JVP office destroyed, 5 SLMC offices attacked
Police under pressure from PC politicians: Monitors
SLMC election office attacked .
Doctor injured in attack by Berty’s supporters in ICU
JVP office destroyed, 5 SLMC offices attacked
A JVP propaganda office was destroyed while five Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) offices had come under attack on Tuesday (28), a polls monitor said.
The JVP office was situated at Niyadurupola on the Warakapola-Karawanella Road in the Dedigama electorate. The five SLMC offices in the Ampara District.
Dr. Uditha Gunasekera of the Network for Election Monitoring and Intellectuals for Human Rights (NEMIHR) said that election related incidents were increasing with the campaign for the Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-Central Provincial Councils hotting up. The elections are scheduled for September 8.
Several incidents pertaining to the postal voting on Tuesday (28) have been reported. A UPFA candidate threatened voters at the Civil Defence Force (CDF) camp at Bakthiella. A vehicle (HK 8876) belonging to a UPFA candidate had been seen displaying his photograph and posters at the Forest Conservation Department office, according to Dr. Gunasekera.
The NEMIHR reported that buses belonging to the CTB deports in Kalmunai, Kalawanchikudi, Ampara, Batticaloa, Bibile, Mahiyanganaya, Siyabalanduwa and Akkaraipattu were being on Sunday (26) to transport people to a UPFA meeting in Ampara. CDF personnel had been forced to attend the meet, the polls monitoring outfit said.
Electricity posts, belonging to the CEB, had also been used as bridges by a Trincomalee district UPFA candidate. UPFA banners were also displayed opposite the Sunanda Vidyalaya in Aranayake.
Circuit bungalows of the Irrigation Department at Mihintale and Nahchaduwa were being used by supporters of the UPFA candidates for electioneering purposes. Undergrads recently recruited on contract basis had also been used to campaign for UPFA candidates in the Ratnapura district, the NEMHR said, noting that it had received 244 complaints of election violations.
by Lal Gunasekera
IS
Police under pressure from PC politicians: Monitors
Election monitors yesterday requested regional politicians to stop applying pressure on police personnel to prevent them from performing their duties imspartially during the campaigning for September 8 provincial council elections.
In a joint statement, election observers said they had received several reports of political intimidation during the final stages of campaigning by candidates canvassing for votes.
They said impartiality of elections was being compromised by candidates when election campaigning turns aggressive.
The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) asked candidates not to embarrass police officials by pushing them into difficult situations because they were following orders of the Elections Commissioner.
“We ask the politicians not to make things difficult for the police who are performing their duty,” said PAFFREL Executive Director, Rohana Hettiarchchi.
The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) said the issue had been taken up with the Elections Commissioner. “The election monitors also took the matter up with party secretaries, but there has been little or no change in the situation,” CaFFE Executive Director, Keerthi Tennakoon said.
“We do not see the essential element necessary for a free and fair election, because police officers have been found fault with for following orders,” he said adding that a letter had also been written to the Police Chief.
The election monitors said the blatant misuse of state property for propaganda purposes was continuing unabated.
BY NABEELA HUSSAIN
Source: Daily Mirror – Sri Lanka
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SLMC election office attacked .
A Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) election office in Akkaraipattu was attacked this morning by a group of masked men who arrived in several vehicles.
Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CaFFÉ) told Daily Mirror the SLMC supporters who were at the office at the time of the attack had given the vehicle numbers to the police.
CaFFE said some people who were heading towards an SLMC election rally had also been attacked by the masked men.
It alleged that the suspects were residing at a Water Board circuit bungalow.
CaFÉ Executive Director Keerthi Tennakoon said he had informed Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya about the incident.
Meanwhile a group of 40 women who were engaged in a house to house campaign in Eravur had also come under attack by supporters of a UPFA candidate. An SLMC source said they had complained to the Batticaloa District Assistant Elections Commissioner.
According to party sources several women who were injured had been admitted to Eravur Hospital. (Yohan Perera)
http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/21573-slmc-election-office-attacked.html
Doctor injured in attack by ruling party pilitician Berty’s supporters in ICU
Dr. Chamila Herath, injured yesterday night in an attack by a group of supporters of UPFA chief ministerial candidate for North – Central PC election who were decorating an election office, has been admitted to the neurosurgery section of the ICU at Anuradhapura Hospital say hospital sources. He was being treated at Ward 11 when he was brought after the attack.
The sources say the injured doctor is not affiliated to any political party but the perpetrators had attacked him using their political power.
When Dr. Herath was driving to the hospital last night the group that had been decorating the election office had obstructed him. When he said it was necessary for him to go to the hospital the group had opened the door of the car and had attempted to drag the doctor out of it. When the doctor locked up the doors the perpetrators had hit him on his face and head through open shutters. Several had hit the windscreen with poles they carried and had smashed it while more than twenty people had surrounded the car and battered it.
The doctor, despite injuries to his head and face, had driven the car to the hospital. The doctors in the hospital had admitted Dr. Chamila Herath to ward 11 and had complained to Anuradhapura police station.
The doctors in all the hospitals in the area are engaged in a strike action protesting against the inhuman attack and demand that all 20 to 25 persons who were involved in the attack should be arrested. They warn that if the perpetrators are not arrested they would launch a continuous strike from the 3rd.
The government is attempting to stop the strike by doctors spreading a false story that one Basnayake, the person alleged to have led the attack, had been arrested. However, when inquired by doctors, the police had stated that no such person had been arrested.
Friday, 31 August 2012
LT
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