Tamil detainees in Anuradhapura prison have gone on hunger strike, in protest at mistreatment after the election results were announced and demanding a transfer to prisons near their native towns in the Tamil regions of the island.
The 49 detainees were locked in a small cell and were refused access to sanitary facilities and were given small tin cans to relieve themselves.
Prison officials, including a Mr Uppuldeniya, Mr Abeyasinha and Mr Sunil are reported to have threatened the prisoners, blaming “their people”, Tamils, for the change in government in Sri Lanka.