Commemorative events took place in Kilinochchi and Vavuniya today to mark 32 years since the death of Annai Poopathy, a Tamil activist who fasted unto death in protest against the atrocities committed by Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF).

Sri Lanka’s defence secretary acknowledged the use of military intelligence operatives and computer software to track people it suspects of having contact with the coronavirus, in an admission that gives a glimpse into the extent of the military’s reach in contact tracing this week.

Kamal Gunaratne, a credibly accused war criminal, admitted that military intelligence was leading Sri Lanka’s COIVD-19 response, stating that with all cases a “full investigation starts from there with the involvement of the intelligence agencies”.

The Sri Lankan army continued to lead the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak on the island, with troops sent to shops and public places in Mullaitivu this week to carry out ‘disinfection’ regimes.

The coronavirus pandemic has instilled a global sense of panic as the death toll continues to climb.

Today marks 32 years since the death of Annai Poopathy, a Tamil woman who fasted unto death in protest against the atrocities committed by Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF).

<p>Mahinda Rajapaksa, the prime minister, called on the Election Commission to fix a new parliamentary election date, despite threat of coronavirus.</p> <p>Colombo Page<u><a href="http://www.colombopage.com/archive_20A/Apr18_1587233362CH.php"> reported </a></u>that the Prime Minister issued a statement stating that “when the poll cannot be held on the day fixed by the President, the Elections Commission is mandatorily required to fix another day for the poll.”</p>

Sri Lanka’s President’s Media Division has reported that the state-imposed curfew will be temporarily lifted to restore normalcy despite the increased militarisation of the North and East and deteriorated living conditions which have led people to starvation.

The state-imposed curfew is expected to be lifted in all districts except Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Puttalam, Kandy, Kegalle and Ampara on Monday 20 April at 5 am and will be reimposed at 8 pm that evening.  

Tamil families of the disappeared in Vavuniya commemorated deaths that have taken place in the diaspora due to the coronavirus this week, in a remembrance ceremony on their 1,154^th day of their protest.

Sri Lanka’s Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) published a report discussing potential COVID-19 exit strategies which included the proposed racial profiling of Muslims. 

The document, which was dated 4 April 2020, is claimed to have been presented to Sri Lankan, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Shortly after publication online, the document was removed and references to monitoring the Muslim populations and the Information and Communication Technology Agency were removed.

A Tamil man in Jaffna has been arrested by Sri Lankan security forces, for allegedly selling bananas during curfew.

The man was arrested by Kopay police yesterday before being released on bail.