Election monitor says all basic principles of political rights violated
Wednesday, 24 December 2014 00:56
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An election monitoring group in Sri Lanka, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) says it is highly concerned about the violation of political rights during the run-up to 8 January presidential elections and claims that the election is neither free nor fair due to this.
Noting that a number of opposition activists, including street drama troupe, ‘Weediye Virodaya’ were attacked Monday at Hambantota by goons led by Hambantota Mayor Eraj Ravindra Fernando, CaFFE says that police took no action to protect the victims.
“Leader of Weediye Virodaya Jayathilaka Bandara had asked local opposition supporters to meet them at the bus stand fearing that they will be attacked. However despite the presence of opposition politicians, including the leader of opposition at Hambantota MC Auyb Khan, they were assaulted,” CaFFE said in a statement.
The election monitor said it has received reports that the Hambantota Mayor was armed and that he tried to kidnap Bandara. Although they could not kidnap him many were assaulted and six had to get medical assistance at the hospital.
“However many didn’t even want to go to the hospital fearing further attacks,” Executive Director of CaFFE, Ranjith Keerthi Tennakoon said. “Elections are only a part of political rights and currently the right of holding an opinion, the right to expression, the right to campaign peacefully and the right to free movement of opposition activists are being constantly violated,” Tennakoon said.
He said these street performers have protested many regimes but it was the first time in recent history that they were assaulted like this.
The Group also was attacked on 5 December in Eppawela by the supporters of Chief Minister of North Central Province Ranjith Samarakoon.
CaFFE has noted that political rights of opposition activists are continuously being violated and thus the election is not reaching the international standards.
“The Commissioner of Elections said that he will resign if there are election malpractices on Election Day but we would like to remind him that the Election Day is usually eventless. What needs to happen usually happens before the day of the polls,” Tennakoon said.
The Hambantota Mayor gained notoriety earlier this year when he chased away UNP MPs who were conducting an inspection tour to Mattala Airport and Hambantota Port brandishing a firearm. Later he said that it was a toy gun.
