Latest news
British politicians called on the UK government to exert more pressure on Sri Lanka by referring them to the International Criminal Court, imposing targeted sanctions and to evaluate it's military co-operation over the island's longstanding history of human rights abuses.
Opening last week's Westminster Hall debate, Elliot Colburn, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT) and MP for Carshalton and Wallington explained that despite 15 years passing since the Mullivaikkal genocide, which saw the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamils at the hands of the Sri Lankan state, the situation on the island "remains precarious".
Tamil News
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The Sri Lankan health Ministry has rejected a study published in the British Medical Journal, The Lancet which finds that 410,000 girls in Sri Lanka are underweight and that there has been no detectable change in statistics since 1990.
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Sri Lankan soldiers have died fighting for and against the Russian army on the front lines in Ukraine, as “hundreds” of former soldiers have turned mercenaries in the midst of an economic crisis on the island.
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Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister Tiran Alles instructed the security forces to “stop fondling weapons and use them” just days after he called for the intensification of the military-led operation Yukthiya.
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An event discussing Sri Lanka’s enduring ethnic and economic crisis took place at Harvard University earlier this month, with panellists painting a bleak picture of the path that lies ahead for the island.
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Tamil residents of Kalmunai North have opposed a move by the Sri Lankan government to subjugate their division under the Kalmunai South Division, adding that Tamils in the region were assured a fully-fledged secretariat to address their community-specific needs.
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Sri Lanka’s Attorney General informed the Court of Appeal that it would submit a ‘comprehensive investigation report’ on all Maaveerar Naal commemorations that have been held to date in the North-East, amidst threats of legal action against any...
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Former Sri Lankan minister, S.M. Chandrasena, who served in Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s cabinet, has cast blame for the island’s economic crisis on the defunct LTTE and the oppositional JVP.
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The Trincomalee Pathirakali Ambal Temple chariot festival, held on March 23, 2024, witnessed an overwhelming turnout of devotees, marking yet another successful year for the event.
The highlight of the event unfolded at 8:00 am when Amman graced the ceremonial Chariot, escorted...
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Residents of Palaly, Jaffna, engaged in a postcard campaign demanding the immediate release of their lands which have been under Sri Lankan military occupation for over 30 years.
The campaign titled “Give us back our land” was organised by the Mannar Social Economic Development...
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Speaking at the Genocide to Life Conference in Erbil, Dr A R Sriskanda Rajah, representing the World Tamil Co-ordinating Committee drew parallels of the genocide experienced by the Kurds and Eelam Tamils adding that the journey to justice has also been long and arduous for both.
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The root cause of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis is the inability to solve the ongoing ethnic issues, said Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) Leader and former parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran at a meeting in Vavuniya today.
“Everyone says that once the economic issue is resolved, all other problems will be...
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The full text of a speech delivered by Dr A R Sriskanda Rajah at the Genocide to Life Conference in Erbil, March 2024.
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Leader of the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) and Tamil member of parliament Dharmalingam Siddarthan told Tamils in Vavuniya that the 13th Amendment should be accepted as it is the “realistic” thing to do.
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Sri Lanka’s former president Maithripala Sirisena shockingly claimed to know the perpetrators behind the deadly Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 250 people, almost five years since the bombings.
“No one knows who is behind these attacks, but I do,” Sirisena told reporters in Kandy.
“I am willing to disclose this information before a court of law,...
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Sri Lankan officials disgruntled with India's involvement in infrastructure projects are said to have delayed fast-tracking the Mannar wind farm project.
“Some officials are stubborn and not helping to fast track the project,” a cabinet minister told EconomyNext when asked the reasons for the delay.
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After more than a week of detention, a group of eight Tamils who had been assaulted, arrested and detained without bail finally had a trumped-up case against them dismissed. The Sri Lankan police never did have any basis to hold them, a fact that even the biased court system could not dispute. But this will not deter Sri Lanka’s...
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The Sri Lankan President’s Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor on National Security Sagala Ratnayake is scheduled to make a two-day visit to India, for discussions on constructing an over-the-sea bridge connecting Tamil Nadu to the island...
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After four consecutive days of a hunger strike, the Jaffna District Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Unions has concluded its demonstrations with a mass. protest...
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Sri Lanka is on a “knife edge path” which “could easily go back to a vicious cycle,” International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials told reporters in Colombo this week, as they approved the next loan tranche from a $3 billion bailout program.
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Civil society organisations have denounced a proposed amendment to Sri Lanka’s Penal Code which will see a reduction in the age of consent from 16 years to 14 years of age, stating that the amendment must be withdrawn immediately.
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With Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe to visit Jaffna, Tamil activists have denounced his history of broken pledges and vowed to continue protests.
M Komagan, an activist with the Voice of the Voiceless Organisation told reporters that Tamils in the homeland will continue to call out Wickremesinghe on the...
