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Election related violence even before Nominations: Polls Monitors
View(s):Election Monitoring groups say reports of sporadic incidents of Election Related Violence (ERV) are reaching them even before nominations open for the August 17 general election.Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) said the incidents were reported from Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Mahiyanganaya, Weligama and Ratnapura.
The most serious incident reported so far has been the murder of a staunch supporter of UNP member Thalatha Atukorale.
The victim, Thushara Dewalagama, had been assaulted while travelling to organise the election campaign of Ms Atukorale.
CaFFE said that, while police are investigating the matter, “there is a high possibility that this attack was politically motivated.”
In Anuradhapura, a number of cutouts of UNP member Chandrani Bandara had been destroyed by a group of persons on June 29, while in Kurunegala, cutouts of UNP members Asoka Abeysinghe and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had been destroyed. CaFFE said that intra party rivalry between Abeysinghe and Akila Viraj Kariyawasam is believed to have been the reason for the incident.
In Mahiyanganaya, on June 29, UNP supporters pasting posters had been attacked by supporters of an SLFP member of the area, while a UNP supporter from Weligama, Gayan Sanjeewa, had been assaulted by supporters of a rival from his own party.
Meanwhile, several incidents of ERV were reported from the Hambantota district within the past two days, while many hoardings have been erected and flags hoisted in support of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.