Election violence

Parliamentary General Election 2015: Media Communiqué 07 by Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) 10th August 2015 Colombo, Sri Lanka Below is a summary of the major cases of election related violence reported to CMEV from the 6tt of August to the 8th of August 2015. 06th August 2015- Preventing Election Monitoring, Trincomalee. CMEV field monitor […]

(After the shooting, Lankadeepa photo) At 11.30 am today (31 July 2015), shooting was reported at Bloemendal Road in front of the St. Benedict College grounds in Kotahena. Rajiv Seneviratne the Campaign Manager for the United National Party speaking to CMEV from Srikotha party headquarters confirmed that the incident had taken place while Mr. Ravi […]

 by Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) January 2015 CMEV continued to monitor the post election situation and note several incidents reported in the period 9-12 January. At present CMEV has recorded 11 major incidents and 6 incidents in the post poll period. There is one casualty from post poll violence and several instances of […]

Sri Lanka Presidential Election 2015 Interim Statement –  Commonwealth Observer Group Statement by: Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group The Commonwealth Observer Group commends the people of Sri Lanka for the spirit in which they participated in this important election. The high voter turnout of 81.52 per cent reflects positively on the […]

CaFFE Election Report # 58 Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CaFFE) is dismayed by the increasing violence as election day approached and the lukewarm attitude of the Police to curb the violence. There were several incidents of serious cases serious violence on January 4-5 in Aralaganwila and Kahawatte using firearms. CaFFE has continued to […]

Jan 02, Colombo: An election rally of the common opposition candidate held today in Pelmadulla in Ratnapura district had come under attack from ruling party supporters. The common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, who was participating in several campaign rallies in the area Friday, said he was addressing about 20,000 people at a rally near the […]

CaFFE Election Report # 52. Violence increase – Underhand tactics proliferate Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) has received 863 election related complaints by December 31, 2014, out of which 79 are incidents of election related violence. UNP MP requests STF protection for 5 electorates in Kandy UNP MP Hon. Lakshman Kiriella has written […]

Presidential Election 2015: Media Communique 7/by Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) 27th December, Public Property Misuse in Kantalai, Trincomalee District CMEV was reported of an incident of public property misuse on 27th December. A SLTB Bus (WP NP 4979) had been used to transport about 200-300 persons from around Kantalai to attend a programme […]

[Chandrika Kumaratunga’s car too was attacked] On the day governing party goons attacked a opposition group including former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga the police had instructed the Out Patient Department (OPD) doctor of the Beruwala base hospital  Ms, Samarasinghe,  not admit any casualties to the hospital, says CMEV communique. As a result a supporter of […]

(Ex-LTTE members touring south] Image- MoD) [TamilNet ] The occupying military of genocidal Sri Lanka has forced around 4,000 former members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are under the captivity of the so-called Civil Security Division (CSD) in Vanni, to vote for the incumbent SL president Mahinda Rajapaksa through postal voting, […]

Around 8.30 PM today (25th) an armed gang has arrived at the Member of Parliament Mangala Samaraweera’s office in Hakmanaa, Matara district and destroyed the cut-out of the name board. The gang has taken away number of flags and placards as well. At the time of the attack Mr. Samaraweera was not in the office. […]

An armed group has attacked a Common Candidate’s office in Eravur in the Battticaloa district. Over twenty armed men arrived at the office at 12:30am local time and began smashing up the posters and banners, before setting the place alight with petrol and running from the scene, Tamil Guardian reported. Eleven people, who were inside […]

A street protest involving Opposition members and activists has been attacked in Hambantota this morning, opposition sources told Asian Mirror. The attack has allegedly been carried out by Hambanthota Mayor Eraj Fernando who rose to fame due to “toy pistol” controversy. Britto Fernando, Jayathilaka Bandara, Philip Dissanayake and several activists have been attacked by goons, […]

Only Law Can Prevent Certain Election Law Violations – Mahinda Deshapriya As the tension grows between the opposition common candidate and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, many have observed grave violations of the elections laws ahead of the election and they direct allegations at the government for misusing state property for the election campaign. Speaking to The […]

Treasurer of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, Upul Deshapriya, Attorney-at-Law and a few other officers bearers of the BASL, yesterday filed a Writ Application in the Court of Appeals seeking to obtain a mandatory order on the Mayors of Kotte and Dehiwela-Mt. Lavinia Municipal Councils, to prevent the display of hoardings and posters which […]

