Tamilnet
Encyclopedia
TamilNet is a news website that provides news and feature articles on current affairs in Sri Lanka
, specifically related to the erstwhile Sri Lankan Civil War
. The website was formed by members of the Sri Lankan Tamil
community residing in the United States
and publishes articles in English
, German
and French
.
Its reporting is widely considered to be biased towards the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE), which is a proscribed terrorist organization in 32 countries. Although it is not officially affiliated with the rebel group, it is regarded by the Sri Lankan government as a propaganda
instrument of the LTTE.
It is a news site that is relied upon by journalists, civil society and the diplomatic community both within Sri Lanka and globally to seek out the LTTE leadership’s perspective on the civil conflict. Tamilnet and non-governmental organizations such as Free Media Movement
(FMM), Committee to Protect Journalists
(CPJ) and ARTICLE 19
confirm that the website is currently banned in Sri Lanka.
and native of Karaveddy
, Jaffna
and Jeyachandran Kopinath. Kopinath functions as the main editor from Norway. Sreetharan currently resides in Bethesda, Maryland
.
TamilNet articles are written in simple and informative style of reporting. This is in the neutral-authoritative tone of most Western wire news services.
TamilNet reporters are on the ground mostly in the provincial villages of the North and East of Sri Lanka, where reporters are supplied with digital equipment. Reports are generated in Tamil
and emailed to bilingual translators and editors in United States
, Europe
, Australia
or to Colombo
, Sri Lanka. This network of on the ground reporters has allowed TamilNet to circumvent Sri Lankan government's censorship
laws.
, Associated Press
, BBC News
, Agence France Presse, Xinhua and Al Jazeera English all refer to TamilNet as "the pro-LTTE website".
Mark Whitaker
, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of South Carolina
and research collaborator of former senior TamilNet editor Taraki Sivaram
, argues that TamilNet merely shares the Sri Lankan Tamil nationalist
ideology
of the LTTE and is not an arm of the organization. For instance, he says TamilNet had once fired a sub-editor who had become an activist for the LTTE. He also says TamilNet has faced complaints and "extreme displeasure" from both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE. Whitaker also says the LTTE has been deeply unhappy of "undue" coverage given on TamilNet to criticism of the organization by international human rights organizations. However, Whitaker believes much of the criticism directed at TamilNet by the LTTE is off public view, since the LTTE considers such moves as weakening Tamil nationalism.
According to ARTICLE 19, a global human rights organization with a specific mandate and focus on the defense and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide, the news website although some claim it has an LTTE bias, it has over its ten-year life span, earned a reputation for providing alternative news and opinions with a particular focus on the North and East of the country, operating under the banner of “Reporting to the World on Tamil Affairs”. It is relied upon as a credible news source by journalists, civil society and the diplomatic community both within Sri Lanka and globally. Over the years, the site has endured various threats and attacks, including the gunning down in April 2005 of editor, Sivaram Dharmaratnam.
n English Daily The Hindu
, "facts and figures are double sourced, checked and are considered 100% credible".
However a Sri Lanka analyst for the prominent India
n English daily The Hindu
, states "TamilNet (www.tamilnet.com) is the unofficial mouthpiece of the Tigers in English. It is a kind of news agency chronicling the conflict as perceived by the LTTE. The site is a `must hit' for any serious Sri Lanka watcher. A senior official in the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat told Frontline, "My first port of call on the internet is TamilNet. Though it is brazenly pro-Tigers, it is a good guide to know the mind of the Tiger leadership tucked away in the safe havens of the Wanni jungles.".
Some of the instances in which Tamilnet is accused of inaccurate reporting include
In 2004, Ramasamy Thurairatnam, a correspondent for the Lakehouse press group and the TamilNet.com news website, claimed that his life was in danger because a local warlord
's supporters have formed death squads whose job is to eliminate those who don't support their point of view in the civil conflict. Due to the same threats the BBC
’s Tamil and Sinhalese services have stopped broadcasting reports from their correspondents in eastern Sri Lanka.
Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, a Jaffna
based reporter for the BBC
, who also filed news reports for TamilNet was shot and killed in 2000. The accused who is an ex-member of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EDPD) headed by cabinet minister Douglas Devananda
, a coalition member of many ruling alliances, has been absconding since his bailout.
