The killing of eleven Tamils by Sri Lankan police officers at the 1974 International Tamil Research Conference in Jaffna was remembered today. 

Residents and members of the Northern Provincial Councils gathered by a memorial to mark the 44th anniversary of the massacre. 

Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena has asked the Supreme Court for its view on whether he can extend his term in office till 2021, making his presidency a total of 6 years. 

According to the 19th Amendment to the constitution which the government hailed as evidence of its revolutionary governance and part of its 100 day 'good governance' plan, a president's term is limited to 5 years. 

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) criticised what it described as "lots of talk but little progress in Sri Lanka over journalist murders' as the government commenced its 4th year in power. 

"Impunity for crimes against journalists remains a front-line issue in Sri Lanka; indeed, ending impunity was a promise of the government of President Maithripala Sirisena when he defeated Mahinda Rajapaksa in elections in 2015," CPJ's Asia program coordinator, Steven Butler wrote. 

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Sri Lanka's former foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera said the government was committed to delivering justice for the assassination of the former Sunday Leader editor, Lasantha Wickrematunga, as the family of the murdered journalist criticised the government's failure to bring the perpetrators to justice. 

In a statement marking the 9th anniversary of Mr Wickremetunga's death on January 8th, his brother, Lal, criticised the government for using the case as a "political tool" without delivering results. 

Sri Lanka's prime minister sought to allay criticism of the government's lack of progress on key issues in a special statement released today, marking the third anniversary of the unity government's election win. 

"on November 21, 2014 the President decided to join with the UNP to rid the country of nepotism, corruption and fraud to launch Sri Lanka to a position of economic and political stability while also regaining the tarnished image of Sri Lanka in the eyes of the international community," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by Ada Derana as saying. 

A former Sri Lankan navy spokesman has been granted bail after being held in remand custody over the abduction of 11 Tamil youth.

D.K.P. Dassanayake and five others were granted a cash bail of Rs.100,000 with three sureties of Rs.1 million each.

The group is suspected of involvement in the enforced disappearance and abduction of eleven Tamil youths that took place in 2008.

The Sri Lankan military announced that it held more Christmas events in churches across the North-East this year, as military involvement in civilian activities ramped up in the Tamil homeland during the festive period.

The head of Sri Lanka’s army has been accused of bearing responsibility for the alleged loss of military intelligence records regarding disappeared journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.  

Speaking to BBC Sinhala, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake said that it was not "practical" for military records on the abduction of the journalist to still have been kepy "if the military intelligence was intelligent".

"If someone is involved in this, if they are aware of an investigation, if it is the intelligence unit, aren't they intelligent?" he said.

His comments provoked sharp criticism, including from Sandya Ekneligoda, the wife of the disappeared cartoonist.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary will be able to access a proposed new electronic identity card system without the need for any court orders, reports EconomyNext.

The new system, which is being challenged in Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court later this month, is reportedly being designed without any privacy laws in place.

EconomyNext reports fears over the security of data held by the government, reporting that there have been hacks in similar electronics citizens databases in India.

“Critics have said it lays the foundation for a 'big brother' police surveillance state,” it added.

A Tamil National Alliance candidate in the upcoming Local Government polls was allegedly assaulted by a supporter of the paramilitary group, EPDP, on Saturday. 

The assault took place as the victim, 67 year old Kasilingham Satkunathevan, was campaigning door to door with leaflets.

The EPDP supporter became angered that Mr Satkunathevan had come to his house to campaign, hitting him with a broom stick and an axe handle.