippling water. White cranes fluttered under a sky washed pale blue by the rising sun. [Full Story]

Watch List 2020: A Dangerous Sea Change in Sri Lanka
[ International Crisis Group ] [ 01 Feb 2020 00:30 GMT ]

The changes pose a deep challenge to EU policy in Sri Lanka, which has supported ethnic reconciliation, human rights and political stability rooted in inclusive governance. [Full Story]

Oversimplifying the History of Anarchy on the Asian Continent
[ Hyperallergic ] [ 31 Jan 2020 22:59 GMT ]

The 2019 Asian Art Biennial, for all its curatorial ambition, fails to comprehend the heterogenous and fragmented nature of being Asian, from ancient times through now. [Full Story]

THE RETURN OF THE RAJAPAKSE DYNASTY AND THE SURVIVAL OF A UNITED SRI LANKA
[ TWG Editorial ] [ 30 Jan 2020 03:25 GMT ]

The new President can turn the political situation to his lasting legacy and even make amends for his past failings by restoring Tamils' lost nationhood in the form of self-determination of the North East within a United Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

2019 in review - Sri Lanka: Security fears trump freedoms
[ Amnesty International ] [ 29 Jan 2020 23:55 GMT ]

Unrealized government commitments to pursue truth, justice and reparations, continued impunity for violations and abuses, compromised freedoms of religion and expression characterized 2019 for Sri Lanka. [Full Report]

'Why is the UN silent?' - Tamil Civil Society Forum demands response over disappearances
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 28 Jan 2020 23:30 GMT ]

'The UN will be well reminded to reread the recommendations and conclusions of the Charles Petrie Report commissioned by Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's Missing and Murdered Journalists
[ Byline Times ] [ 27 Jan 2020 23:12 GMT ]

Press freedom has been a significant problem in Sri Lanka since the civil war, which lasted nearly three decades from 1983 to 2009. [Full Story]

The Marriages In-Between
[ Himal Southasian ] [ 26 Jan 2020 23:30 GMT ]

The book is a clear, fresh portrait of the Tamil community as phoenix. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka faces EU ire after government breaks UN war obligations
[ Nikkei Asian Review ] [ 25 Jan 2020 02:45 GMT ]

Those obligations include the setting up of an office for missing persons and establishing legal mechanisms to investigate alleged war crimes as part of 'promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights.' [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's new government to investigate war missing
[ Aljazeera ] [ 24 Jan 2020 23:30 GMT ]

International rights groups claim at least 40,000 ethnic Tamil civilians were killed in the final stages of the separatist war. [Full Story]

The enemies of writing
[ The Hindu ] [ 23 Jan 2020 22:59 GMT ]

How do journalists report pain, loss and grief without exhibiting voyeuristic tendencies? [Full Story]

Human Rights Watch - World Report 2020
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 22 Jan 2020 20:10 GMT ]

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights strongly criticized the government's failure to implement its human rights commitments, and warned that 'continuing impunity risks fueling communal or inter-ethnic violence, and instability.' [Full Story]

Eyes on the pearl
[ The Week ] [ 21 Jan 2020 20:33 GMT ]

New Delhi has a high stake in ensuring that the assurances given to the war-ravaged Tamil minority in northern and eastern Sri Lanka are implemented. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka civil war: Rajapaksa says thousands missing are dead
[ BBC ] [ 20 Jan 2020 23:30 GMT ]

Many have held out hope that their relatives were still alive and in the hands of the security forces. These families meet and hold daily vigils to protest and to keep their relatives' memories alive. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka to legalise impunity for intelligence officials
[ JDS ] [ 19 Jan 2020 23:55 GMT ]

Several intelligence officers under investigation for alleged abductions, disappearances and extra judicial killings are currently held in detention. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka calls for sharing of UK military intelligence to tackle Tamil diaspora
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 18 Jan 2020 01:14 GMT ]

The Sri Lankan military is also accused of having deliberately ignored intelligence information with regards to last year’s deadly Easter Sunday bombing attacks. [Full Story]

SRI LANKA: ATTACKS ON HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS, MEDIA ORGANISATIONS AND JOURNALISTS IN SRI LANKA
[ Amnesty International ] [ 17 Jan 2020 02:25 GMT ]

Such harassment and intimidation has a chilling effect by way of suppressing dissent, creating fear in organizations and individuals defending and promoting human rights. [Full Story]

British Tamil rapper M.I.A receives MBE from Royal Family
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 16 Jan 2020 22:00 GMT ]

Having freedom to speak my truth and to do it through music has helped me speak for those who do not have those privileges. I will continue fight for those who are silenced or persecuted by others.' [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Human Rights Gains in Grave Peril
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 15 Jan 2020 00:40 GMT ]

New Administration Poses Threat to Activists, Media, Victims Seeking Justice. [Full Story]

British lawmakers join Tamils in celebration of Pongal in Parliament
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 14 Jan 2020 21:45 GMT ]

Over two days of celebrations, parliamentarians joined local Tamils in traditional celebrations involving musical performances, speeches and generous servings of sweet pongal. [Full Story]

The Hambantota Port Deal: Myths and Realities
[ The Diplomat ] [ 13 Jan 2020 14:10 GMT ]

These facts do not justify the Mahinda Rajapaksa government’s decision to construct the port using foreign loans obtained at higher interest rates. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Repeal Abusive Counterterrorism Law
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 12 Jan 2020 00:01 GMT ]

'The new Rajapaksa government's embrace of this abusive law is just one of many signs that the rights of Sri Lankans are at grave risk.' [Full Story]

Advocacy groups calls for justice for murdered Christian journalist
[ Asia News ] [ 11 Jan 2020 01:10 GMT ]

In 2009 Lasantha Wickrematunge was assassinated in broad daylight on his way to work as editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan president outlines big business, communalist policy to parliament
[ WSWS ] [ 10 Jan 2020 18:00 GMT ]

M.A. Sumanthiran, a leading TNA parliamentarian, appealed to President Rajapakse to consider Sri Lanka a 'pluralistic' society, and voiced his support for a new constitution. [Full Story]

Alienating minorities to hold on to the Sinhala majority
[ News In Asia ] [ 09 Jan 2020 23:50 GMT ]

