The goon is on the loose

As campaign for presidential race hots up,
violence raises its ugly head again

By Leon Berenger, Chris Kamalendran and Shane Seneviratne

• 50 on police scorecard

The campaign to elect a new executive president on December 21 has already got off to a bloody start with at least two deaths, injuries to some 40 others and more violence and intimidation being reported from several parts of the country.

An army deserter allegedly drew first blood when he hurled a powerful Russian-built grenade at a crowd, a few metres away from an election rally attended by UNP leader and presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe in Eppawela close to the sacred Buddhist city of Anuradhapura.

A police sub inspector and a 17-year-old youth from Digana were killed. While the youth, Ajith Kumara Ratnayake, who was employed at a construction company in Eppawela died before admission to the Anuradhapura Hospital, SI Harsha Kumara succumbed to his injuries a day later. It was later learnt that SI's young bride of six months was pregnant with their first baby.

Some 47 others were admitted to the Anuradhapura Hospital, at least a dozen with serious injuries although not life-threatening.

Police are yet to establish as to whom the deserter was working for but the UNP did not waste time in putting the blame on a local government politician in the area.

The Eppawela bombing occurred just two days before candidates handed in their nominations and a day after a UNP branch office at Nawalapitiya was smashed up allegedly by PA goons.

UNP parliamentarian P. Harrison said suspected government supporters had earlier in the day placed burning tyres on several roads leading to the Eppawela UNP rally in a bid to scare-off people from attending the meeting. They also tore up and brought down green buntings, flags and other party propaganda material, he alleged.

"All this was a part of an intimidation campaign to smear the UNP's campaign in the area. The government side is repeatedly predicting victory for President Kumaratunga. But then what is it that they are so afraid of by trying to scare off supporters of Mr. Wickremesinghe?" he asked.

"The army deserter is only a poor scapegoat handed over to police by a group with links to high political office. This group is 'hell bent' on disturbing the UNP campaign in the Anuradhapura district and violence is their chief mode of operations," he alleged.

He also took the police to task for the inadequate security arrangements for the meeting attended by the UNP leader and other party stalwarts.

To add salt to more injury, the UNP party office situated in the heart of the town was also attacked and forced to put up shutters as the violence against the party mounted. This happened a day after the fatal bombing of the rally, the MP said. Here again, the police are yet to trace the culprits responsible, he charged.

The police, for their part, say they treat everyone equally, irrespective of party colours.

"We have already made one arrest in connection with the grenade attack, and as investigations continue more persons may be netted," the district's Assistant Superintendent of Police, Meryvn Joseph Karunaratne, said.

He denied opposition claims that the police were favouring the government side, and added that their wrath was understandable since on this occasion they were the victims. The investigations would be thoroughly carried out, no stone would be left unturned, government or otherwise, ASP Karunaratne assured.

He also denied that the police were under political pressure to suppress investigations into the grenade attack

ASP Karunaratne said he believed that the army deserter who decamped the service in 1994 was not working alone and it would take some time before investigations were completed and other culprits, if any, were rounded up and identified.

He also said that at the time of the meeting 126 police officers including an ASP were on duty, brushing aside claims that the security was inadequate. When the violence broke out, the riot squad was immediately rushed to the scene, but by then it was a bit too late as blood had already been spilled with deadly results, ASP Karunaratne said..

The violence and intimidation were not confined to the outstations alone. Closer to Colombo city, political thugs were active as anticipated, and once again it was the main opposition UNP that was under attack.

Hours before the candidates handed over their nominations at the Election Secretariat in Rajagiriya, gunmen fired at the party office of Ravi Karunanayake who recently crossed over to the opposition side, causing damage to two vehicles parked in the compound. Four party workers were injured in the incident.

Mr. Karunanayake who has pledged his support to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the forthcoming elections was not in at the time of the incident.

At Borella, supporters of former Speaker and UNP parliamentarian M.H.M. Mohamed were threatened by an unidentified gang who smashed up green buntings and tore down flags of the same colour.

The incident prompted Mr. Mohamed to issue a statement, raising alarm over the pattern of violence and accusing President Kumaratunga of leading her coalition government towards a dictatorship.

