Attacks on Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu

Last updated

Attacks on Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu refer to a series of attacks and demonstrations that have taken place in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu against Sri Lankans (particularly Sinhalese) and Sri Lankan interests in the state. The protests took several forms, of attacks on individuals, groups and institutions. [1]

Contents

These attacks have led to the Sri Lankan government considering to shift its Deputy High Commissioner's office in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, to Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala following its recall of its Defence Attaché from Chennai as a result of harassment. [2] Sri Lankan students in universities in Tamil Nadu have been forced to vacate college hostels and are refused alternate accommodation in private homes. [3]

List of incidences

Reaction of the Government of Sri Lanka

Reaction of the Government of India

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam</span> Militant Tamil organisation in Sri Lanka (1976–2009)

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a Tamil militant organization that was based in northeastern Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamils</span> Dravidian ethnolinguistic group

The Tamil people, also known as Tamilar, Tamilians, or simply Tamils, are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group who natively speak the Tamil language and trace their ancestry mainly to India's southern state of Tamil Nadu, the union territory of Puducherry, and to Sri Lanka. The Tamil language is one of the world's longest-surviving classical languages, with over 2000 years of Tamil literature, including the Sangam poems, which were composed between 300 BCE and 300 CE. People who speak Tamil as their mother tongue and are born in Tamil clans are considered Tamils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rameswaram</span> Pilgrimage centre and a town in Tamilnadu, India

Rameswaram is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kilometres from Mannar Island, Sri Lanka. It is in the Gulf of Mannar, at the tip of the Indian peninsula. Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, is connected to mainland India by the Pamban Bridge. Rameswaram is the terminus of the railway line from Chennai and Madurai. Together with Varanasi, it is considered to be one of the holiest places in India to Hindus and is part of the Char Dham pilgrimage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi</span> Indian political party

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi formerly known as the Dalit Panthers of India or the Dalit Panthers Iyyakkam is an Indian social movement and political party that seeks to combat caste based discrimination, active in the state of Tamil Nadu. The party also has a strong emphasis on Tamil nationalism. Its chairman is Thol. Thirumavalavan, a lawyer from Chennai and its general secretary is the writer Ravikumar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamil Eelam</span> Proposed independent state in Sri Lanka

Tamil Eelam is a proposed independent state that many Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Eelam Tamil diaspora aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Large sections of the North-East were under de facto control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for most of the 1990s–2000s during the Sri Lankan Civil War. Tamil Eelam, although encompassing the traditional homelands of Eelam Tamils, does not have official status or recognition by world states. The name is derived from the ancient Tamil name for Sri Lanka, Eelam.

The Anuradhapura massacre occurred in Sri Lanka in 1985 and was carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. This was the largest massacre of Sinhalese civilians by the LTTE to date; it was also the first major operation carried out by the LTTE outside a Tamil majority area. Initially, EROS claimed responsibility for the massacre, but it later retracted the statement, and joined the PLOTE in denouncing the incident. The groups later accused the LTTE for the attack. Since then, no Tamil militant group has admitted to committing the massacre. However, state intelligence discovered that the operation was ordered by the LTTE's leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. He assigned the massacre to the LTTE Mannar commander Victor and it was executed by Victor's subordinate Anthony Kaththiar. The LTTE claimed the attack was in revenge of the 1985 Valvettiturai massacre, where the Sri Lanka Army killed 70 Tamil civilians in Prabhakaran's hometown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thol. Thirumavalavan</span> Indian politician

Tholkappiyan Thirumavalavan, better known as Thol. Thirumavalavan is a political leader, scholar and activist from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He is a Member of Parliament from Chidambaram. Founder and President of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. He rose to prominence in the 1990s as a Dalit leader, and formally entered politics in 1999. His political platform centres on ending caste-based discrimination and consequently the caste system. He has also expressed support for Tamil nationalist movements in Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seeman (politician)</span> Indian politician and actor