The party and the Gotabaya regime will have to hold on to their hardline Sinhala majoritarian stance to keep the Sinhala constituency with them in the run up to the parliamentary elections. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka - Government accused of reneging on pledges to UNHRC, EU
[ Menafn ] [ 08 Jan 2020 23:55 GMT ]

Many of these undertakings were never met, but in early 2019 the government and UNHRC renewed the commitment. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka - Tamil Progressive Alliance to contest Parliament polls with Sajith
[ Menafn ] [ 07 Jan 2020 09:45 GMT ]

He said that the Tamils have extended their support to Premadasa so every effort must be taken to ensure Premadasa wins the election. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's Presidential Election Reopens Old War Wounds For Tamils
[ The National Interest ] [ 06 Jan 2020 23:45 GMT ]

The physical wounds serve as a perfect metaphor and a reminder to the Rajapaksas. That wounds may heal, but the scars linger long after the war has been fought and won. [Full Story]

TNA cautions Gotabaya against 'majoritarianism'
[ The Hindu ] [ 05 Jan 2020 23:58 GMT ]

However, welcoming President Rajapaksa's proposal for a new constitution, Mr. Sumanthiran said considerable drafting work had been done during the predecessor government's time in office. [Full Story]

Ocean 12 asylum seeker cricket team embrace sport in Australia to 'forget past life'
[ ABC News ] [ 04 Jan 2020 14:04 GMT ]

'It's heartbreaking and very detrimental to mental health to have a wife and children in another country that you haven't seen in 10, 12 years,' Ms Nagle said. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka president urges limit on minority political power
[ Washington Post ] [ 03 Jan 2020 12:50 GMT ]

Sri Lanka’s new president on Friday endorsed amending the constitution to reduce the power of minority political parties. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's Tamils fear discrimination under new president
[ Aljazeera ] [ 02 Jan 2020 08:22 GMT ]

The gulf between the majority Sinhalese and Tamil community is still wide. [Full Story]

Making returning citizens feel at home
[ The Hindu ] [ 01 Jan 2020 18:20 GMT ]

They fled a civil war in their homeland - Sri Lanka's north and east - that spanned over 30 years, brutally destroying life and property. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka - 'Justice' for Minorities?
[ Menafn ] [ 31 Dec 2019 14:15 GMT ]

The Sri Lankan State structure needs to devise mechanisms and methods to ensure that justice is not only done, but is also seen as being done. [Full Story]

'They did not see us'
[ The Indian Express ] [ 30 Dec 2019 18:00 GMT ]

Camp inmates are not allowed to visit other states, and prior permission is required even if they go out of the district. [Full Story]

The art of darkness
[ India Today ] [ 29 Dec 2019 02:35 GMT ]

We know the Sri Lankan civil war killed over 40,000 and displaced millions. [Full Story]

Success story of a 'victim diaspora'
[ The Hindu ] [ 28 Dec 2019 10:47 GMT ]

Traumatised by loss of livelihood and the lives of loved ones, working upwards from an economic zero, Sri Lankan Tamils had struggled to survive. [Full Story]

In Colombo, a nativity play becomes a symbol of inter-ethnic and inter-faith unity
[ AsiaNews ] [ 27 Dec 2019 01:30 GMT ]

'In our society the ethnic and religious harmony of the past no longer exist after the Easter Sunday attacks.' [Full Story]

Sri Lankan crab curry spreads hope and flavor
[ Nikkei Asian Review ] [ 26 Dec 2019 19:55 GMT ]

They are meals that leave a stronger taste of hope than the bland reams of reconciliation policy proposals. [Full Story]

Pope Christmas message urges softening of 'self-centred hearts'
[ BBC ] [ 25 Dec 2019 14:46 GMT ]

For change to happen for the better, he said, people had to be more compassionate [Full Story]

A UN aid worker took the horrors of Sri Lanka's civil war and turned conflict into a graphic novel
[ Scroll.in ] [ 24 Dec 2019 14:32 GMT ]

Through Vanni, we continue to demand justice for the victims and survivors of the Sri Lankan conflict, whose voices are routinely ignored. [Full Story]

Tell Tamil stories to keep culture alive, Toronto author tells students
[ Toronto.com ] [ 23 Dec 2019 20:45 GMT ]

Community is prospering economically, but its stories and culture are fading a little more each day. [Full Story]

With poor conditions in camps, Sri Lankan Tamils remain citizens of no-man's land
[ The New Indian Express ] [ 22 Dec 2019 15:08 GMT ]

The camp conditions are hellish. [Full Story]

India No More A Refuge for The Persecuted
[ IDN ] [ 21 Dec 2019 23:35 GMT ]

Traditionally, Europe was home to those fleeing persecution. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India, the nowhere people
[ Frontline ] [ 20 Dec 2019 01:15 GMT ]

There are practical problems that the Tamil refugees face if they are not citizens. [Full Story]

Prince of Wales condemns 'assault on religious freedom' in service at Tamil church
[ The Catholic Universe ] [ 19 Dec 2019 17:45 GMT ]

The prince has developed a tradition in the run-up to Christmas of visiting persecuted Christian communities, to listen to their experiences, attend services and show solidarity with their plight. [Full Story]

What you should know about India's 'anti-Muslim' citizenship law
[ Aljazeera ] [ 18 Dec 2019 00:22 GMT ]

Ruling Hindu nationalist government pushes for the law, which opposition says violates India's secular constitution. [Full Story]

When Hindus from Pakistan get citizenship, why not Hindus from Sri Lanka? asks Kamal Haasan
[ WIONews ] [ 17 Dec 2019 12:00 GMT ]

The law is being criticized for discriminating on grounds of religion and violating Article 14 of the Constitution. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan worker at Swiss embassy arrested over kidnap claim
[ BBC ] [ 16 Dec 2019 20:35 GMT ]

Opponents fear the return of the dynasty could spark a new crackdown on critics. [Full Story]

Post-elections Sri Lanka trajectory yet to pan out
[ The Asia Times ] [ 15 Dec 2019 20:10 GMT ]

