• Govt. plans big polls before April
• LTTE beaten back from Elephant Pass
• British eye specialists treat President
• Mixed reports from monitors
• UNP hierarchy will discuss President's offer

Govt. plans big polls before April

By Shelani de Silva

The Government is likely to go for Parliamentary elections before April, following the victory at Tuesday's Presidential elections, People's Alliance General Secretary D M Jayaratne said yesterday.

He said the mood among government leaders and within the alliance after the election was one of utmost confidence and thus it was likely that a general election would be called within three months.

He said there was also likely to be a cabinet reshuffle next month with more portfolios likely to be given to UNP rebels who crossed over.

In a related move, the government is planning to go ahead in introducing legislation to allow crossovers.

Mr. Jayaratne said that in addition to the five UNP MPs or alternative group that pledged support to President Kumaratunga, at least nine other UNP MPs were believed to be ready to crossover. He said more talks would be held with those MPs, but UNP sources have denied any more crossovers.

LTTE beaten back from Elephant Pass

The LTTE is still trying to overrun forward defence lines of the security forces in the north with the aim of getting at the Elephant pass camp, but troops are holding on to the areas with "certain adjustments," military officials said.

In one of the latest attacks, heavily armed rebels hit the forward defences around the Iyakachchi area, but security forces fought back and defended their positions.

Military sources said the LTTE's aim was to reach the Elephant pass camp.

Earlier military spokesman Sunil Tennekoon said troops had been holding on to the areas after 'readjusting their defences' around the areas of Vettilaikerny and Paranthan.

He denied LTTE claims that Paranthan had fallen to the rebels.

He said that at least 89 soldiers had been killed since fighting began on December 11. The LTTE casualty figure has been put at more than 1000 dead or wounded.

Army sources claimed that in the latest round of fighting on Wednesday and Thursday, more than 50 rebels had been killed.

British eye specialists treat President

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is in London undergoing medical attention to her eyes which were damaged at the assassination attempt on her at the final re-election rally.

President Kumaratunga arrived on a specially chartered aircraft. She is expected to be away until some time early next year.

Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera told a news conference early this week that the President was 'recovering', but did not elaborate. He said the government would be releasing the medical reports.

Independent reports however stated that the vision of the President's right eye was 'seriously affected' and that surgeons in Britain would be using their skills and technology to save the eye and attend to the left eye as well which has been pinched by damage to the optic nerve.

The President is reported to be out of any danger to her life, but there was concern over the one pellet that had pierced through the skull and lodged inside the head.

Medical specialists said that having a pellet lodged inside the head is not life-threatening but was of some concern, and required attention.

Mixed reports from monitors

By Nilika de Silva

Foreign Monitors invited by the Elections Commissioner for last Tuesday's presidential polls appear to be divided in their assessments, with the chairman giving a fairly clean bill but others raising questions.

The group's chairman Lord Megnath Desai from Britain said that "on the whole, the elections were free and fair", but other members had different views regarding the poll in areas where they served as monitors.

The group also made 18 recommendations to improve the conduct of free and fair elections. (See page two for details).

Loyd Francis from Canada, who monitored polling booths in Ampara district said he had seen poll cards being handed over near the booths. A monitor who went to Jaffna said the refusal to allow his interpreter to enter the booths had hampered his work.

Lord Desai said his team was impressed by the sincerity and efficiency of the polling staff.

On the role of the media, some monitors said they believed the state media were misused by the ruling party but others questioned the role of the private media.

UNP hierarchy will discuss President's offer

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

The defeated UNP's Parliamentary Group and the Working Committee will hold a joint meeting tomorrow to discuss President Kumaratunga's invitation to join the government in finding a solution to the ethnic conflict and other issues. Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told a post-poll news conference, he was ready to respond positively if the president made specific proposals in writing.

President Kumaratunga in a nationwide acceptance speech repeatedly appealed to the UNP leader and his party to join the government in a new thrust towards consensual politics. Meanwhile, the UNP which was defeated in a majority of electorates and districts at Tuesday's presidential elections is likely to launch a major revamping of the party in preparation for parliamentary elections.

Of 160 electorates, the UNP managed to win only 21 — about one eighth the electorates while also conceding 17 of the 22 districts. General Secretary Gamini Atukorale said the party's organizational structure would be reviewed and organisers replaced where necessary.

Return to Front Page Contents