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Students attached to the Jaffna University filed a formal complaint at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) office in Jaffna over the conduct of Sri Lanka police during the Shivarathri observances at the Vedukkunaari Temple in Vavuniya.
The students who filed the complaint were also present on the day...
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The chief priest of the Vedukkunaari Adi Shiva Temple who was among the devotees released from Vavuniya prison earlier this week has been admitted to the Mullaitivu District General Hospital due to an illness he had developed while in prison.
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Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, MK Stalin, alongside a number of other chief ministers, including West Bengal, has vowed that he will not allow for the implementation of Indian Citizen Amendment Act which specifically excludes Muslims and Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka from being granted citizenship.
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Sri Lanka’s Vavuniya remand prison holds three times its capacity and is “worse than a concentration camp”, one of the eight Tamil detainees who was arrested during the Shivarathri prayers at the Vedukkunaari earlier this month, told reporters after their release.
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Human Rights Watch has called on the Sri Lanka to order its archaeological department to end its “discriminatory interference” in Hindu sites and protect their rights as well as other minority communities.
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The Sri Lanka government opened a new consulate and engaged in expanded trade talks with Israel this week, despite purportedly calling for a ceasefire to its offensive in Gaza in which tens of thousands have been killed.
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Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Eran Wickramaratne resigned from his position on the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) stating that members to the committee must not be associated with allegations or convictions or corruption, and the appointment of a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) member as...
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The UNDP in Sri Lanka released its Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) in Sri Lanka which shows a large percentage of individuals in North-East live below the poverty line and have several vulnerabilities, with some of the districts being the worst affected on the whole island.
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China’s embassy in Colombo has objected to a decision by Sri Lanka authorities to permit a German research vessel to dock on the island amidst a one year ban on foreign research vessels.
China’s objections follows a refusal from Sri Lanka authorities to permit a Chinese vessel to dock in Sri Lanka in February. The one-year ban on foreign vessels docking on the island came amidst heavy security concerns from both India and the United States after the visit of two Chinese research...
World News
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Israel told four European countries on Monday that their plan to take steps towards recognizing a Palestinian state constitutes a “prize for terrorism”.
On Friday Spain joined Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia in agreeing to take the first steps toward recognizing statehood declared by Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the United States abstained from the vote.
Resolution 2728 was proposed by 10 elected members of the council, 14 council members voted in favour.
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The Indian government has enacted a controversial citizenship law that has been described as discriminatory towards Muslims by critics.
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), proposed by the Modi government, explicitly makes religion the basis for acquiring Indian citizenship.
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Source: Flickr, July 29, 2016
While attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea, about 60 migrants have died after the engine of their small dinghy broke down.
On Wednesday, the dinghy was spotted by a ship belonging to the humanitarian organization, SOS Mediterranee. The humanitarian group was able to rescue 25 survivors who were showing...
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A UN fact-finding mission (FFM) has concluded that the Iranian regime’s human rights violations during its brutal suppression of protests in 2022 amount to crimes against humanity.
In November 2022, the UN Human Rights Council established an FFM two months after the Woman, Life, Freedom protests that swept the country. The protests were in response to the death of 22-year-old...
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On 4 March the United States sanctioned eleven Zimbabwean officials including President Emmerson Mnangagwa for their connection to corruption or serious human rights abuses.
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Five members of the SAS have been arrested by British military police on suspicion of allegedly committing war crimes while on operations in Syria.
The case against the five revolves around the alleged murder of a suspected jihadist in Syria who was killed on operations two years ago. Case files recommending prosecution of murder charges have been sent by service police to the Service Prosecuting Authority, the military equivalent of the CPS.
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Human rights experts have condemned a decision by Indonesia’s outgoing president to award the rank of honorary four-star general to his presumed successor, Prabowo Subianto, a controversial figure accused of human rights violations.
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On Friday, President Biden announced plans to carryout a US military airdrop of food and supplies into Gaza.
The announcement comes just a day after Israeli forces opened fire on thousands of Palestinians lining up for desperately needed food assistance. The massacre left more than 750 wounded and killed at least 112 Palestinans.
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Nicaragua has filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Germany for providing Israel financial and military aid, and for suspending funding for the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA).
The case brought on by Nicaragua builds on South Africa's ICJ case against Israel. In it Nicaragua states that Germany is violating the 1948 Genocide convention and the 1949...
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A member of the US Air Force has died after setting himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington in protest against Israel’s war on Gaza.
The 25-year-old US airman, Aaron Bushnell of San Antonio, Texas, died from his injuries on Monday according to the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC.
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The UN Human Rights Office has stated that warring sides in Sudan have committed abuses that could amount to war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on civilian sites such as hospitals, markets, and refugee camps.
The 10-month conflict has killed thousands and displaced approximately 8 million people.