Gotabaya would be acutely aware that the western powers will focus the lens on him and bring into perspective his role during the Eelam War and the alleged atrocities by the military. [Full Story]

'After 30 Years, We're Still Refugees?' Sri Lankan Tamils on CAB
[ The Quint ] [ 14 Dec 2019 22:04 GMT ]

Over one lakh Sri Lankan Tamils live as refugees across Tamil Nadu. Most of them arrived in the 90s, and have remained refugees. [Full Story]

Britain's election - Victory for Boris Johnson's all-new Tories
[ The Economist ] [ 13 Dec 2019 17:45 GMT ]

The Conservatives' capture of the north points to a realignment in British politics. Will it last? [Full Story]

World Tamil Conference in Madurai Beginning Tomorrow: Musicians from 50 Countries Participate
[ OBN ] [ 12 Dec 2019 23:55 GMT ]

The conference is designed to restore Tamilism and spread the goodness and goodwill of Tamils ??worldwide. [Full Story]

UK PM Boris Johnson Appeals To Tamils In Campaign Video, Explains Benefit Of Brexit
[ Republic World ] [ 11 Dec 2019 23:58 GMT ]

Thanking the Tamil community for their contribution to the United Kingdom, he noted their success in areas such as the National Health Service (NHS) and entrepreneurship. [Full Story]

Brexit will ultimately destabilise Europe, historians fear
[ The Independent UK ] [ 10 Dec 2019 01:05 GMT ]

Almost 70 per cent of the period 1500 to 1945 was scarred by major wars in which millions of Britons and continental Europeans died. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's new leader promises to unite country
[ Aljazeera ] [ 09 Dec 2019 00:15 GMT ]

There remains deep distrust among the country's minority groups that voted overwhelmingly against him. [Full Story]

Ten years of tragedy in Sri Lanka
[ Livemint ] [ 08 Dec 2019 00:20 GMT ]

The fractured history of Sri Lanka has been powerfully chronicled by several foreign journalists. [Full Story]

Ethnic reconciliation lies in removing hard-wired attachments and aversions by spiritual means
[ Menafn ] [ 07 Dec 2019 11:23 GMT ]

Ethnically and religiously segregated education systems are the breeding grounds of racism or ethno-centrism. [Full Story]

Who is Sundar Pichai and what does Alphabet do?
[ BBC ] [ 06 Dec 2019 02:48 GMT ]

Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google, has been put in charge of its parent company Alphabet, after co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced they were stepping down. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Families waiting for news from their children
[ BBC ] [ 05 Dec 2019 02:04 GMT ]

About 20,000 people, mostly Tamils, are thought to still be missing. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan court blocks Swiss embassy worker from leaving
[ Swissinfo ] [ 04 Dec 2019 01:45 GMT ]

This comes a day after Sri Lanka's ambassador to Switzerland was summoned to Bern to explain a factual dispute over the incident. [Full Story]

Colombo objects to UK's Tory party manifesto favouring two-state solution for Sri Lanka
[ Outlook ] [ 03 Dec 2019 02:25 GMT ]

Both the Conservative Party and the Labour Party are seeking the support of the large Tamil diaspora in the UK at the election. [Full Story]

The Daily Fix: Why India will find it tough to ensure that Sri Lanka keeps its promises to Tamils
[ Scroll.in ] [ 02 Dec 2019 00:33 GMT ]

In its eagerness to keep the Chinese away from Sri Lanka, the Indian government should not ignore its promises to Tamils across the Palk Straits. [Full Story]

India 'satisfied' with Gotabaya's Lanka assurance
[ The Asian Age ] [ 01 Dec 2019 02:56 GMT ]

PM Modi expressed confidence that Sri Lanka would fulfil the aspirations of Sri Lankan Tamils for 'equality, justice, peace and honour' and take forward the process of 'national reconciliation'. [Full Story]

Is Gotabaya Rajapaksa the president Sri Lankans need?
[ Aljazeera ] [ 30 Nov 2019 01:45 GMT ]

Rajapaksa is sworn into office promising to strenghten security and fix the economy. He's a hero for some, a war criminal to others. [Full Story]

New Head of UNDP in Asia Pacific Region ready to support countries accelerate on their sustainable development pathways
[ United Nations Development Programme ] [ 29 Nov 2019 20:08 GMT ]

Ms. Wignaraja added that innovation will play a key role in addressing both current and emerging development challenges with solutions that learn globally, and are tailored locally. [Full Story]

Swiss condemn 'attack' on Sri Lanka embassy worker
[ BBC ] [ 28 Nov 2019 02:25 GMT ]

An employee of the Swiss embassy in Sri Lanka has been 'detained and threatened' in Colombo, sparking anger from Swiss authorities. [Full Story]

SRI LANKA: UNSAFE AT HOME, UNSAFE ABROAD: STATE OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS REFUGEES AND ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN SRI LANKA
[ Amnesty International ] [ 27 Nov 2019 01:30 GMT ]

The Sri Lankan government has a clear responsibility to protect refugees and asylum-seekers in its territory. [Full Report]

Sri Lanka's Presidential Election Brings Back a Polarising Wartime Figure
[ International Crisis Group ] [ 26 Nov 2019 00:44 GMT ]

Many worry that Rajapaksa, a Sinhalese nationalist, will energise anti-Muslim campaigning and further alienate the Tamil community. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's election results worry ethnic Tamils
[ Aljazeera ] [ 25 Nov 2019 01:00 GMT ]

Winner Gotabaya Rajapaksa's support dips in majority Tamil areas, where people have not forgotten his role in the civil war. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Return of the Rajas
[ The Asian Age ] [ 24 Nov 2019 10:15 GMT ]

If the war-victors in the Rajapaksas cannot deliver a negotiated settlement to the vexatious issue, no other leader and party could be expected to do so - as the past five years have shown, since. [Full Story]

Cautious optimism
[ The Week ] [ 23 Nov 2019 23:40 GMT ]

The reconciliation process should continue so that we can... continue the energetic engagement of pluralism.' [Full Story]

Will It Be A Case Of Here We Go Again?
[ TWG Editorial ] [ 22 Nov 2019 22:22 GMT ]

The perennial problem of the Tamil question cannot be swept under the carpet. [Full Story]

