Presidential Election 2015

Sri Lanka’s newly elected president Maithripala Sirisena arrives at the Election Commission office in Colombo on January 9, 2015 (Agence France-Presse photo) Ellen Barry, The New York Times– New Delhi:  On a Sunday four months ago, a vessel pulled unannounced into Sri Lanka’s Colombo harbor: the Chinese Navy submarine Great Wall No. 329, which is […]

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 […]

In an email interview with the Dailymirror, the leader of the United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the SLFPers dissatisfied with Mahinda Rajapaksa are the crucial element in the upcoming presidential election and that Maithripala was the best man to win them over.  He added that Maithripala Sirisena’s victory would not be a […]

Polling for the Presidential Election 2015 commenced at 7am. One incident of an explosion was reported during this period from Point Pedro, Jaffna. CMEV was informed that the explosion was caused due to a hand grenade with no injuries reported. CMEV received a report of voters being prevented from voting as more than 200 of […]

[Opposition election offcie after an attack by pro-Government gang] The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses its concern over an escalation of violence ahead of the Sri Lankan presidential election today and reiterates its call to ensure media freedom and the safety of journalists during and after the election. Today, Sri Lanka votes for a […]

(Brito Fernando) Sri Lankan authorities must hold to account those who threatened three prominent activists with death today and ensure that tomorrow’s presidential elections passes without further violence, Amnesty International said. Opposition campaigners Brito Fernando, Phillip Dissanayake and Prasanga Fernando – who are all well-known human rights defenders active with families of the “disappeared” – […]

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have come to an agreement where the JVP would send its agents to polling booths on 8 January to monitor the polls. JHU General Secretary, Champika Ranawaka, speaking to Ceylon Today said it was…the JVP who could most successfully tackle the violence and intimidation at […]

New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS) The winner of the Sri Lankan presidential election Thursday must first address the Tamil issue, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Jolly said Wednesday. “Whoever wins in Sri Lanka should first address the Tamil issue,” he said, wishing “all the best” to both President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the opposition candidate […]

CaFFE Election Report # 61 Mr. Shantha Dodangoda, a UNP supporter who was shot at Kahawatte on January 5 while preparing the election stage of the Common Opposition Candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, passed away at Ratnapura hospital today. Dodangoda was the Chairman of the Kahawatte Traders Association. Deputy Minister, Premalal Jayasekara and his supporters are alleged […]

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya today gave a red light to the Military saying it cannot prevent people from voting. “Even the Military cannot stop you from voting. If they ask you to stop voting due to security reasons, you have the right to ignore their warnings,” the Elections Commissioner said addressing a press conference at […]

At the end of campaigning, CMEV documented 420 incidents of violence (20th November 2014 5 January 2015), with 237 categorised as major incidents and 183 as minor incidents. Highest number of major incidents were reported from Jaffna District with 22 incidents followed by Badulla District with 19 incidents, Kurunegala 18 incidents and 17 incidents in […]

Presidential Election 2015: Media Communiqué 14 7th January 2015 Since the completion of campaigning, CMEV received several major incidents involving assault, threat and intimidation, damage to property, and misuse of state resources. All incidents reported to CMEV are instances where opposition party members and supporters were attacked, threatened and property damaged. CMEV is concerned at […]

[Violence in the lead-up to the Jan. 8 presidential election in Sri Lanka has poll monitors on edge. Credit: Amantha Perera/IPS] By Amantha Perera- COLOMBO, Jan 6 2015 (IPS) – As 14.5 million Sri Lankans prepare to select their next leader, there is growing fear that violence could mar the Jan. 8 elections, billed as […]

[Military in Vanni Associated Press – A monitoring group expressed concerns Tuesday that the military presence in the former war zone of northern Sri Lanka may lower voter turnout in the presidential election Thursday. Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu from the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence said that concerns have been raised about the vote in the north […]

[Prediction: The Result of Presidential Election 2015] An Independent Research Conducted by Abu Ayman, M.Phil., Electoral Political Analyst. “Declining Popularity” is the accepted parameter in the electoral political analysis. At the first presidential election which held in 1982, J.R. Jayawardena was able to obtain 52.91% votes, although his party got a land slide victory with […]

