The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), known as Tamil Tigers on Tuesday announced that the movement would observe unilateral ceasefire during the period of SAARC conference from 26th July to 04 August, giving cooperation for the success of the conference. Conveying goodwill and trust of the Tamil people, the LTTE Political Wing, in a press statement issued from Vanni said it wished for the success of the SAARC conference, extending the movement's support to the "countries of our region, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives."

25 Years of Killing in Sri Lanka - Black July

By Shyamajith Fonseka
Wails of anguish and shouts of fury filled the air on Friday as the Urban Development Authority moved into Slave Island with police assistance to tear down shanties - despite a Supreme Court order staying the action. “Please, don’t bury my baby’s milk bottle under the rubble!” wept a young woman as big, heavy bulldozers moved into the site and reduced the shanties to ruins. “Oh God, what kind of sin have we committed? Why do you punish us like this? How can I feed my little daughter when they have crushed her milk bottle with my house?” the woman wailed.

The United Nations secretary-general is to name South African Judge Navanethem Pillay as the next U.N. human rights commissioner today, reports quoted diplomats as saying. The daughter of a Tamil bus driver in Durban, she experienced human rights violations firsthand. Pillay earned a law degree at Harvard, but for 28 years during apartheid, she was not allowed to set foot in a judge's chambers as a lawyer because of her South Asian origins. In 1995 she became the first woman of color to become a judge on the High Court. Pillay, born in 1941, also served as a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda prosecuting crimes related to that nation's genocide. She presided over landmark cases in international law that established rape as a war crime, convicted a former head of state for atrocities committed during his rule and prosecuted media for inciting genocide. She has served for five years on the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

Of course there will be talks. But not this year. People don’t realize there are two lame duck governments that are integral to peace in Sri Lanka. India and the United States... India is very concerned about the problem... There is no inclination or time left for the current UPA government to facilitate a new set of peace talks. But that does not mean total disengagement on the part of India. India is clear that it does not want a major escalation of war in Sri Lanka...India doesn’t want either the LTTE or the government to gain an upper hand. A balance of power that keeps the status quo and violence within acceptable limits, is what India wants in the absence of a peace settlement, which at the moment is remote. Both from the security and from the foreign policy points of view, India is clear it does not want the war in sri lanka to spin out of control...

Tamils in South Africa on Saturday gathered for Pongku Thamizh rally at the Arena Park Regional Hall, in Chatsworth, where they pledged to support the Eezham Tamils' right to statehood, and urged the international community to voice for the Tamils’ rights. Guest speakers at the event were Deputy Mayor of Ethekwini, Logie Naidoo, and MEC for Sports and Recreation, Mr. A Rajbansi, both of whom spoke out against what they called the “selective morality” of the international community regarding the Tamil freedom struggle. Dr. Brian Seneviratne, the key speaker of the eventThe key speaker was Dr. Brian Seneviratne, a Australia-based Sinhala expatriate physician, who is supportive of Tamils right to self-determination.

Dr Brian Seneviratna Speaks in South Africa Pongu Tamil Event in support of Sri Lankan Tamils right for self determination with Nobel Peace Winners tommorow 21st June 2008.

University of Malaysia hosts conference on "The Sri Lankan Diaspora - The way forward"

Friday June 20 and Saturday June 21
All films at Brisbane Activist Centre, 74B Wickham St, Fortitude Valley
Delicious vegetarian food & drinks available from 6:30pm both nights
Special guest Saturday night: PETER RUSSO, lawyer for Dr Mohammad Haneef, will introduce Rendition. 

This is a poem written by Kavi Kuilkal about Ponghu Tamil in New Zealand.
Ponghu Tamil is an event that emphasizes the Tamil resurgence and is held all around the world. 
New Zealand- most pleasant land in all Southern Hemisphere
New Zealand- most enjoyable country near Antarctic
New Zealand- most peaceful of them all
A land of treasure for all prospering Tamils

Day & Date: Saturday, 12th July 2008
Time: 5.30 PM (for 6 PM sharp)

It doesn’t hurt to give it some thought
Help SAVE Siddarth
Siddarth is a 4 year old young boy with aplastic anemia and URGENTLY needs your help
He needs a bone marrow transplant NOW
YOU can possibly save Siddarth

The Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations (AFTA) notes with regret that the innocent civilians are being targeted in the recent weeks in all parts of the island of Sri
Lanka. During the Norwegian facilitated cease-fire such attacks on innocent civilians were nonexistent. However, since President Rajapakse unilaterally abrogated the cease-fire agreement in January 2008 the country has plunged into senseless violence again. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been accusing the government of deploying
what have come to be known as "deep penetration units" to target vehicles in the Tamil held territory resulting in Tamil civilian casualties. Indiscriminate aerial bombardment and artillery shelling of residential areas in the Tamil held areas have also escalated resulting in civilian deaths and property damage.