Oh brother - Sri Lanka’s new president has a worrying past
[ The Econimist ] [ 21 Nov 2019 17:25 GMT ]

If Mr Rajapaksa really wants to demonstrate that he is a changed man, he should start by reassuring minorities. [Full Story]

'The Terminator': how Gotabaya Rajapaksa's ruthless streak led him to power
[ The Guardian UK ] [ 20 Nov 2019 20:00 GMT ]

Sri Lanka's new leader oversaw brutal operation that ended civil war but left 40,000 dead. [Full Story]

BTI 2018 | Sri Lanka Country Report
[ BTI Project ] [ 19 Nov 2019 02:35 GMT ]

Ethnic reconciliation and a political settlement on devolution of power remain key issues. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's New President Has A Tainted Past
[ Madras Courier ] [ 18 Nov 2019 12:55 GMT ]

One can only hope that Gotabaya stands by his rhetoric of inclusiveness and respect the rights and freedoms of minorities. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka election: Ex-defence chief Rajapaksa set to win vote
[ BBC ] [ 17 Nov 2019 09:07 GMT ]

In a statement on Twitter, Mr Rajapaksa made a call for national unity saying 'all Sri Lankans are part of this journey'. [Full Story]

Sri Lankans vote in big numbers for a new president to heal divisions after attacks
[ Reuters ] [ 17 Nov 2019 00:50 GMT ]

Security fears are high, with minority Tamils and Muslims concerned the election could see Gotabaya Rajapaksa take power and return to the policies of his brother. [Full Story]

1000 Days of Protest, No Action or New Information on War Disappeared in Sri Lanka
[ BTF ] [ 16 Nov 2019 14:33 GMT ]

We call on the international community to honor the urgent demands by the families of disappeared for justice in the form of a special court, the exercise of universal jurisdiction and the imposition of sanctions. [Full Story]

A Decade of Impunity: unlocking accountability for the victims of Sri Lanka's killing fields
[ Sri Lanka Campaign ] [ 15 Nov 2019 02:15 GMT ]

Strikingly absent from the campaign trail has been any meaningful discussion of the enduring legacy of Sri Lanka's bitter civil war in 2009, and the concerns of those most affected by it. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan author attacked ahead of key presidential polls
[ Aljazeera ] [ 14 Nov 2019 22:44 GMT ]

Attack comes a week after Lasantha Wijeratne published a book criticising the main opposition candidate. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka presidential election: With reconciliation relegated to background, pre-poll rhetoric takes country back to turbulent past
[ Firstpost ] [ 13 Nov 2019 23:50 GMT ]

The election results will also determine the result of parliamentary elections as well as the future course of democracy in the country. [Full Story]

In Sri Lanka, Returned Refugees Can't Find Employment, Blame Bureaucracy, Language Barriers
[ Global Press Journal ] [ 12 Nov 2019 23:58 GMT ]

Without citizenship, Sri Lankan refugees in India struggle to secure professional employment. But after returning, prospects often don't improve. [Full Story]

Little chance of Tamil issue resolution in Lanka, says new book
[ Outlook India ] [ 11 Nov 2019 22:54 GMT ]

The book, 'Annihilating the Demons of Sri Lanka - An Unfinished Story', is a product of closely watching the developments in Sri Lanka over the past three decades. [Full Story]

The filmmaker who's driven by an 'unbearable rage' against injustice
[ The Indian Express ] [ 10 Nov 2019 00:01 GMT ]

My films are my way of showing solidarity to fellow human beings.' [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: New reality
[ Frontline ] [ 09 Nov 2019 23:50 GMT ]

The only real choice for the minorities appears to be Sajith Premadasa. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka plays its India hand with airport upgrade as poll nears
[ Nikkei Asian Review ] [ 08 Nov 2019 02:25 GMT ]

Jaffna International Airport has been alleged to be just another pork barrel project to buy votes in the run-up to the presidential election. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's Uneven Reconstruction
[ The Diplomat ] [ 07 Nov 2019 22:05 GMT ]

Reconciliation will not last without equitable and sustainable economic development in Northern Province. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka presidential election: TNA endorses Sajith Premadasa
[ The Hindu ] [ 06 Nov 2019 23:44 GMT ]

The TNA has urged all people, particularly the Tamil people, to vote for Mr Premadasa. [Full Story]

Rajaraja Chola I: Conqueror, temple builder and one of the greatest emperors of India
[ Opindia ] [ 05 Nov 2019 23:55 GMT ]

On Wednesday, the southern state of Tamil Nadu is celebrating the 1,034th birth anniversary of one of the greatest emperors of the country - King Rajaraja Chola. [Full Story]

India's clever alliances with island states
[ The Interpreter - Lowy Institute ] [ 04 Nov 2019 23:48 GMT ]

It is acknowledged that New Delhi cannot muster or direct the same amount of capital Beijing can deploy. [Full Story]

The Challenge of Securing Tamil Support
[ Asianews Network ] [ 03 Nov 2019 22:58 GMT ]

There is anger within the Tamil community about the lack of progress in finding missing persons, returning civilian land and in moving towards a political solution to the ethnic conflict. [Full Story]

Keeladi: Unearthing the 'Vaigai Valley' Civilisation of Sangam era Tamil Nadu
[ The Hindu ] [ 02 Nov 2019 09:15 GMT ]

An urban civilisation existed in Tamil Nadu in the Sangam era on the banks of the river Vaigai. What links did this civilisation have with the Indus Valley Civilisation? [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: No investigations and no accountability in attacks on refugees and asylum-seekers
[ Amnesty International ] [ 01 Nov 2019 20:05 GMT ]

The authorities must take urgent steps to guarantee the safety, dignity and human rights of all refugees and asylum seekers, ensuring that they are safe and have humane living conditions,' said Joshua Castellino. [Full Story]

BOOK REVIEW: Vanni: A family's struggle through the Sri Lankan conflict
[ The Asia Sentinel ] [ 31 Oct 2019 21:22 GMT ]

It was 'a failure of the international system' when he was forced to abandon his job with the United Nations in northern Sri Lanka helping some of the thousands of Tamil people. [Full Story]

