The Network for Election Monitoring of the Intellectuals for Human Rights (NEM IHR) states by 8.00 a.m. today (21st) it had received 88 complaints of election violence and violations in relation to the forthcoming local government elections.
Among them were 36 instances of election violence, 30 instances of election violations, 13 instances of the using state property and state power, 3 instances of police favouritsm and 6 instances of undue use of influence on the public states NEM IHR.
The Network has received complaints that the government had used state resources and state power in a large scale in the Northern area to bring victory to UPFA candidate.
250 CTB buses had been used to transport people to the meetings held in the North on the 20th that were presided by the President Mahinda Rajapakse.
Politicians of the UPFA including Parliamentarian Namal Rajapakse have distributed a large number of packets of dry rations in divisional areas where elections are held in Killinochchi District on the 20th to influence voters.
Complaints have been received that Army personnel on duty on the Northern Province have been used in propaganda campaign of the UPFA and to obstruct campaigns of the opposition candidates. Among these complaints is one that states Lt. Ratnayake of the headquarters of the 542nd Battalion of the SL Army had called votes of Dharmapuram in Karachchi PS division and demanded them to vote for candidates of the UPFA.
NEM IHR considers making use of state resources and personnel in the election campaign of the ruling party is a serious election violation and it denies the people in the North, who had not had any election for 15 years, the opportunity to elect their representatives.
LT
