[ Shots were fired at the office of UNP MP MMA Halim, CaFFE photo]
Shots were fired at the office of UNP MP MMA Halim, at Mawilmada, Kandy, in the early hours of November 25. The windows and walls of the office were damaged. According to statistics of Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) this is the fourth incident of election violence with use of firearms after the Maithripala Sirisena declared his candidacy.
Halim has been actively promoting Sirisena and he was the facilitator of Sirisena’s visit to Kandy Muslim Mosque. After the election was declared shooting incidents were reported from Maggona, Kalutara, Madampe, Puttalam (two incidents), and Mawilmada. Although the vehicle used to carry out the shooting incident at Maggona has been identified and despite the availability of CCTV footage Police has not taken steps to arrest any suspects. Chamila Ranasinghe, a former UNP local councillor, is currently undergoing treatment at Colombo National Hospital and is in critical condition.
Meanwhile CaFFE released footage which clearly shows who carried out the attack on a journalist in Mawathagama. However Police has not taken any steps to even take a statement from the Chairman of the Local Council.
CaFFE also believes that since Madampe and Mawilmada incidents were carried out in the night, police might altogether drop the investigation.
CaFFE expresses grave concern about the proliferation of violence in several parts of the island and urge relevant authorities to necessary action to stop these incidents.
Presidential Election – 2015, CaFFE Media