The Internal and International Dimensions of Sri Lanka's Presidential Elections
[ The Diplomat ] [ 30 Oct 2019 00:04 GMT ]

The outcome of the election is bound to have consequences for democracy in Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Indian grandpa cooks his way to YouTube glory
[ BBC ] [ 29 Oct 2019 14:00 GMT ]

The Tamil Nadu villager has become so popular, he now earns a living from the videos he creates with his son. [Full Story]

Tracing the origin of Tamili, the scripts of the Tamils
[ Times of India ] [ 28 Oct 2019 02:30 GMT ]

Dating of ancient scripts plays a major role when it comes to the history and civilisation of a people. [Full Story]

British MPs push for Tamil genocide recognition in Parliament
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 27 Oct 2019 22:20 GMT ]

The conference was well attended by MPs from all major political parties, including the current leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn. [Full Story]

India yoga: Inspirational teacher V Nanammal dies at 99
[ BBC ] [ 26 Oct 2019 17:22 GMT ]

India's oldest exponent and teacher of yoga, V Nanammal, has died at her home near Coimbatore, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Will 'minority votes' still decide the 'majority' ruler?
[ Observer Research Foundation ] [ 25 Oct 2019 23:55 GMT ]

Most minorities are Tamil-speaking, accounting for a substantial 30% of the population. [Full Story]

ASSESSMENT OF OUTCOMES AT THE 42ND SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FOLLOW UP
[ Amnesty International ] [ 24 Oct 2019 00:10 GMT ]

States should work with Sri Lanka towards accountability for enforced disappearances, including by encouraging the implementation of the recommendations of the WGEID. [Full Story]

Will Jaffna International Airport help the Northern economy take-off at last?
[ LBO ] [ 23 Oct 2019 02:05 GMT ]

Ten years after the end of the War the North still stagnates. Ten years after the opening of Jaffna International Airport we need to have done much better. [Full Story]

A film questioning identity politics
[ The Hindu ] [ 22 Oct 2019 00:47 GMT ]

The Tamils are still demanding political rights and the distrust between the two communities or their political leadership hasn't evaporated a decade since. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka bombings: Forgiving and fighting to recover
[ BBC ] [ 21 Oct 2019 19:12 GMT ]

The town of Negombo suffered the deadliest bombing, when 115 people died while attending Mass. [Full Story]

Don't Forget the Tamil Genocide
[ Jacobin ] [ 20 Oct 2019 21:50 GMT ]

The great hope Hillier leaves us with is that of the endurance of struggle, collective action, and commitment. [Full Story]

Scarborough's Tamil community is learning to get mental health help
[ Toronto.com ] [ 19 Oct 2019 22:59 GMT ]

The Tamil community of Sri Lanka has witnessed traumatic events caused by civil war and the subsequent displacement experiences, which often lead to mental illness. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Human rights must be at the heart of next presidency
[ Amnesty International ] [ 18 Oct 2019 23:15 GMT ]

Ahead of next month's presidential election, the human rights organization called on candidates to prioritize key human rights issues, including commitments on transitional justice. [Full Story]

After 50 years, Jaffna airport welcomes first flight from Tamil Nadu
[ The News Minute ] [ 17 Oct 2019 23:58 GMT ]

The services between the south Indian state and Jaffna's Palaly airport were suspended in the late 1970s just before the civil war broke out in the island nation. [Full Story]

Private equity firm CX Partners buys majority in Thalapakkati Biryani for Rs 260 crore
[ Times of India ] [ 16 Oct 2019 23:55 GMT ]

'We are not attracting only Tamil diaspora, but all South Indians'. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka Presidential Hopeful Says Won't Honor Deal with UN
[ The Diplomat ] [ 15 Oct 2019 20:33 GMT ]

If Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins the November 16 election and follows through with his comments, it would be a severe setback to Sri Lanka's post-war reconciliation process. [Full Story]

Tamil parties sign memorandum on key demands
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 14 Oct 2019 22:48 GMT ]

Five Tamil political parties signed a memorandum today, highlighting key demands of Tamils. [Full Story]

Modi-Xi meet: For Tamil, with love from China
[ Deccan Herald ] [ 13 Oct 2019 01:43 GMT ]

Tamil Nadu and ancient China have shared several historical and cultural links for the past 2,000 years. [Full Story]

Explained: Going back 1300 years, the story of Mahabalipuram's China connection
[ The Indian Express ] [ 12 Oct 2019 18:30 GMT ]

The name Mamallapuram derives from Mamallan, or 'great warrior', a title by which the Pallava King Narasimhavarman I (630-668 AD) was known. [Full Story]

See All The Pictures From PM Narendra Modi & Xi Jinping's Informal Meet in Mahabalipuram
[ News 18 ] [ 11 Oct 2019 22:55 GMT ]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Chinese President Xi Jinping a hand-woven portrait in fine red silk of the latter, at the end of their two-day informal summit in Mahabalipuram. [Full Story]

Veshti, nariyal pani, temple hopping: Modi-Xi's first day, many shows
[ India Today ] [ 10 Oct 2019 23:49 GMT ]

The prime minister and the Chinese president then had traditional Tamil Nadu cuisine for dinner. [Full Story]

Tamil family victims of cruel refugee policies
[ The Socialist ] [ 09 Oct 2019 00:10 GMT ]

There can be no end to the world-wide refugee crisis unless this inhumane system is replaced. [Full Story]

India's nine-year-old skateboarding sensation
[ BBC ] [ 08 Oct 2019 22:12 GMT ]

Kamali is starring in a short film about her life, which has been selected for next year's Academy Awards. [Full Story]

Noolaham Foundation digitizing Tamil documents ancient and modern
[ LBO ] [ 07 Oct 2019 00:48 GMT ]

Noolaham foundation preserves the past to enrich the future. [Full Story]

Contradictions of Tamil, 'oldest' living language
[ Asia Times ] [ 06 Oct 2019 14:11 GMT ]

By mentioning Tamil as the world's most ancient (living) language in his address to the UN General Assembly on Sept 28, Indian PM Narendra Modi switched the global spotlight on to my mother tongue. [Full Story]

A bitter brew: For Sri Lanka's tea estate workers, fair wage is still elusive
[ The Hindu ] [ 05 Oct 2019 09:55 GMT ]

