• Elections
• What to do and what not to do on Tuesday
• She needs help
• Leave cancelled
• It's a bang bang ballot - ACTC 
• No politics says judge
• COPSITU concerned for safety of polls staff
• PA, NUA still on rough seas
• State TV loses monopoly
• Sihala Urumaya promises good governance
• Priest stirs election controversy in Church
• President pushes war to the front
• How many will they get?
• Gen. Janaka riled by Gen. Anuruddha's remarks
• Campaign ends but monitors fear more violence
• Drama over postal ballot boxes in Galle
• Uphold the law-CRM
• Opinion Poll
• Saying one thing but doing another - Police Problems
• Roaring battle of people not policies - Countdown
• Tough job to do amidst pressure and intimidation - Focus on Rights

What to do and what not to do on Tuesday

The Commissioner of Elections has informed that even if an official poll card has not been received by post, a person can cast the vote provided that one's name is in the electoral register. In a statement the Commissioner has issued the following guidelines to the voter:

-Produce the official poll card sent by post.

-It would be useful to carry the National Identity Card, Passport, Driving License, Pensioner's Identity Card or any other official Identity Card with a Photograph to prove ones identity.

-Leave the polling station no sooner you cast your vote.

-A voter is free to cast the vote for any political party or independent group and to mark preferences for not more than three candidates.

-Empty cages are provided on the ballot paper against the symbols of parties and groups, for the purpose of marking the vote.

-The numbers which identify the candidates are shown in the cages at the bottom of the ballot paper.

-The vote may be cast by placing a cross (X) inside the empty cage provided for the purpose and the preferences indicated by marking a cross on the cages bearing the numbers assigned to candidates.

-If preferences are not marked on a valid ballot paper on which a vote is cast for a particular party or an independent group, such a vote shall be counted only in favour of such party or group.

-In the case of a ballot paper where a vote is not cast for a political party or an independent group but only the preferences for candidates are marked, such ballot papers shall be deemed to be invalid for the count.

She needs help

Leave cancelled

By Faraza Farook

It's a bang bang ballot - ACTC 

By S.S.Selvanayagam

Douglas Peries case

No politics says judge

Judge Ranjith Silva also declared that the judiciary was bound to be fair and just to all citizens.

The judge said that those who received such treatment from the judiciary should in turn be just and fair.

Former SSP Douglas Peiris (54), allegedly the man in the centre of the Batalanda controversy, was allowed Rs. 200,000 cash bail and Rs. 300,000 certified bail by the High Court Judge.

The judge, however, said that the bail order would become invalid should the Secretary to the Defence Ministry issue a detention order.

SSP Peiris was also ordered to report to police headquarters every fortnight and not interfere with the witnesses and to report to the CID regarding appearances in court.

The Controller of Immigration and Emigration was ordered not to issue a passport to the suspect.

State Counsel Duleep Jayakody objected to bail and said that the suspect had left the country earlier on a forged passport and he might do it again if he was released on bail.

The Defence Attorney, Tirantha Walaliyadda said that the suspect's life was in danger and he was also not in good health.

Douglas Peiris mysteriously returned to the country recently amidst speculation that there would be political bombshells regarding the so-called Batalanda torture camps allegedly involving UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

COPSITU concerned for safety of polls staff

By Faraza Farook

The unhealthy trend of violence against election staff experienced at previous polls despite security arrangements, aroused a sense of insecurity among the public officials, COPSITU General Secretary Adhikari Jayaratne said last Wednesday.

With an alarming number of incidents reported since nominations closed, the People's Alliance for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) and COPSITU, at a joint press briefing held last week, appealed to the public to stand up against violence and malpractice and to fearlessly exercise their right to franchise.

COPSITU consisting of 66 trade unions called upon President Chandrika Kumaratunga to take remedial measures to ensure that adequate security and sufficient logistics are provided to the elections staff, both before and after elections .

The organisation is also engaged in carrying out a survey on the occupational hazards of the election duty staff in 20 districts excluding the Wanni and Jaffna. Following a similar survey conducted during the Provincial Councils and Presidential Elections in 1999, recommendations pertaining to the basic needs and security of the polls staff were drafted and handed over to the Elections Commissioner.

Mr. Jayaratne made reference to the training conducted for election duty officers which he said was not effective as the training programmes were conducted on a mass scale and were often not properly organised. "Some programmes accommodated 200-300 participants and there are instances when participants don't attend the training sessions. But no action is taken against them," Mr. Jayaratne said.

He suggested that these training sessions be held at the offices or institutions from where the officers are recruited to ensure that everyone has prior knowledge about election duties.

Transport was another long standing issue, Mr. Jayaratne said. Often, election duty officers do not have transport facilities to get home safely after work at the polling stations. This was considered a serious problem, especially in the remote areas where they have to walk miles to get public transport. 

COPSITU insisted that polls officers be provided with transport to and from the polling centres and to their homes.

Having to spend the eve of the election at the polling centres, Mr. Jayaratne said, facilities were minimal and in some places even electricity was not available.

Mr. Janaka Samarakone from the Institute of Human Rights said those public officers subject to victimisation for independently discharging their duties, will be defended free of charge by senior lawyers / President's counsel. 

Any such victimisation can be reported on the following telephone numbers: 820476 / 817692 / 074-68616.

PA, NUA still on rough seas

By Nilika de Silva

NUA leader Rauf Hakeem told The Sunday Times that he felt the PA administration was guilty of procrastination in failing to give the late M. H. M. Ashraff's portfolio to an NUA successor. 

He said the government had set various dates for him to take oaths as a minister but it was repeatedly put off. Mr. Hakeem also expressed concern over what he saw as a lack of progress in the probe on last month's Aranayake helicopter crash in which party leader M. H. M. Ashraff and 14 others were killed.