"They are attempting to terrorise the masses into submission to a dictatorship through assassination of political opponents and suppression of democratic rights. If the PA succeeds in hoodwinking the masses this time, the holding of a general and presidential elections will be a thing of the past. We request the people to take a determined effort to prevent the worst forms of thuggery perpetuated by the PA. We will be failing in our democratic rights if we allow this form of intimidation and assassination to continue. I request the general public to be vigilant over similar sponsored assassinations and to go to the polls and ensure that democracy is preserved and protected. The future of the country is in your hands. I have no doubt you will fulfil your obligations in this regard," Mr. Mohamed said in the statement.

The violence was not limited to the UNP alone.

The Janatha Vimukti Perumana which was responsible for two abortive armed uprisings aimed at grabbing power, was also targeted for attack and intimidation.

Close to the central hill capital of Kandy, at Hangurangketa, a severely beaten-up JVP supporter was admitted to the Kandy Hospital in a serious condition. JVP sources said that on Tuesday night party workers who were pasting posters were threatened by Pajero gangs. Party spokesman Wimal Weerawansa told the media two more similar incidents took place on Tuesday night.

At Nugegoda, supporters of a left alliance were threatened and intimidated while they were decorating the stage for their maiden election rally in the town's main square.

On Thursday, unidentified gunmen fired several shots at a 50-foot cutout of Mr. Wickremesinghe erected near the George. E. de Silva Park opposite the clock tower in the Kandy town as pedestrians fled for cover in panic. Eye witnesses said that although armed policemen were present, they failed to act immediately, thus allowing the gunmen to escape.

However, some 10 minutes later the police set up road blocks in what was seen as an attempt to nab the fleeing gunmen.

The upcoming poll was going to be more violent and irregular than the Wayamba provincial elections in January, JVP spokesman Wimal Weerawansa said pointing out that even President Kumaratunga blamed some of her party henchmen for illegal acts.

"Our party will not resort to violence, whatever the provocation may be," he said.

"We are sending an explicit update on all that is happening through our web site so that the entire world will know the system in which both past and present governments of the two main parties conduct democratic elections," Mr. Weerawansa said.

The Chief Incumbent of the Kotte Naga Viharaya. Ven. Sobitha Thera said that at the rate things were happening the people were bound to lose faith in all the political parties and might even take to the streets in violent protests.

"If such a situation should arise it is both the PA and the UNP that must shoulder the entire blame, for it is these two parties that have continued to govern this country since independence bringing about a sad situation.

"It appears that the current trend is to scare off the voters so that it will give way for malpractice such as impersonation and stuffing of ballot boxes — a common menace through out the post-independent political history of our country," Ven. Sobitha Thera said.

He called on the two main candidates even at this late hour to get together and work out some plan where elections could be held in a peaceful manner and innocent lives spared from this vicious cycle of violence.

"It is President Kumaratunga and UNP leader Wickremesinghe who should take the first initiative and try to find a solution to this problem without further delay," the Nayaka thera said.

And all the violence is happening despite earlier pleas for calm by religious and political leaders.

Kingsley Rodrigo, Executive Director of poll monitoring group PAFREL, said they held a discussion with various religious leaders to form a 'national religious team' who will educate the people on the need to keep away from violence at elections time.

"The PAFREL is closely monitoring the situation including the rise of violence," he said. "The level of violence is increasing. This is a sad development."

Shortly after handing in their nominations, both President Kumaratunga and Mr. Wickremesinghe called on their supporters to refrain from violence and intimidation tactics and to allow the democratic process to move on smoothly.

"Give the Government the support needed to conduct a peaceful election," the President told the media persons outside the Election Secretariat soon after handing in her nomination papers.

"The violence we had so far is enough. We make a special request to hold peaceful elections. We appeal to everyone to allow the people to use their ballot in a peaceful manner," Mr. Wickremesinghe said at the secretariat.

The politicians have spoken and the call for peace made, but will it be enough to contain some of those restless party supporters who believe that victory is possible only through blood-letting and violence.

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