A history of exploitation, a futile struggle for better wages, few alternatives and an increasingly indifferent political leadership have demoralised Sri Lanka's estate workers. [Full Story]

UH Receives $2 Million Commitment to Support Study of Tamil Language and Culture
[ Mirage News ] [ 04 Oct 2019 19:45 GMT ]

HTSC takes great pride in leading this initiative to expand awareness of the rich Tamil culture, language and literature within an educational setting,' said Sam Kannappan. [Full Story]

UN asks Australia to release Tamil family
[ Daily Mail UK ] [ 03 Oct 2019 00:35 GMT ]

An application was made to the Human Rights Committee on September 27 under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, on behalf of Tharunicaa. [Full Story]

In Sri Lanka's election, bumps ahead
[ Lowy Institute ] [ 02 Oct 2019 02:26 GMT ]

Sri Lankan voters are looking for stronger and more organized leadership. [Full Story]

Monument to Tamil king in disrepair as Sri Lanka's archaeology department ignores destruction
[ Tamil Guardian ] [ 01 Oct 2019 00:25 GMT ]

'Whilst the Department of Archaeology, encroaches on the ancient temples of the Tamil people by claiming them as Buddhist historical sites, it is ignoring Tamil historical sites. [Full Story]

After Sri Lanka's Easter Bombings: Reducing Risks of Future Violence
[ International Crisis Group ] [ 30 Sep 2019 02:30 GMT ]

Any new government policies need to avoid reinforcing the narrative that Muslims as a whole have become a problem in need of action. [Full Story]

EDITORIAL - Running for President: On Sri Lanka polls
[ The Hindu ] [ 29 Sep 2019 14:55 GMT ]

The UNP may need all the grassroots support that Mr. Premadasa can mobilise to recapture the presidency it lost in 1994. [Full Story]

UN Takes Strong Stand on Sri Lanka's Army Chief
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 28 Sep 2019 12:10 GMT ]

A UN investigation estimated that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the final stages of the war. [Full Story]

Picturing Sri Lanka's Undead War
[ International Crisis Group ] [ 27 Sep 2019 00:05 GMT ]

The government has done little either to heal the war's wounds or to address the ethno-nationalist dynamics that drove the conflict. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan troops barred from UN peacekeeping over new army chief
[ Aljazeera ] [ 26 Sep 2019 00:09 GMT ]

According to the UN, some 45,000 ethnic Tamil civilians might have been killed in the last months of the war, while other estimates put the number much higher. [Full Story]

Tamil Nadu's ancient Kallanai Dam: An engineering marvel
[ Financial Express ] [ 25 Sep 2019 02:50 GMT ]

One such engineering marvel is the Grand Anicut or Kallanai Dam built more than 2,000 years ago by the Chola King Karikalan across the Cauvery River. [Full Story]

Briefing: Sri Lanka after the bombings
[ IPE International ] [ 24 Sep 2019 01:43 GMT ]

Its politicians need to be prepared to embrace a pluralist, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic democracy, rather than the ethnocentrism and majoritarianism that have prevailed since independence. [Full Story]

Tamil Nadu's Mamallapuram prepares to host PM Modi, Xi Jinping in October
[ The Indian Express ] [ 23 Sep 2019 11:05 GMT ]

Mamallapuram, a town classified as a UNESCO world heritage site, is located about 60 kilometers from the heart of Chennai. [Full Story]

DMK questions why Tamil can't be India's global identity
[ The Quint ] [ 22 Sep 2019 02:45 GMT ]

'Unity in diversity is the identity of India which we support. If there needs to be an Indian language for India's global identity, then Tamil is most suited,' Elangovan told IANS. [Full Story]

Indus Valley Civilisation & Tamil Brahmi scripts are linked: Report
[ Deccan Chronicle ] [ 21 Sep 2019 00:10 GMT ]

Findings show Tamils were literate as early as 6th century BCE. [Full Story]

Tamil Nadu: Artefacts dated to 580 BCE hint at script continuity from Indus Valley Civilisation
[ Scroll.in ] [ 20 Sep 2019 00:02 GMT ]

Recent genetic studies published have reiterated the long-held views that the people of the Indus Valley moved east and southwards following the decline of the civilisation from around 2000 BCE. [Full Story]

SRI LANKA: ORAL STATEMENT ON THE WGEID FOLLOW-UP REPORT
[ Amnesty International ] [ 19 Sep 2019 01:43 GMT ]

The perpetrators of Prageeth Eknaligoda's enforced disappearance, including those bearing command responsibility, continue to elude accountability. [Full Story]

What do the Tamils want?
[ Colombo Gazette ] [ 18 Sep 2019 00:55 GMT ]

The TNA leadership want the West to ensure that the Tamils are given their due. [Full Story]

India must step up socio-economic collaboration with Lanka
[ Deccan Chronicle ] [ 17 Sep 2019 15:15 GMT ]

'China, which is an emerging power in the world have their own intentions and ambitions.. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's Tamil-majority north shuts down to support rally
[ Washington Post ] [ 16 Sep 2019 20:33 GMT ]

A proclamation read out at the rally said Tamil people have faced massive challenges since the end of the war, with U.N. efforts to hold the government accountable for the alleged atrocities proving futile. [Full Story]

BURIED WOUNDS: SRI LANKA'S CLUSTER MUNITION VICTIMS
[ ITJP ] [ 15 Sep 2019 00:45 GMT ]

Successive Sri Lankan governments have consistently denied that there are any such victims - the ultimate violation to those whose bodies still bear the wounds and remnants from the use of such weaponry. [Full Story]

Sri Lankan chefs cook up an international audience
[ Nikkei Asian Review ] [ 14 Sep 2019 00:45 GMT ]

The British writer George Bernard Shaw said that, 'Ceylon is the cradle of civilization, everyone here is an original.' The same could be said of Sri Lankan dishes. [Full Story]

Marriages, Labor, and Odysseys: The South Asian Diaspora Tells Its Own Stories on Instagram
[ Hyperallergic ] [ 13 Sep 2019 14:05 GMT ]