Rajapaksa has failed in post-war reconciliation, Tamils feel. However, many of them don’t see this as ‘their election’ and can’t see how their lives will change after the polls After Sri Lanka’s brutal war ended five years ago, President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave the Tamil majority North better roads, rail connections and electricity. However, people of […]

Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) A press briefing was held by CMEV today at the JAIC Hilton around the monitoring operations for the Presidential Election, which will be held on 8th January 2015. Recordings of the briefing are embedded below. Please note that the Q&A segment doesn’t always pick up the question posed to […]

Sri Lanka’s election commissioner has agreed to a set of proposals aimed at holding a transparent vote counting process, the bar association of Sri Lanka said. The proposals for the upcoming presidential election include, polls monitors to be informed of the results of the counting centers before making it officially announced. “All the proposals forwarded […]

by Arjuna and Kshama Ranawana – For the first time since Mahinda Rajapaksa ascended the Presidency in 2006 he faces a strong threat to his office. This was not the case when he called the election two years before it was due, confident of re-election owing to a deeply fractured opposition. But that has changed […]

CMEV: Presidential Election 2015: Media Communiqué 13 /6th January 2015 The Presidential Election campaign ended at midnight with several major incidents reported. At the end of campaigning, CMEV documented a total of 420 incidents, with 237 major incidents and 183 minor incidents. The highest number of major incidents were reported from Jaffna District with 22 […]

[go early to your polling booths and vote for Maithripala Sirisena – Wigneswaran] My dear brothers and sisters , “At the outset I must say that the TNA as a coalition party has made a decision to support the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena” My dear brothers and sisters, We live in confusing times.   Oppressed, threatened, […]

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam’s Prime Minister Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran Clarifies. There is a serious allegation made by the members of the opposition alliance claimed that the secret agreement has signed between the government led by the President Rajapaksa and the Prime Minister of Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) while quoting a “secret email”. […]

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 […]

by Sunanda Deshapriya, Dear Mr. President, This is the final letter I will be writing to you as President Rajapakse. This is because, if, on the 8th of January, the people of this country are given the opportunity to vote in freedom and without fear, then the days of your presidency are, indeed, numbered. It […]

  [400 Military road blocks in the North?; File photo] AFP- COLOMBO: International observers said they had received complaints of voter intimidation before this week’s Sri Lankan presidential election, in which the incumbent faces a tough battle to win an unprecedented third term. The 55-member panel of monitors told reporters they had already received complaints […]

(One of the atrocities of the regime: Welikada killings) (Statement by the United Front Of The Peradeniya University Lectueres And Alumni) Friends, time has come to educate one another about the massive corruption that happens in Sri Lanka under the Present Regime. The Executive has taken the lead in this process resulting in massive debt, […]

Presidential Election 2015: Media Communiqué 11 /by Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV)- On 4th January 2015 at 1.00 pm: 02nd January, Common Candidate Maithripala’s rally was attacked- Pelmadulla It was reported to CMEV that a public meeting conducted by Common Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena near Pelmadulla depot came under attack at about 7.20pm (2ndJan). As […]

(Ananthi Sasitharan and her husband, LTTE political commissar  Sasitharan alias Ezhilan) Ananthi Sasitharan has become a darling of Rajapaksa regime because of the call for Election boycott. Now Rajaakasa regime has reinforced Ananthi’s call by unleashing a terror campaign to stop Northern Tamils voting. Strange bed fellows, isn’t it? Ananthi must be happy that Rajapaksa […]

by Rajan Philips – Mahinda Rajapaksa won the 2010 presidential election polling 58% of the votes against Sarath Fonseka’s 40%. All he needs to do to win this time is to manage the leaks from that high water mark and make sure that his share of the vote stays above the 50% mark. He won […]

They want Mahinda to return to power by forcing the Northerners not to vote, as they did in 2005 “Did you read Tamilnet?” A Sri Lankan diplomat recently asked this from a journalist. “Why?” “You read and call me.” The journalist replied, “I read Tamilnet. The Tigers appear to be on the stand they were […]