This update released 18 January 2010.

North Western Province

Murder in Kurunegala

According to Mr. Manjula Bandara (son of Member of Parliament and UNP
Organizer for Wariyapola Ms. Amara Piyaseeli), between 12.30am and
1.00am this morning, Mr. Dhammika Herath (also known as Manju) was
beaten to death by supporters of Minister of Rural Industries &
Self-Employment Promotion S.B. Navinne. Mr. Herath was pronounced dead
on arrival at the Wariyapola Hospital, and the body has been sent to the
Kurunegala Consultant JMO Dr. H.M.K. Senanayake for the postmortem.
According to Dr. Senanayake, the postmortem has been concluded, and the
cause of death has been established as damage to the spinal chord as a
result of a blow to the back of the neck. He added that the body also
contained 7 bruises.

According to eyewitness information received by Dr. Senanayake, the
assailants attacked the group, during which one person fell to the
ground, and the assailants fled the scene subsequently. The fact that
Mr. Herath had passed away was noted only while taking him to the
hospital.

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17 January 2010, Colombo, Sri
Lanka: As of 14^th January 2010, CMEV has
confirmed a cumulative total of 609 incidents of election related
violence of which 271 incidents have been categorized as Major. Of
these, 2 incidents of Murder, 5 incidents of Attempted Murders, 73
incidents are of Assault, 77 are of Threat and Intimidation, 27 of
Grievous Hurt, 30 incidents of Hurt, 35 cases of the Misuse of State
Resources and 11 incidents of Robbery and Arson respectively. The total
number of incidents involving the use of firearms is 88. In addition,
338 incidents have been categorized as Minor.

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CMEV has received information of a
shooting at the UNP party office near the Minnas Private Hospital,
Madurankuliya, Puttalam District at approximately 3.50pm. According to
the spokesperson of the Puttalam Base hospital Mr. Saman Kumara of
Thonigala, Anamaduwa has died as a result of his injuries, while 4 other
persons were also admitted to the hospital. 3 of these persons were
transferred to the Kurunegala Hospital. The party affiliations of the
victims as well as the shooters remain unknown at the moment.

Read the full report here.