Academia often treats migrants as homogenous. Social media provides a way to present their narratives in an open and empowering manner. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka World Report 2019
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 12 Sep 2019 00:45 GMT ]

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Sri Lanka for speedier and more meaningful implementation of its traditional justice commitments, and underlined the importance of 'more progress in advancing accountability and truth-seeking'. [Full Story]

UN Human Rights Council 42 - UK delivers Core Group Statement on Sri Lanka
[ UK Mission to the United Nations Geneva ] [ 11 Sep 2019 00:22 GMT ]

This work remains incomplete, and requires our ongoing attention. It is vital that this Council and the international community continues to give the necessary attention and support to Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Empowering Mothers in Sri Lanka Through Plant Based Fashion
[ Cause Artist ] [ 10 Sep 2019 02:25 GMT ]

Josie is passionate about finding practical solutions to the world’s big problems. [Full Story]

'Tamils are disappointed as the govt. gave hope and then failed to deliver'
[ The Hindu ] [ 09 Sep 2019 00:33 GMT ]

Jaffna district MP M.A. Sumanthiran weighs the options before the Alliance, amid mounting discontent among Tamils over the incumbent government's performance. [Full Story]

Tamils fear ongoing persecution in Sri Lanka as Australia prepares to deport Biloela family
[ ABC ] [ 08 Sep 2019 20:25 GMT ]

The International Truth and Justice Project in Sri Lanka has documented allegations of ongoing torture, taking statements from 76 Tamils who said they were tortured in illegal detention between 2015 and 2017. [Full Story]

Time cannot diminish Sri Lankan's fight for justice
[ UCANews ] [ 07 Sep 2019 09:15 GMT ]

It's 10 years since the island nation's civil war ended but thousands of people refuse to give up on their missing loved ones. [Full Story]

An election campaign in Sri Lanka stirs old ghosts
[ Economist ] [ 06 Sep 2019 11:49 GMT ]

Tamils in the north still lived in fear of the security forces. [Full Story]

Tamil Fest says 2019 attendance makes it Scarborough's largest event
[ Toronto.com ] [ 05 Sep 2019 19:02 GMT ]

Tamil Fest, in its fifth year, is making a stronger claim to be 'Scarborough's pre-eminent outdoor festival.' [Full Story]

Brexit: Boris Johnson defeated as MPs take control
[ BBC ] [ 04 Sep 2019 01:36 GMT ]

The BBC understands the government intends to hold an election on 15 October, two days before a crucial EU summit in Brussels. [Full Story]

How a Sri Lankan family won the hearts of a small country town before being ripped from the community
[ Daily Mail UK ] [ 03 Sep 2019 19:57 GMT ]

Only the immigration minister has the power to allow the family to stay in Australia regardless of the court and agency decisions. [Full Story]

Good reasons why Coleman should use 'God powers' to let Tamil family stay
[ The Sydney Morning Herald ] [ 02 Sep 2019 21:02 GMT ]

Accounts of how the family's relocation was carried out are alarming. Journalists have reported the children were separated from their parents and transported in separate vans. [Full Story]

This Is Cruelty: Australians Urge Govt Not to Deport Tamil Family
[ The Quint ] [ 01 Sep 2019 23:17 GMT ]

The Australian government's hardline immigration policies, include turning away refugees arriving by boat and de facto offshore detention, both measures condemned by the United Nations. [Full Story]

Tamil family's deportation from Australia halted mid-air
[ BBC ] [ 31 Aug 2019 00:55 GMT ]

On Friday many Australians, including lawmakers, expressed anger online over the family's treatment and called for the government to show compassion. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: Simmering ethno-religious tensions must not be ignored, says UN rights expert
[ UN Human Rights ] [ 30 Aug 2019 02:12 GMT ]

The UN expert said resilience against religious extremism could be built by a range of measures including strengthening the rule of law, addressing root causes, improving education for all and protecting religious diversity. [Full Story]

The True Cost of your Trip to Sri Lanka
[ Pearl ] [ 29 Aug 2019 20:04 GMT ]

Behind Sri Lanka's beaches and tropical climate, lies a government with a long record of human rights violations lasting a 26-year-long civil war which has left the minority Tamil population marginalised and seeking justice. [Full Story]

Tamils protest arrest of doctor with 'expertise to expose war crimes'
[ JDS ] [ 28 Aug 2019 00:26 GMT ]

Hospital workers and residents protested the security forces’ action as a move to dodge accountability for atrocities committed during the war and its aftermath. [Full Story]

DMK's Stalin heads to UN's Human Rights body, we tell you what's his agenda
[ Hindustan Times ] [ 27 Aug 2019 19:55 GMT ]

DMK chief MK Stalin's participation in United Nations Human Rights Council session has been confirmed by the international watchdog. [Full Story]

The Tamil business tycoon behind historic 1985 Live Aid Concerts
[ Thamarai ] [ 26 Aug 2019 00:44 GMT ]

The Live Aid concerts in 1985 would not have been possible without the contribution of Tamil businessman Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan. [Full Story]

At Toronto's Tamil Fest, human rights group seeks data on Sri Lanka's civil war casualties
[ Toronto Star ] [ 25 Aug 2019 22:14 GMT ]

'It's a very tragic and emotional thing for us, but it's work that's nonetheless very, very important to us.' [Full Story]

What Colombo-Beijing axis means to Sri Lanka
[ Asia Times ] [ 24 Aug 2019 00:19 GMT ]

The Colombo-Beijing axis is primarily driven by Sri Lanka's nationalists to counter their real or imagined threat from New Delhi. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka attacks boost feared ex-official's bid for power
[ Washington Post ] [ 23 Aug 2019 20:05 GMT ]

Some 45,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the last months of the war alone, according to a U.N. report. [Full Story]

A Rajapaksa for President. For Sri Lanka that has seen so much tragedy, it's time to panic
[ The Print ] [ 22 Aug 2019 01:30 GMT ]

The Rajapaksa political project revolves around corruption and denigration of ethnic and religious minorities. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka's new army chief is a general accused of human rights abuses during the civil war
[ South China Morning Post ] [ 21 Aug 2019 00:50 GMT ]

The rights group International Truth and Justice Project said the appointment marks the end of any reconciliation process. [Full Story]

