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”.

As many as 3,000 patrols from the Special Task Force (STF) and the Civil Defence Force (CDF) had been deployed across the island, he added, stating that they would be patrolling until Sunday evening.

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.

The letter, sent to the UK’s Foreign Secretary, calls for Brigadier Priyanka Fernando to be declared a “persona non grata” not only for making a throat slitting gesture last week, but also for his role as a military commander in the Sri Lanka army, where he has been implicated in mass atrocities committed during the military offensive in 2009.

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. 

The bail hearing took place in Kayts Court on Thursday before the Justice A M M Riyal. 

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.

At least 52 of those cases have been reported with regards to assaults and threats, he added, noting that 61 candidates had been arrested so far.

More British parliamentarians have joined the call for Sri Lanka’s Defence Attaché to the United Kingdom to have his diplomatic immunity revoked, as uproar after the Sri Lankan official repeatedly made a throat-slitting gesture towards the Tamil protesters in London continues

Theresa Villiers, Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet, released a statement on Friday stating, “I strongly condemn the actions of Brigadier Priyanka Fernando directed at peaceful Tamil protesters”.

“His actions have caused real distress to a number of my Tamil constituents, a number of whom fled Sri Lanka because of threats and mistreatment by the Sri Lankan military,” she added.