He said there seemed to be a breakdown in communication between the NUA and the Presidential Secretariat. Mr. Hakeem said last Monday's mayhem in Muttur where 26 people were killed and the two attacks on eastern leader M. L. A. M. Hisbullah were clearly the work of the LTTE.

State TV loses monopoly

The decision to give equal rights to all was made on a request by the private media to the Elections Commissioner. Two journalists from each TV station will be allowed to be at the Elections Department while the official copy of the results will be faxed immediately to all radio stations, the official said. 

The first election result of postal voting are expected around midnight on Tuesday. Official election results will also be available on websites.

Sihala Urumaya promises good governance

In a statement the Urumaya has opposed the consensus reached by the PA and the UNP about merging the Northern and Eastern Provinces and the concept of an interim council stating it would only reward terrorism and divide the country.

The party stressed that only its presence in Parliament could bring about a change for the people and restore the writ of the government throughout the country. 

It opposed devolution of power to the provinces as the party believed it would lead to the division of the country. 

The party, under the leadership of S.L. Gunasekera promised the abolition of Provincial Councils which they felt drained the country's resources. Above all, the party ensured to be a voice in Parliament for good governance.

Priest stirs election controversy in Church

Fr. Oscar Abayaratne, founder leader of the 'Kitu Dana Pubuduwa' movement has said his decision was based on a belief that the Sihala Urumaya principles are in line with the Buddha Dhamma and because he feels the new party would uphold the rights of the poor.

But Catholic groups have expressed shock and dismay over Fr. Abayatratne's move while a spokesman for the Archbishop's House said Fr. Abayaratne's 'maverick moves' should not be taken too seriously. The spokesman said the position of the Catholic Church was clearly outlined by all the Bishops who in a recent statement called on the people to vote for peace. One Catholic group, The Christian Thinkers Circle in a statement said the Sihala Urumaya's commitment to total war, the setting up of arms industries here and other factors in its manifesto were clearly not in line with the spirit of the Buddha Dhamma.

"The true Dhamma is a truth that relates to the liberation of all life forms and all races. The Dhamma does not oppress anyone, does not enslave anyone, does not hate anyone, but on the contrary wishes goodness, well-being and health on all living beings. The Dhamma rejects war. 

It does not think only about self but raises questions about the rights and justice for others," the Christian Thinkers Circle said.

"But the Sihala Urumaya whilst speaking of the numerous injustices done to the Sinhalese turns a deaf ear to the rights and problems of all other races. How much is this in agreement with the Dhamma?," it asks.

"The Sihala Urumaya promises to protect the primacy of the poor. Under the heading of Commerce and Trade of its manifesto, the party mentions that the wholesale and import trade of this country would be redeemed from the grip of non-Sinhalese and handed over to Sinhalese. 

That is to take this from the grip of the rich Tamils and Muslims and hand it over in turn to rich Sinhalese. How is the primacy of the poor protected by this action? ," the group asked.

It said Sihala Urumaya policies would only serve to strengthen Tamil racism in the north and this could lead to another racial holocaust into which no true Buddhist or Christian should put spiritual straw. 

President pushes war to the front

President Kumaratunga told a news conference for foreign journalists on Friday that the Tamil rebels had left the Sri Lankan government with no option, "other than conducting the war successfully." The President responding to a question said her service commanders also had advised her that a military victory was possible, but added that all possible chances had been given by the government to the LTTE to enter into negotiations. "Do you know of any other country in the world where the President or leader of the country has written to the leader of a terrorist organisation directly. I have written to Mr. Prabhakaran directly," Ms. Kumaratunga said. She emphasised that though she would be pursuing a military solution the government would not waver in solving the ethnic problem of the minority Tamils by way of introducing constitutional reforms. "There are only 5,000 terrorists. There are other Tamils who oppose the terrorists," she said.

The President said the Norwegian peace initiative would have to be put on the hold for the moment. Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar who was also present at the news conference said the Norwegians too had made it clear that the LTTE was not interested in the peace process and they had been told to remain stand-by.

See excerpts of the news conference

How many will they get?

By Roshan Peiris

We are going to win about 125 - 135 seats. If it is a free and fair election we will win all districts except the North.

In the face of thuggery and intimidation we are anxious about the districts of Anuradhapura, Kegalle, Matara and Nuwara Eliya.

S.B.Dissanayake-PA
We will get about 119 seats on the PA and with the help of another six members we can form a government.

Tilvin Silva – JVP
It is difficult to make any predictions mainly because this is the first time that the party is contesting a General elections. 

Our aim is to send members to parliament to represent the people. 
Taking this into consideration we are duty bound to conduct the elections in a democratic manner.
Judging from the people's response I feel the party will get 10 or more seats in the elections.

Rauf Hakeem-NUA

I will be surprised if we don't get 10 seats at least. There is a strong possibility that we can end up with 15 seats. This is my estimation after having travelled the length and breadth of the country for the polls campaign.

Rajiva Wijesinha-Liberal Party
We expect to get around four seats, but in the overall votes we hope to be in 5th position because at the last election we were there. 

Srimani Athulathmudali (Independent Group) 
It's a tight fight as there are many Independent Groups. As Lalith would say I am no astrologer.

Harischandra Wijetunge - Sinhale Maha Boomy puthra
I firmly believe that my party will get 15 seats in parliament. We are very strong in the Central and Southern provinces. 

Sirisena Cooray - Purawasi Peramuna 
We are contesting in 22 Districts and my prediction is that one person will be elected from each district giving us 22 seats. In the initial stages of our election campaign I did not think we would be able to get so many seats, but now I can confidently say we can achieve our goal. 

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