Senthamizhan Seeman is an Indian politician, filmmaker and the chief-coordinator of the political party Naam Tamilar Katchi in Tamil Nadu. He is an advocate of the creation of vote bank for Tamils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamil nationalism</span> Ideology based on a Tamil nation

Tamil nationalism is the ideology which asserts that the Tamil people constitute a nation and promotes the cultural unity of Tamil people. Tamil nationalism is primarily a secular nationalism, that focus on language and homeland. It expresses itself in the form of linguistic purism, nationalism and irredentism, Social equality and Tamil Renaissance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Sri Lanka relations</span> Bilateral relations

India–Sri Lanka relations, Indian-Sri Lankan relations, or Indo-Sri Lanka relations, are the bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka. India has emerged as the foremost partner for Sri Lanka in the endeavor to revitalize its economy, reform its bureaucracy, and enhance decision-making processes for future economic collaborations. Both countries have reached an agreement to strengthen their economic and energy ties, signaling a new phase of cooperation and mutual benefits. Only 4% of Sri Lankans have a negative view on India, the lowest of all the countries surveyed by the Ipsos GlobalScan. The two countries are also close on economic terms with India being the island's largest trading partner and an agreement to establish a proto single market also under discussion at an advanced stage. There are deep ethnic and cultural links between the two countries. India and Sri Lanka share a maritime border. India is the only neighbour of Sri Lanka, separated by the Palk Strait; both states occupy a strategic position in South Asia and have sought to build a common security umbrella in the Indian Ocean. Both India and Sri Lanka are republics that are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. India has achieved the distinction of being the initial nation to submit its formal endorsement for the financial assistance and debt restructure proposal of Sri Lanka to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), headquartered in Washington. In a bid to foster and safeguard the Buddhist connections between India and Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiled a grant assistance of USD 15 million during the Virtual Bilateral Summit in September 2020. This financial support is intended for various purposes, including the restoration or establishment of Buddhist monasteries, the education of young monks, the enhancement of interaction among Buddhist scholars and clergy, the establishment of museums dedicated to Buddhist heritage, the facilitation of cultural exchanges, collaborative efforts in archaeology, and the mutual showcasing of The Buddha's relics.

Kumar Muthukumar was an Indian journalist and activist based in the province of Tamil Nadu, who came into prominence when he set himself on fire protesting against the brutal atrocities against the Sri Lankan Tamil people at the peak of civil war in the country. His death instantly triggered widespread strikes, demonstrations and public unrest in the state, most notably the manifestation of popular defiance of the Government of India ban against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which the people demonstrated carrying flags of Tamil Eelam, placards and images of the LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran in the funeral procession of Muthukumar. Subsequently, 6 more Tamils committed self-immolation in various parts of the globe including India, Malaysia and Switzerland.

Between 2008 and 2009, major protests against the Sri Lankan Civil War took place in several countries around the world, urging national and world leaders and organisations to take action on bringing a unanimous cease fire to the Sri Lankan Civil War, which had taken place for twenty-six years. Tamil diaspora populations around the world expressed concerns regarding the conduct of the civil war in the island nation of Sri Lanka. The civil war, which took place between the Sri Lankan Army and the separatist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is believed to have killed over 100,000 civilians. Protesters and critics of the Sri Lankan government that triggered a culturally based civil war to be a systematic genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Sri Lankan Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jegath Gaspar Raj</span>

Jegath Gaspar Raj ( Gaspar Raj Maria Paulian ) is a Chennai-based Catholic priest. He is the founder of the Tamil Maiyam organisation and co creator of the Chennai Sangamam festival. During 1995–2001 he served as the director of the Tamil service for Radio Veritas. He is also the organiser of the Idea-GiveLife Chennai International Marathon. He is also the founder of the Naller publications, a book publishing company. In 2009, during the final stages of Eelam War IV, he functioned as an intermediary between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Sri Lankan Tamils in India mainly refer to Tamil people of Sri Lankan origin in India and non-resident Sri Lankan Tamil. They are partly who migrated to India and their descendants and mostly refugees from Sri Lanka because of the concluded Sri Lankan Civil War. In general socio economically they are living below poverty line, except few people who settled in India during early times, rich businessmen, and professionals. In Tamil Nadu they are also known as Ceylon Tamils or Jaffna Tamils.

