Posts Categorized: Diaspora

An Epochal Episode in the Tamil Freedom Struggle

Black July 1983 Reposting from July 10, 2006 by Dharakan, Brisbane, Australia J.R. Jayawardene said, “The more you put pressure in the north, the happier the Sinhala people will be here. Really, if I starve the Tamils out, the Sinhala people will be happy.” Early Ground Work for Genocide  Burning Tamil houses, July 1983. Source:… Read more »

Explainer: Another Mass Grave and the 1990 Sampur Massacres

by Tamil Guardian, London, July 25, 2025 Tamils pay tribute to victims of the massacres earlier this year. Following the discovery of another set of human remains in Sampur this week, just metres from where at least 57 Tamil civilians were murdered by Sri Lankan government forces in July 1990, we re-examine the massacres. ‘We… Read more »

From Srebrenica to Mullivaikkal

The Long Road from Grief to Justice by GEO LENS Substack, July 20, 2025 This July, the world marked the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, where over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were massacred in July 1995. It remains Europe’s most horrifying atrocity since the Holocaust, recognised by international tribunals as genocide. But for the Tamil people of… Read more »

Maison: Mass Graves of Silence

by Maison du Tamil Eelam, Paris, June 17, 2025 Maison du Tamil Eelam Mass Graves of Silence June 17 2025 Press release Sri Lanka: Mass Graves of Silence Since gaining independence, Sri Lanka has been the scene of serious, systematic human rights violations, particularly targeting a segment of its population. These abuses have left deep… Read more »

From Chemmani to Geneva

Will Sri Lanka Face Its Truth? by Wimal Navaratnam, Canada, June 30, 2025 From Chemmani to Geneva Next Steps and Future Outlook With Volker Türk’s mission now completed, attention shifts to what comes next. All parties – the UN, the Sri Lankan government, Tamil representatives, and international actors – are looking ahead to ensure that… Read more »

Justice for Sri Lanka’s Genocide Against Tamils

by [unclear, although some analysis is provided by People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) and the document is supported by the Ottawa Tamil Association. the Tamil Genocide Memorial, Tamil American United PAC, the Federation of Global Tamil Organizations, the Ilankai Tamil Sangam, and the  Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA)], 2024 Justice… Read more »

TG Explainer – Krishanthi Kumaraswamy and the Chemmani Mass Graves

by Tamil Guardian, London, July 2, 2025 Krishanthi Kumaraswamy was an 18-year-old Tamil schoolgirl from Jaffna whose brutal rape and murder in 1996, along with the killing of her mother, younger brother, and a neighbour, became one of the most notorious atrocities of Sri Lanka’s genocide of Tamils. Her case exposed a grisly network of… Read more »

TG Explainer – What are the Chemmani Mass Graves?

by Tamil Guardian, London, June 25, 2025 Chemmani, a village on the outskirts of Jaffna, is a serene and beautiful town that has come to take on a notorious reputation. It is the site of mass graves, where potentially, hundreds of Tamils who were murdered by the Sri Lankan military lie buried. These graves date… Read more »

Türk: ‘The Haunting Past Becomes Visible’

UN human rights chief reflects on Chemmani visit by Tamil Guardian, London, June 25, 2025 United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reflected on his visit to the Chemmani mass grave site near Jaffna on Wednesday, reiterating the importance of ensuring “independent experts with forensic expertise” are allowed to be used to excavate… Read more »

From Chemmani To Geneva

Will Sri Lanka Face Its Truth? by Wimal Navaratnam, Brampton, Canada, June 30, 2025 From Chemmani to Geneva Contents Background and Context of the High Commissioner’s Visit …………………………………………………… 4 Context: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 Volker Türk’s Engagement and Key Messages During the Visit ………………………………………………… 4 Transitional Justice and Accountability: …………………………………………………………………………. 5 Repeal of Draconian Security Laws: ………………………………………………………………………………… Read more »

Pew: Facts about Sri Lankans in the U.S.

by Carolyn Im, Pew Research Center, Washington, DC, May 1, 2025 (based on U.S. Census Bureau tabulations of the 2023 American Community Survey) [Note: based on those who reported their identity as Sri Lankan ONLY, so probably excludes who identified as Sri Lankan Tamil, etc. Hopefully, another demographer can tease out these numbers from the… Read more »

TG: Sri Lanka’s Genocide Blueprint

Tamil Guardian editorial, June 2, 2025 There was a marked shift in global politics last week as states around the world, including staunch allies of Israel, began to criticise its ongoing military offensive in Gaza. It comes as a senior United Nations humanitarian official repeatedly issued a stark reminder of the international community’s failure to… Read more »

TG: A Global Reckoning

Tamil Guardian editorial, May 27, 2025 Last week, thousands of Tamils gathered at Mullivaikkal, on the very beaches where tens of thousands were massacred by the Sri Lankan state in 2009, to mark the 16th anniversary of the genocide. The turnout was remarkable, the largest since the end of the armed conflict, and a powerful testament… Read more »

TG: There Can Be No More Denial

Tamil Guardian editorial, May 19, 2025 Today, Tamils around the world are commemorating 16 years since the massacres at Mullivaikkal. Though more than a decade-and-half has passed, the situation on the island for Eelam Tamils seems as precarious as ever. There has been no accountability for the atrocities that took place. The seizure of historic… Read more »

Mullivaikkal Declaration 2025

by Tamil Guardian, London, May 21, 2025 See in original Tamil at TamilWin தமிழீழ வரலாற்றின் சாட்சியாக முள்ளிவாய்க்கால் பிரகடனம் 2025 – தமிழ்வின் Marking sixteen years since the Mullivaikkal genocide, the Mullivaikkal Remembrance Public Forum released a statement on 18 May 2025, reaffirming the Tamil nation’s unwavering commitment to justice, self-determination, and resistance against continued structural oppression… Read more »

The Story of Eelam Tamils ​​in South Indian Cinema

by I.V. Mahasenan in his blog, May 12, 2025 [translated into English from the original Tamil by Google Translate with corrections by the Editor.]   The Tamilaham (Tamil Nadu) and Eelam-Tamil relationship is essential to the existence of Tamil national politics. Since the Sri Lankan and Indian governments have interpreted the rise of Tamil nationalism… Read more »

TG: Tamil Resistance at the Polls

Tamil Guardian editorial, May 9, 2025 Sri Lanka’s recent local government elections illustrated a sharp decline in support for the National People’s Power (NPP), a fall most pronounced in the Tamil North-East. Less than a year since it swept into both presidential and parliamentary power on a platform of anti-corruption and political reform, the coalition… Read more »