In Sri Lanka, Victor's Justice Means No Justice at All
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 20 Aug 2019 23:24 GMT ]

For the relatives of victims of abuses committed by Silva's 58th Division - who have long held vigils seeking justice and answers - this appointment negates all the government's pledges toward accountability, reconciliation, and reform. [Full Story]

UN rights chief 'troubled' by new Sri Lanka army chief
[ Arab news ] [ 19 Aug 2019 19:25 GMT ]

A UN report said Silva played a major role in orchestrating war crimes. [Full Story]

Mothers of the disappeared in the civil war: Gotabaya Rajapaksa must not be president
[ Asia News ] [ 18 Aug 2019 09:47 GMT ]

We look at everything that is happening with the agony in our hearts. Even if there is no law to punish these criminals, we continue to keep watch, until nature and karma take their course '. [Full Story]

SRI LANKA: WRITER FACES UP TO 10 YEARS JAIL FOR STORY: SHAKTHIKA SATHKUMARA
[ Amnesty International ] [ 17 Aug 2019 02:00 GMT ]

Detained for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression, Shakthika Sathkumara is a prisoner of conscience and must be immediately and unconditionally released and all charges against him dropped. [Full Story]

Emerging Voices: Sri Lanka's Tamils Need Genocide Recognition and Innovative Justice Mechanisms
[ Opinio Juris ] [ 16 Aug 2019 00:05 GMT ]

Since time is the enemy of evidence-gathering, international legal experts and Tamil activists are urgently calling for the establishment of an independent investigative mechanism before physical evidence is destroyed. [Full Story]

Is Sri Lanka on the road to authoritarianism?
[ Asia Times ] [ 15 Aug 2019 19:55 GMT ]

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, part of a 'political dynasty' in the country, is to run for president and has some heavyweight backers. [Full Story]

'At Last History Has Meaning': The Poetry of Jean Arasanayagam
[ The Wire ] [ 14 Aug 2019 22:40 GMT ]

A deeply sensitive investigator of identity, Arasanayagam straddled multiple heritages in her poetry and sought to chart a cartographic course that would transcend ethno-nationalist boundaries. [Full Story]

Gotabaya Rajapaksa launches Sri Lanka presidential bid
[ Aljazeera ] [ 13 Aug 2019 22:40 GMT ]

Gotabaya was also implicated in the killing of rebels and civilians who tried to surrender with white flags under a pre-arranged deal in the final days of the civil war. [Full Story]

SRI LANKA: JUSTICE FOR THE TRINCO 5
[ Amnesty International ] [ 12 Aug 2019 20:08 GMT ]

Amnesty International welcomes the decision of the Attorney General of Sri Lanka to recommence investigations into the killing of five Tamil students - known as the 'Trinco 5'. [Full Story]

Resistance to US intervention in Sri Lanka
[ Asia Times ] [ 11 Aug 2019 00:15 GMT ]

We Sri Lankans have to come together at this critical juncture to protect our precious, beautiful island home. [Full Story]

Tamil Writers Guild - CJT Thamotheram Memorial Lecture
[ TWG ] [ 10 Aug 2019 22:40 GMT ]

Guest Speaker, Madurika Rasaratnam appealed to the Tamil Diaspora world over to raise the matter of continued injustice inflicted on the Tamils of North East Sri Lanka to their respective local MP's and seek justice. [Video]

Sri Lankan nun who fought for women's rights dies at 84
[ UCA News ] [ 09 Aug 2019 18:55 GMT ]

'The task now facing the people of the country is immense and requires all hands. Sister Fernando made every effort to begin a process of healing and reconciliation.' [Full Story]

Detroit man who lived his life in the US dies after deportation to Iraq
[ BBC ] [ 08 Aug 2019 21:44 GMT ]

Human Rights Watch called Aldaoud's death a 'shocking but not unpredictable result of cruel US immigration policies'. [Full Story]

Tamil Diaspora Organizations Pay Homage to Smt Sushma Swaraj
[ BTF ] [ 08 Aug 2019 18:35 GMT ]

She was very sympathetic towards the plight of Tamil people in Sri Lanka. [Full Story]

Religion can bring peace - but introduce politics, and the results can be tragic
[ The Globe and Mail ] [ 07 Aug 2019 23:55 GMT ]

Good religious engagement covers what government cannot. It teaches us how to love, the rationale to forgive, and the ethics required to be simply good people. [Full Story]

Report of Sri Lanka Voluntary National Review
[ Ministry of Sustainable Development ] [ 06 Aug 2019 00:12 GMT ]

There have been occurrences of aggressive situations in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces due to factors including the high presence of the military, poverty, illiteracy, and corruption. [Full Story]

Refugees display diversity in Tamil culture
[ The Hindu ] [ 05 Aug 2019 02:33 GMT ]

A host of foreign diplomats had a glimpse of the varied facets of Tamil art and culture as young refugees living in the State displayed their talent in Bharatanatyam, Silambam and Veena recital at an event. [Full Story]

New book highlights plight of Tamil refugees
[ Green Left ] [ 04 Aug 2019 00:19 GMT ]

Hillier said that Tamil youth felt they had no choice but to take up arms because every political avenue for seeking justice had been closed off. [Full Story]

TASMANZ COMPLETES FIVE YEARS, OFFERS HOST OF EMERGING NEW TALENTS
[ Indian Weekender ] [ 03 Aug 2019 01:30 GMT ]

TASMANZ is a youth-led initiative with a passion for showcasing local cinematography talent amongst the Tamil community in New Zealand. [Full Story]

Sri Lanka: No Progress in Prosecuting Aid Worker Massacre
[ Human Rights Watch ] [ 02 Aug 2019 00:12 GMT ]

Sri Lankan authorities have failed to bring to justice those responsible for the execution-style killing of 17 aid workers 13 years ago, Human Right Watch said today. [Full Story]

Tamils and Tamizhakam in Chinese eyes
[ The Indian Express ] [ 01 Aug 2019 23:58 GMT ]

The Chinese and Tamil communities have celebrated thousands of years of friendship. [Full Story]

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Justice Delayed; Justice Denied!

Center for Prevention and Prosecution of Genocide
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