In brief
Protest
Over 5,000 people demonstrated in Ukuwela on 11 December against the massacre of ten Muslims at Madawela near Kandy on election day. The murder suspects Lohan and Chanuka, the sons of former Deputy Defence minister Anuruddha Ratwatte, are absconding.
Monk MP
A Buddhist monk was elected to Parliament for the first time in Sri Lanka. Dr Baddegama Samitha Thero became People’s Alliance MP in December contesting in Galle District. Only nine women were elected to the 225-member legislature.
Injured
Journalist D Sivaram who writes under the pen name Taraki and editor of eastern Tamil journal Thinakathir (Daily Ray), Vijayendiran, were attacked by a group on 26 December and seriously wounded. Police arrested three suspects.
Arrest
Negombo police say they arrested 25 people who were preparing to go to Italy in mid-December in a ship. Each person is said to have paid Rs 250,000 ($2,680) to an agent.
Return
Somawansa Amarasinghe, the People’s Liberation Front (JVP) leader, left for London before election results. He lived in exile in Britain since the late 1980s, but returned to Sri Lanka for election campaign on the invitation of PA leader Chandrika Kumaratunge.
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