Sri Lankans in India mainly refer to Tamil people of Sri Lankan origin in India and non resident Sri Lankans. They are partly who migrated to India and their descendants and mostly refugees from Sri Lanka because of the recently concluded Sri Lankan Civil War. There is also a small population of Sinhalese people in India, numbering about 3,500 and mostly located in Delhi and Chennai. 57 Sri Lankans have become Indian citizens through naturalization since 2017. According to records with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, as on January 1,2021, there were 58,843 Sri Lankan refugees staying in 108 refugee camps in Tamil Nadu and 54 in Odisha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam</span>

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is a transnational organisation among the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora which aims to establish Tamil Eelam, a secular and democratic socialist state which many Tamils aimed to create in the North-East of Sri Lanka.

The Tamil Eelam Supporters Organization (TESO) was an Eelam Tamil supporters organisation founded in 1985 with Dr. Kalaignar Karunanidhi as president and K. Veeramani and Nedumaran as members for the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam in the northeast of Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naam Tamilar Katchi</span> Indian political party

Naam Tamilar Katchi is a Tamil nationalist party in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Anti–Sri Lanka protests</span> Student protests in India

The 2013 Anti–Sri Lanka protests are a series of student protests and agitations initiated by the Students Federation for Freedom of Tamil Eelam in Tamil Nadu, India, against war crimes committed against Sri Lankan Tamil people by Sri Lankan army during the Eelam War IV. The protesters demanded that the Government of India vote in support of a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution censuring the Government of Sri Lanka for war crimes. Some radical groups even demanded the prosecution of the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapakse for his role in the alleged genocide of Sri Lankan Tamils. Apart from college students, doctors, film personalities and employees of IT companies also participated in the protests.

Contributions to popular culture involving direct reference to the Sri Lankan Tamil community in Indian cinema are listed below. All communities that speak Tamil and originally came from Sri Lanka are included. Tamils of Sri Lanka today are a trans-national minority and are found across the globe. While most films on the topic are made in Tamil cinema, there has also been Malayalam and Hindi content on the area.

References

  1. "Travel advisory against Tamil Nadu?" . Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  2. "Lanka may pull out of Tamil Nadu | The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka" . Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  3. "Lankan students turned out/refused lodgings in TN". The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  4. "Director of Prabhakaran threatens hunger strike". 28 March 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  5. "Attack aimed at sabotaging India-Sri Lanka relations". The Hindu. 25 January 2011.
  6. Sri Lankan President's kin attacked in Tamil Nadu The Indian Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Under attack, Sri Lankan pilgrims flee Tamil Nadu". archive.ph. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  8. Attacks on Lankan pilgrims in Tamil Nadu: India assures security
  9. Attack on Bank of Ceylon Branch in Chennai Archived 15 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Mihin-Air office in Madurai attacked". Archived from the original on 24 March 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  11. "Mihin Lanka Madurai and Colombo connectivity from Madurai Airport". archive.ph. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  12. "Daily Mirror – Sri Lanka Latest Breaking News and Headlines". dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  13. On way to airport, Sri Lankan pilgrims attacked by mob in Tamil Nadu
  14. "archive.ph". archive.ph. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  15. "Travel Advisory – Tamil Nadu". Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  16. "Tamil Nadu travel advisory lifted". Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  17. GOSL statement on incidents of assault and intimidation of Sri Lankan nationals in Tamil Nadu Archived 29 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  18. Statement on recent incidents involving Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu
  19. "Travel advice on Tamil Nadu". 19 March 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2023.