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UN experts are calling for a full investigation into credible allegations that Palestinian women and girls have been subjected to sexual assault while in Israeli detention.
A panel of experts has stated that there is evidence of at least two cases of rape alongside other cases of sexual humiliation and threats of rape.
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The UK’s minister for veterans, Johnny Mercer, has effectively admitted in front of a public inquiry that he believed members of the SAS had engaged in dozens of unlawful killings of Afghan civilians between 2010 and 2013.
Asked by the chair of the inquiry to clarify that he was describing "allegations of straight murder" by the SAS, Mr Mercer replied, "Yes."
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The Foreign Secretary has announced sanctions on 4 extremist Israeli settlers who have committed human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
There have been unprecedented levels of violence by extremist settlers in the West Bank over the past year. Some residents of illegal Israeli settlements and outposts have used harassment,...
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In a joint statement published on Wednesday, the leaders of Canada, New Zealand, and Australia call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza in response to Israel's planned military operation in Rafah.
The statement emphasizes that Rafah is currently providing refuge for 1.5 million Palestinians and that an expanded military operation would be catastrophic.
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Ethiopia’s federal security forces killed at least 45 civilians in a massacre in Amhara state in late January, the independent state-affiliated Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said on Tuesday.
It is one of the worst episodes of violence in the Amhara region since last August, when...
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On Monday a Dutch appeals court ordered the Netherlands to block all exports of F-35 jet parts to Israel due to concerns they are being used to violate international law in Gaza.
The court has stated that the government has seven days to comply with the order.
The lawsuit against the Dutch government over F-35 jet exports to Israel was brought on by various rights groups...
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Thousands of people are fleeing violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as fighting intensifies between the Congolese army and the M23 armed group.
Fighters reportedly surrounded the strategic town of Sake on Wednesday, a crucial step before reaching Goma, the capital of North Kivu. Capturing Sake would deal a logistical blow to Congolese...
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On 8 February, UNICEF issued a statement warning that an escalation of Israel's attacks in Rafah "will mark another devastating turn in a war that has reportedly killed over 27,000 people - most of them women and children."
Israeli Prime Minister has stated that he ordered the military to develop a plan to both evacuate civilians from Rafah and defeat remaining Hamas battalions...
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On Wednesday the United Nations appealed for $4.1bn to meet the humanitarian needs of Sudan after ten months of armed conflict have led to the world's largest displacement crisis with half of the population facing hunger.
The UN has characterized the situation in Sudan as one of "epic suffering". The appeal for more aid comes as the UN World Food Programme has warned that people in...
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Sinn Féin says united Ireland 'within touching distance' as the party claim the post of Northern Ireland first minister for the first time.
Northern Ireland’s devolved government has reconvened and appointed Michelle O’Neill as first minister in a historic moment for Sinn Féin and Irish nationalism.
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Earlier this week the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, appealed for increased attention on Myanmar from the international community citing the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in the country.
Ahead of the third anniversary of the military coup, Türk stated “Amid all of the crises around the world, it is important no one is forgotten. The people...
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Britain will consider recognising a Palestinian state as part of concerted efforts to bring about an “irreversible” peace settlement, the foreign secretary, David Cameron, has said.
Palestinians must have “a political horizon so that they can see that there is going to be irreversible progress to a two-state solution”, Lord Cameron said in a speech on...
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On Wednesday, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation said that all states should stop funding Israel's military actions in Gaza after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) determined that those actions could amount to genocide.
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The International Court of Justice ordered provisional measures, in South Africa's case that Israel is violating the Genocide Convention.
The court adopted “provisional measures,” or binding orders, that include requiring Israel to prevent genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza, enable the provision of basic services and...
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In an interview with UN News, UNICEF representative in Sudan, Mandeep O'Brien, stated that the war in Sudan is a "living nightmare for children."
According to O'Brien the conflict has displaced more than 3.5 million girls and boys.
Further, nearly 2 million are in urgent need of lifesaving vaccines. And over 7.4 million do not have access to safe drinking water.
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Sixty Syrian migrants have been rescued by Cypriot authorities on Wednesday after being lost at sea for 6 days.
The migrants were spotted by a merchant vessel on a small wooden fishing boat about 30 nautical miles off Cape Greco.
According to Cyprus’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, all migrants have been hospitalized, including three children and one man who ...
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A recent article published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) highlights the Bangladeshi police abuse occurring in Rohingya camps.
In the past decade, nearly a million Rohingya have fled persecution by the Myanmar military. Those who have fled currently live in refugee settlements in Bangladesh.
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Tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets of Buenos Aires on Wednesday to protest economic and labor reforms proposed by President Javier Milei.
The 12-hour strike coordinated by Argentina's largest union, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), is the most significant opposition to Milei's proposed austerity measures since he took office in December 2023. ...