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Election monitors amplify call for abuse-free polls
View(s):Seven election-monitoring bodies called on all candidates and the public to work for a violence-free election amid scattered reports throughout this week of threats, assaults and attacks with explosives. As well, public resources watchdog Programme for Protection of Public Resources (PPPR) wrote to the Election Commissioner to punish public officials who openly engage in election propaganda activities.
The PPPR pointed to the participation of Northern Central Province Governor Karunaratna Divulgane in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s re-election campaign by appearing on Mr Rajapaksa’s podium at a rally in Anuradhapura. Opposition United National Party (UNP) MP Karu Jayasuriya objected to the live broadcast of Mr. Rajapaksa’s Anuradhapura rally by publicly-funded broadcasters Rupavahini and ITN.
This was a violation of election law, Mr. Jayasuriya complained to the Commissioner for elections: the broadcast was a misuse of state funds as the rally did not concern development activity; opposition parties lacked equal opportunity to publicise their rallies. The UNP called for the heads of Rupavahini and ITN to be charged for misuse of public funds and violation of election law.It also pointed out that about 1,000 government buses had been used to transport people to the rally from various parts of the country.
As well, Mr Jayasuriya said, employees of the Road Development Authority (RDA) had engaged in election propaganda for the ruling party candidate, particularly in putting up campaign posters. “This is happening in different parts of the country. It is unlawful to engage public servants in political activities in support of a particular political party in this manner,” Mr Jayasuriya stated.
“Besides, steps have been taken at this point to absorb casual employees of the RDA to the permanent service. The permanent appointment letters have been written in the name of some casual workers who are currently dead or have vacated their posts. This is a clear form of election law violation and [an] act unwarranted in the public service,” the letter to the Election Commissioner said.
The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), Campaign for Free and Elections (CaFFE), Movement for Free and Fair Elections (MFFE), Mothers and Daughters of Lanka (MDL), and National Polls Observation Centre (NPOC) expressed serious concerns about restricted opportunity for a free and fair electoral process.
UNP Hiriyala organiser Asiri Kumara Herath is currently in hospital recovering from an assault at Hiriyala, Kurunegala on Monday. He said his attackers had been led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)’s Hiriyala organiser and the Ibbagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha chairman. One person had put a pistol to his head and threatened him.
CaFFE said since the proclamation of the presidential election there had been eight incidents related to firearms and explosives.This week there had been a bomb attack on the home of United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) supporter Sarath Rathnasiri following his meeting with the brother of the Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena last week in which he had thrown his support behind Mr. Sirisena.
On Wednesday, opposition supporters putting up posters about a rally for Mr. Sirisena in Kandy were assaulted by about 30 people including former provincial councillor Jayaweera Bandara. Police say no arrests have been made over a group of Sirisena supporters who had been assaulted in Katugasthota early this week. Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said three people had been injured and admitted to hospital.