In 2005, TamilNet's editor Taraki Sivaram
, was kidnapped and then shot and killed in Colombo
by unknown gunmen. His body was found near the Sri Lankan parliament inside the high security zone. Currently a former member of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam
(PLOTE), a minor political organization and a known paramilitary
group has been accused in the murder.
The LTTE has accused the government of complicity in his murder, while the government has denied any responsibility. To the accusation that self styled Colonel Karuna
, a government aligned
regional political party leader and a former LTTE member was personally involved in the murder of Taraki Sivaram, Karuna has categorically denied it.
(FMM), a media rights watchdog from Sri Lanka, on June 19, 2007, on the orders of the Sri Lankan Government, all major Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Sri Lanka, blocked users from being able to access the TamilNet website.
The FMM said that it is "deeply disturbed" with the news and had the following to say about the ban:
When questioned by reporters, Government Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said he was not aware of the shutdown but, "We are looking for hackers
to disable the Tamilnet but could not find anyone yet." to which FMM responded by saying that it was Cyber terrorism by a government.
The Human Rights group Article 19 in a press release on June 20, 2007, said the following regarding the ban on TamilNet: "Until now, control measures have largely been directed at local media. Applying these measures to the Internet represents a serious escalation which threatens to cut off an important source of independent and alternative news. This not only threatens press freedom but also undermines efforts to address the conflict."
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, specifically related to the erstwhile Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. The website was formed by members of the Sri Lankan Tamil
Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora
The Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora refers to the global diaspora of the people of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. It can be said to be a subset of the larger Sri Lankan as well as Tamil diaspora....
community residing in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and publishes articles in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
Its reporting is widely considered to be biased towards the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE), which is a proscribed terrorist organization in 32 countries. Although it is not officially affiliated with the rebel group, it is regarded by the Sri Lankan government as a propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
instrument of the LTTE.
It is a news site that is relied upon by journalists, civil society and the diplomatic community both within Sri Lanka and globally to seek out the LTTE leadership’s perspective on the civil conflict. Tamilnet and non-governmental organizations such as Free Media Movement
Free Media Movement
The Free Media Movement is media freedom watchdog organization of Journalists from Sri Lanka.It evolved out of the standing committee of journalists, which was formed in late 1991. The standing committee was formed by a group of journalists and media personnel as a reaction to the then government...
(FMM), Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
(CPJ) and ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19 is a London-based human rights organisation with a specific mandate and focus on the defence and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide...
confirm that the website is currently banned in Sri Lanka.
Operations
Tamilnet was started by Muthuthamby Sreetharan, a graduate of Hartley CollegeHartley College
Hartley College is a boys private school in Point Pedro, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1838 by British Methodist missionaries. The school is named after Wesleyan priest and missionary Rev. Hartley.-History:...
and native of Karaveddy
Karaveddy
Karaveddy is a town located 7 km from the City of Point Pedro, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. In local Tamil Language it translates to Coastal Strip, although it is few km from the coast....
, Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
and Jeyachandran Kopinath. Kopinath functions as the main editor from Norway. Sreetharan currently resides in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
.
TamilNet articles are written in simple and informative style of reporting. This is in the neutral-authoritative tone of most Western wire news services.
TamilNet reporters are on the ground mostly in the provincial villages of the North and East of Sri Lanka, where reporters are supplied with digital equipment. Reports are generated in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and emailed to bilingual translators and editors in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
or to Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka. This network of on the ground reporters has allowed TamilNet to circumvent Sri Lankan government's censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
laws.
Perceptions
ReutersReuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, Agence France Presse, Xinhua and Al Jazeera English all refer to TamilNet as "the pro-LTTE website".
Mark Whitaker
Mark Whitaker
Mark Whitaker is Executive Vice President and managing editor for CNN Worldwide . He was previously Senior Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief for NBC News, succeeding Tim Russert after his fatal heart attack in June 2008...
, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
and research collaborator of former senior TamilNet editor Taraki Sivaram
Taraki Sivaram
Taraki Sivaram or Dharmeratnam Sivaram was a popular Tamil journalist of Sri Lanka. He was kidnapped by four men in a white van on April 28, 2005, in front of the Bambalapitya police station. His body was found the next day in the district of Himbulala, near the Parliament of Sri Lanka...
, argues that TamilNet merely shares the Sri Lankan Tamil nationalist
Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism
Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism is the conviction of the Sri Lankan Tamil people, a minority ethnic group in the South Asian island country of Sri Lanka , that they have the right to constitute an independent or autonomous political community. This idea has not always existed...
ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
of the LTTE and is not an arm of the organization. For instance, he says TamilNet had once fired a sub-editor who had become an activist for the LTTE. He also says TamilNet has faced complaints and "extreme displeasure" from both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE. Whitaker also says the LTTE has been deeply unhappy of "undue" coverage given on TamilNet to criticism of the organization by international human rights organizations. However, Whitaker believes much of the criticism directed at TamilNet by the LTTE is off public view, since the LTTE considers such moves as weakening Tamil nationalism.
According to ARTICLE 19, a global human rights organization with a specific mandate and focus on the defense and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide, the news website although some claim it has an LTTE bias, it has over its ten-year life span, earned a reputation for providing alternative news and opinions with a particular focus on the North and East of the country, operating under the banner of “Reporting to the World on Tamil Affairs”. It is relied upon as a credible news source by journalists, civil society and the diplomatic community both within Sri Lanka and globally. Over the years, the site has endured various threats and attacks, including the gunning down in April 2005 of editor, Sivaram Dharmaratnam.
Criticism and Counter-Criticism
Experts in the field argue TamilNet's accuracy of its reporting has "rarely been successfully challenged that such charges ring hollow". According to V. Sambandan, Sri Lanka Special Correspondent for the prominent IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n English Daily The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, "facts and figures are double sourced, checked and are considered 100% credible".
However a Sri Lanka analyst for the prominent India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n English daily The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, states "TamilNet (www.tamilnet.com) is the unofficial mouthpiece of the Tigers in English. It is a kind of news agency chronicling the conflict as perceived by the LTTE. The site is a `must hit' for any serious Sri Lanka watcher. A senior official in the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat told Frontline, "My first port of call on the internet is TamilNet. Though it is brazenly pro-Tigers, it is a good guide to know the mind of the Tiger leadership tucked away in the safe havens of the Wanni jungles.".
Some of the instances in which Tamilnet is accused of inaccurate reporting include
- On August 6, 2006, a TamilNet article titled "SLA shelling kills 15 civilians, injures 20" included published photographs of people it said died from "shells fired by the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Navy". The report stated that "the shelling" took place at "around 7 p.m." on August 6. However, the camera timestamp on the pictures indicated a time of between 12.37 p.m. and 12.40 p.m. TamilNet has subsequently acknowledged the timestamp on the pictures were incorrect. Asian TribuneAsian TribuneThe Asian Tribune is an online newspaper that provides news and editorial on the current affairs of Asia, with a special emphasis on South Asia but mostly concentrates its news on the current Civil conflict in Sri Lanka....
, an anti-rebel website, reported that unnamed analysts questioned as to how an incident that took place "around 7.15 p.m." on August 6 presuming it was photographed over five hours earlier. Asiantribune, the anti-rebel website, alleged that one of the images was subsequently removed from the website. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence claimed that since all the photographs were of women, it speculated that they were from the LTTE "Women Brigade", and had been dressed as civilians after they were killed in previous fighting.
- On August 11, 2006, TamilNet reported that LTTE aircraft had attacked a Sri Lankan Military base at Palaly, JaffnaJaffnaJaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence claimed that this was a lie. While TamilNet claimed that the attack had started at around 9.30 p.m. Sri Lanka time, the article itself was posted at 15:29 Greenwich Mean TimeGreenwich Mean TimeGreenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
or 9:29 p.m. Sri Lanka Time. Tamilnet later acknowledged that the attack itself was a speculation and LTTE did not accept or reject that report. Currently some view the conflicting reports about the purported initial bombardment of the Palaly airport through the prism of propaganda and counter propaganda by both the combatants.
