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State resources ‘manipulated for Rajapaksa’– polls monitors
View(s):Opposition parties and election monitoring bodies allege the government is using an array of state and public resources to boost ruling party candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa in the presidential elections due in three weeks.
The damaged stage at Wanduramba: The stage was damaged in an attack by goons hours before Opposition Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena was to address a meeting.
A podium prepared for a rally by National Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Maithripala Sirisena was set alight by an unidentified group in Waduraba, Galle early this week.
A group of armed people who arrived in a Land Rover Defender without number plates set fire to the stage and sound equipment.
Police spokesperson Ajith Rohana said three suspects had been arrested and were in police custody until December 29.
“We have received 55 complaints regarding election violence and violations of election law. So far, we have arrested 35 suspects involved in these cases,” he said.
SSP Rohana said 29 of these persons were supporters of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) while six belonged to the United National Party (UNP).
Elections Department authorities in Galle had to intervene over an army awareness programme on the war victory. An Elections Department official said a complaint had been received about the army conducting seminars about the war victory.
Transparency International, a public advocacy organisation, said there was increasing misuse of public property for campaigning and propaganda purposes.
Campaign on wheels at Town Hall
“There is a direct support from the top management of certain state institutions for this purpose. Immediate steps should be taken to rectify this situation,” the organisation said.
A total of 76 complaints have been lodged with the Elections Secretariat regarding the misuse of state property and the use of public sector officials for political gain: 29 incidents were related to the transfers of state sector officials and 32 to promotions and transfers.
The Programme for the Protection of Public Resources watchdog group said this week that the Ministry of Public Administration, the Pensions Department and Sri Lanka Youth had been jointly conducting a programme to issue free mobiles to pensioners under the Mahinda Chintana plan of action.
“Three state departments are actively involved in a promotional tool to distribute gifts to a large group of people that would undoubtedly bring an unfair advantage to one party through the misuse of the funds,” it said.
The chairman of the Sri Lanka Youth, Lalith Piyum Perera, defended the move, saying it was aimed at reducing the cap between the youth community and the old generation.
He vehemently rejected claims that Sri Lanka Youth was being used for the election propaganda activities.