Today marks 22 years since the Kumarapuram massacre when Sri Lankan army corporals went on a murderous rampage through the Trincomalee village, raping and killing 24 Tamils. 

The victims included two young girls who were raped before being murdered. 

Survivors of the massacre identified the soldiers, who reportedly screamed "Death to the Tamils", as they drunkenly proceeded towards the village in 1996.

The Sri Lankan president and prime minister face mounting calls to step aside after early results showed a resounding defeat for Maithripala Sirisena's SLFP and Ranil Wickremesinghe's UNP at the local government election held yesterday, and a sweeping victory for the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

Myliddy residents have complained that fishermen are unable to restart their livelihoods properly as Myliddy harbour remains partially occupied by the navy. The Myliddy resettlement committee also accused the Sri Lankan government and navy of spreading false propaganda about having released the harbour.

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) claimed victory in Sri Lanka’s local government polls, with early results suggesting the recently formed breakaway of the SLFP swept a majority of local government wards in the south.

The militarisation of education in the Tamil homeland continues, as high school students in Batticaloa are sent on military training by the Sri Lankan Army.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena told an election rally this week that “the unity and national security of the motherland will be secured” as he made a final push for votes ahead of local elections on Saturday.

Sri Lankan police warned that they “will not hesitate to shoot” those obstructing a “free and fair” election this morning.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying, “police will not hesitate to shoot anyone who attempts to loot ballot boxes or act in a manner that will obstruct the holding of a free and fair election”.

The Tamil National Alliance has joined several Tamil diaspora groups in calling for Sri Lanka’s Defence Attache to Britain to be expelled from the country, after he motioned a death threat to Tamil protestors last week.

A Sri Lankan navy officer, who was arrested after a girl was killed last month in Pungudutivu during an accident with a navy vehicle, was released on bail on Thursday. 

The nine year old girl was on her way to school on her uncle's motorbike when the collision took place on January 24. 

The victim, Kesana Thirulangam was killed at the scene. Her uncle was admitted to hospital with serious injuries. 

Mothers of the disappeared in Vavuniya on Friday condemned the Sri Lankan president's denial of the existence of secret detention camps.

"Where are our children then?" one mother cried as they gathered at the temple to say a prayer for the missing children. 

The Sri Lankan police have filed a case against 5 Tamils in Keppapulavu for holding a black flag protest on Independence Day.

Families in the village have been protesting against the military's ongoing occupation of land for almost one year.  

Mulliyavalai police accused the 5 protesters of breaching the peace. They have been ordered before Mullaitivu court on February 12. 

Voting remains steady as residents across the North-East cast their votes in Sri Lanka's local government elections.

Armed police and military personnel were seen on the streets near polling booths as voting took place. 

Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. said that his government “commends the steps that Sri Lanka has taken to date toward justice, reconciliation, and accountability” in a speech delivered in Washington this week.

At least 500 individuals, including dozens of candidates in Sri Lanka’s upcoming local elections, have been arrested for violating election laws, according to a Sri Lankan police spokesperson.

Sri Lanka’s Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said the total number of people arrested dates from December 9^th, until this week with a total of at least 183 cases related to election law violations and 610 cases related to election complaints having been reported.