Threats and murders
It has been alleged that members associated with various Sri Lankan political parties have threatened reporters of TamilNet with arrest for "treason", and once hinted, that "uncontrolled extremists might be inspired to perform some extra-judicial killing". (See additional information here)In 2004, Ramasamy Thurairatnam, a correspondent for the Lakehouse press group and the TamilNet.com news website, claimed that his life was in danger because a local warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
's supporters have formed death squads whose job is to eliminate those who don't support their point of view in the civil conflict. Due to the same threats the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
’s Tamil and Sinhalese services have stopped broadcasting reports from their correspondents in eastern Sri Lanka.
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
based reporter for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, who also filed news reports for TamilNet was shot and killed in 2000. The accused who is an ex-member of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EDPD) headed by cabinet minister Douglas Devananda
Douglas Devananda
Kathiravelu Nithyananda Douglas Devananda, commonly known as Douglas Devananda, is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician, Cabinet Minister and leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party. Originally a Sri Lanka Tamil militant who fought against the Sri Lankan government for an independent Tamil Eelam, he...
, a coalition member of many ruling alliances, has been absconding since his bailout.
In 2005, TamilNet's editor Taraki Sivaram
Taraki Sivaram
Taraki Sivaram or Dharmeratnam Sivaram was a popular Tamil journalist of Sri Lanka. He was kidnapped by four men in a white van on April 28, 2005, in front of the Bambalapitya police station. His body was found the next day in the district of Himbulala, near the Parliament of Sri Lanka...
, was kidnapped and then shot and killed in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
by unknown gunmen. His body was found near the Sri Lankan parliament inside the high security zone. Currently a former member of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam
People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam
The People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam is a former Tamil militant group. It is currently a pro-government paramilitary group and political party. PLOTE's political wing is known as the Democratic People's Liberation Front.-Origins:...
(PLOTE), a minor political organization and a known paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
group has been accused in the murder.
The LTTE has accused the government of complicity in his murder, while the government has denied any responsibility. To the accusation that self styled Colonel Karuna
Colonel Karuna
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan is a Sri Lankan politician and former militant. After fighting for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for over 20 years, he rose to prominence as the leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal , a breakaway faction of the Tamil Tigers.After giving up arms and...
, a government aligned
regional political party leader and a former LTTE member was personally involved in the murder of Taraki Sivaram, Karuna has categorically denied it.
Ban in Sri Lanka
According to Free Media MovementFree Media Movement
The Free Media Movement is media freedom watchdog organization of Journalists from Sri Lanka.It evolved out of the standing committee of journalists, which was formed in late 1991. The standing committee was formed by a group of journalists and media personnel as a reaction to the then government...
(FMM), a media rights watchdog from Sri Lanka, on June 19, 2007, on the orders of the Sri Lankan Government, all major Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Sri Lanka, blocked users from being able to access the TamilNet website.
The FMM said that it is "deeply disturbed" with the news and had the following to say about the ban:
When questioned by reporters, Government Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said he was not aware of the shutdown but, "We are looking for hackers
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
to disable the Tamilnet but could not find anyone yet." to which FMM responded by saying that it was Cyber terrorism by a government.
The Human Rights group Article 19 in a press release on June 20, 2007, said the following regarding the ban on TamilNet: "Until now, control measures have largely been directed at local media. Applying these measures to the Internet represents a serious escalation which threatens to cut off an important source of independent and alternative news. This not only threatens press freedom but also undermines efforts to address the conflict."
See also
- Afghan TimesAfghan TimesAfghan Times is an Afghan Christian internet News Network with daily news from Afghanistan and the Afghan Christians inside and outside Afghanistan.-Description:The editor of this news group is Hussain Andaryas who himself is a Muslim covert to Christianity....
- Kurdish MediaKurdishMedia.comKurdishMedia.com is a pro-Kurdish news and commentary website dedicated to providing news and information about Kurds and Kurdistan since August 4, 1998...
- Sudan Tribune
- TangatawhenuaTangatawhenua.comTangataWhenua.com is an indigenous, Māori-run and Māori-operated online news and information site based in Rotorua, Aotearoa New Zealand. The name comes from the phrase Tangata Whenua, "People of the Land".-History:...