Complaints of election related violence in the run up to the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial council elections are on the increase. The use of state vehicles for election campaigning and threats of bodily harm being among those highlighted.
Mr. Keerthi Tennakoon spokesman CAFFE said it had received over 45 complaints regarding the use of state property –mainly the use of state vehicles. Mr. Tennekoon said the organisation had investigated 15 of these and received credible evidence as to their veracity. He added that three cases related to the use of circuit bungalows for election purposes.
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| Some of the vehicles being used for election related activities |
Mr. Tennekoon claimed the law was not being implemented impartially especially in the Kegalle district. He said it was leading to a breakdown in governance and cited a series of attacks where a vehicle belonging to the UNP was attacked at Rambukkana and a JVP vehicle was attacked at the spot the following day. He claimed this was an open invitation to greater violence.
He added the organisation had received a list of vehicles belonging 13 ministries which were being used for election propaganda activities, “among the vehicles being used are those from the Ministry Fisheries, Ministry of of Ingenious Medicine and the Ministry of Nation Building”.
Mr. Rohana Hettiarachchi, deputy director of People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said his organisation had received 31 complaints of election related violence. The highest figures were recorded in the Anuradhapura district where 14 complaints were made. Seven complaints were received from the Kegalle district, 5 from the Ratnapura district and 5 were from the Polonnaruwa district.
Mr. Hettiarachchi said: “Most of these complaints were made by the UNP and JVP against the UPFA; however no complaints have been made by the UPFA”. He said that the organisation had received a number of phone calls regarding the unlawful use of state vehicles and requested the public to provide more information in this regard.
Meanwhile the spokesperson for CAFFE said it had received 29 complaints, of which the highest number –fourteen, had been recorded from the Anuradhapura district- ten from Kegalle, three from Polonnaruwa and two from Ratnapura.
CAFFE however said it had received three complaints from the UPFA while the others were made by UNP and the JVP.
UNP MP Ms. Thalatha Athukorale said many threats had been made in different parts of the Ratnapura district.
“People in my electorate, Nivithigala are being threatened and the people are afraid to even raise their voice. Samurdhi beneficiates are threatened of dire consequences for attending meetings organised by the UNP Chief Ministerial candidate” she said.
She claimed larger numbers of state vehicles were used in the Embilipitiya area and some of the vehicles bore forged number plates.
JVP MP Ranaweera Pathirana said violence was prevalent in the Anuradhapura district. He alleged Government Ministers whose family members were contesting the election were using state funds and property for electioneering.
He charged brand new state-owned vehicles which did not bear number plates were used for election propaganda work while police remained inactive.However theUPFA General Secretary and Minister of Agriculture, Maithripala Sirisena denying the use of state vehicles for election-related activity claimed it was during the UNP regime a huge number of vehicles were used for election purposes. He said the present government did not indulge in such malpractice. | 
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