[Pope’s visit has become a political issue in the upcoming election] Bishop Norbert Andradi of Anuradhapura has expressed the private opinion that the tense period following the release of Presidential election results is not a suitable time for the Pope to visit Sri Lanka. Bishop Andradi states that he is of such opinion because of […]

[ ….violence will escalate and not just the generalized violence of threat, intimidation, assault and arson] by Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu- The announcement that Maithripala Sirisena, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Minister of Health in the Rajapaksa regime is to be The Common Candidate of the Opposition to Mahinda Rajapaksa has turned […]

[Prison inmates are being used for the election campaigning activities of the President Rajapaksa (Photo: : CaFFE )] The following statement issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission Whatever be the outcome of the presidential election to be held on the 8th of January 2015, Sri Lanka has already entered into the deepest political crisis […]

[ State media trade unions protest against bias reporting during the 2010 presidential election] Sri Lanka’s elections chief warned state-run television networks on Friday not to broadcast programmes supporting President Mahinda Rajapakse in upcoming polls. Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said he had received complaints from independent monitors that the state networks were openly campaigning for […]

[ Bomb attack on the house of Sarath Rathnasiri, who expressed his support to Common candidate] CaFFE Election Report 23 – Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) has received a number of incidents on election related violence, the day before the nominations were to be signed. UPFA supporters held vehicle parades across the island. […]

[pro government thugs are being let loose against Common opposition] By Nirmala Kannangara – More election violence and violations are reported from all parts of the country where the ruling UPFA government is accused for all the reported cases say election monitors. Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Executive Director Keerthi Tennakoon and People’s […]

A group of thugs led by Government politicians has attacked the campaign of the ‘Viyaruwata Erihiwa ; Jeewithya Wenuwen – ‘වියරැවට එරෙහිව, ජීවිතය වෙනුවෙන් ( Against the Craze for the Life) at Eppawala in Anuradhapuraya district few hours ago, today ( 05 Dec 2014), according to a press release issued by Sampath Samarakoon on behalf […]

[Bullets and broken chairs; Symbol of Rajapaksa rule;Lanka Truth photos] The government, unable to bear a certain defeat at the Uva PC election, is deploying thugs to create panic in Monaragala District. As it has no certainty regarding winning Badulla District it is attempting to plunder votes in Monaragala to gain seats to form the […]

[Over the weekend 14 JVP election offices were attacked] Early morning on today [26th Aug] a group of members and sympathizers of the JVP, who were decorating the stage of a meeting the Leader of the JVP Anura Dissanayaka was to address, has been savagely attacked by a group of thugs including the vice-chairman of […]

[One of the 14 JVP election offcies destroyed; Lanka Truth photo] Election campaign of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in the upcoming Uva Provincial Election is being targeted by the pro government gangs in an unprecedented manner. Within 48 hours over the last week end 14 election offices of the JVP were destroyed and set […]

[UPFA the ruling coalition violate election laws with impunity; file photo] Additional Mahiyangana Magistrate Gamini Rambakenpura yesterday released, on surety bail of Rs. 100,000 each, UPFA MP for Badulla, Thenuka Vidanagama and his brother former UPFA Uva Provincial Councillor, Anura Vidanagama, arrested yesterday for obstructing and threatening Deputy Commissioner of Elections for Kurunegala, Chaminda Namal […]

Al Jazeera television has been temporarily blocked in Sri Lanka over its election coverage today.Dialog Television is the main re-broadcaster of Al Jazeera television in Sri Lanka.Sources said that the Doha based TV station was blocked today by Dialog Television following one of its reports on the Northern polls.Meanwhile Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that […]

Posters up today in Jaffna by pro Govt forces: “Are you voting for the TNA? Are you ready to go back to war?” Northern Provincial Council Election 2013 – Communiqué No 8 21st September 2013: 12 pm: CMEV has received complaints of a number of incidents on election day since polls opened at 7 am, including an […]

Add caption CNEV: Northern Provincial Council Election 2013 – Communiqué No 7 On 20th September 2013 / 08.10h/ Northern Province/ Mannar District/ Mannar Electorate/ Pesalai UPFA party officeAs reported by CMEV monitor in the area, UPFA Mannar District candidate No 6, Mr. Robert Pieris, organized dry rations to be distributed on the night of 20th September […]

Polls chief Mahinda Deshapriya has intervened to guarantee the confidentiality of voters’ identity following threats that they would be under surveillance within polling booths, hence their preference could be established.Deshapriya rejected claims that hidden cameras would be allowed in polling booths to identify those voting for a particular party. Addressing the final media briefing, at […]