Election 2001
Kandy's lull before the storm?
Early birds will prevent mischief
100,000 ballot papers forged
Abolish criminal defamation laws, says IBA report
PA preparing to rig poll, alleges UNF
21 injured in blast
Kandy's lull before the storm?
By Chris Kamalendran
Election fever has hit the Kandy city and its remote villages in a big
way with UNP and PA activists engaging themselves in a frantic battle for
votes. Not to be outdone, the JVP is trying to lure the floating votes
to establish itself as a third force in the next parliament.
Posters, placards and coloured decorations have only one message in
common. The competition is acute by any standards. A remarkable deviation
is the group posters put up by the PA in contrast to the UNP campaign.
Although the situation is calm, voters have not entirely forgotten the
trauma they had undergone during the previous elections.
General Anuruddha Ratwatte who is spearheading the PA campaign said
he was confident that the incidents of violence would be less compared
to the last year's elections. He also said the current campaign was not
for individuals but for the People's Alliance. However, his supporters
were seen busy putting up posters and cutouts in prominent places in the
city.
The mood in the villages was quite different. Some villagers said they
feared their ballot papers might be grabbed by armed men on the election
day.
Meanwhile, police claimed the number of election-related incidents of
violence was relatively low. However, Jayantha Rajapaksha, a middle-aged
businessman and a UNP supporter at Hedeniya said he was allegedly assaulted
by PA supporters and had to be hospita-lised.UNP candidate Keheliya Rambukwelle
too has appealed to his supporters not to be provoked.
"We cannot rule out the PA using its state powers to grab the votes.
It might try to block our voters," he said.
He also appealed to voters to cast their votes early to counter malpractices.
Kandy district secretary Sumana Bandara Beddewela said no major incidents
of violence had been reported and instructions had gone out to the Kandy
police to be on the alert. He also said the deployment of additional troops
or STF personnel might not be necessary during the elections.
Early birds will prevent mischief
Despite increasing violence and tension, all arrangements have been finalised
for Wednesday's decisive general election with police advising voters to
go to the booth as early as possible to prevent malpractices such as impersonation.
Police elections chief Gamini Navaratne said they were doing their best
to ensure a free poll and the public could cooperate by voting early.
Wednesday's election has some 12 million eligible voters and 9.500 polling
booths with first results from postal votes expected before midnight.
100,000 ballot papers forged
The UNP met with the Commissioner of Elections yesterday over the detection
of
some 100,000 forged ballot papers at Kitulgala.
Police said two persons had been remanded after the forged ballots were
detected while they were being transported in a vehicle belonging to the
National Livestock Development Board.
Investigations revealed the forged ballot papers were marked for three
PA candidates contesting from the Nuwara Eliya district, but the suspects
who were arrested at a checkpoint claimed that they were taking the ballots
to be handed over to a PA national list candidate.
One of the candidates for whom the preference vote had been marked,
the PA's V. Puthirasigamany, told The Sunday Times he knew nothing about
any such ballot papers. A senior police officer said they had faxed one
of the seized ballot papers to the Elections Commissioner's office in Colombo
from where confirmation came that it was a forgery.
The two suspects who had come from Colombo were produced before the
Ruwanwella magistrate and remanded till December 14.
Abolish criminal defamation laws, says IBA report
The International Bar Association following a brief mission to Sri Lanka
in August has submitted recommendations to the Bar Association of Sri Lanka
to do away with criminal defamation law and encourage freedom of speech.
At a presentation and discussion of the IBA report yesterday, President's
Counsel Ranjith Abeysooriya said defamation laws had to be removed from
the statute to allow the media to independently report on matters of public
interest. He said local newspaper reports showed a stark contrast from
one another and that a climate of fear had forced some to exercise self-censorship.
The IBA report noted that criminal defamation laws were contrary to
the fundamental human rights set out in the constitution and were an affront
to a free media. The report also condemned the harassment and interrogation
by the security forces as a means of restricting free speech.
In its recommendations, the IBA suggested that a National Press Association
be set up free of party affiliations comprising a diverse range of members
from both within and outside the industry. The report also suggested the
setting up of a National Advisory Council, independent of Government and
any new constitutional commission, to report annually on the media and
their relationship with the Government, Parliament and the people.
See: The IBA voices concern over independence
of judiciary - Focus on Rights
PA preparing to rig poll, alleges UNF
By Nilika de Silva
The United National Front yesterday accused the PA of preparing an illegal
onslaught on the election, with state media staff granted special leave,
artillery fire to intimidate voters in Vavuniya and Trincomalee and the
distribution of forged ballot papers.
The United National Front had met Elections Commissioner, Dayananda
Dissanayake last afternoon to stress that "extreme vigilance is necessary
in view of what has transpired".
"In the final session with the Elections Commissioner we will raise
these matters to ensure that the will of the people is genuinely reflected
in the outcome of the parliamentary elections," UNF spokesman Prof. G.L.
Peiris told a media conference last morning.
UNP spokesman Dr. Karunasena Kodi-tuwakku stated that Anuruddha Ratwatte
is planning to use a massive number of forged ballot cards. Many workers
have opted for postal votes and are planning to travel to Kandy on election
day to rig the election there. "We must take action on their plan to use
SLTB buses to travel to Kandy on election day," he said.
President Kumaratunga's visit to the DIG's office with Salinda Dissanayake
on Friday to order the arrest of four UNPers in the Kurunegala district
is "unprecedented in the political history of our country," Prof. Peiris
said.
A Fundamental Rights petition would be filed tomorrow morning, Prof.
Peiris added.
Only 70 employees who are considered PA supporters would be permitted
to work at the Rupavahini Corporation from Monday until the election is
over, Prof. Peiris alleged.
They would receive instructions from President's House. A similar plan
would be put into effect at SLBC and Lake House in violation of election
laws, Prof. Peiris further alleged.
Navy personnel have been stationed at Lake House, Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku
also alleged.
21 injured in blast
At least 21 persons were injured when two powerful time bombs went off
destroying an EPDP office in the Batticaloa town on Saturday, police said.
They said the bombs had been placed in the reception area of the office.
The EPDP had called volunteer development officers to pay them Rs. 3,000
each.
Most of the injured were those who had called over to collect the money. |
