PAFFEREL complaints to the HRC
THURSDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER 2013
The PAFFEREL today requested the Human Rights Commission to send its representatives to the North as poll observers to look into the incidents where military personnel were allegedly engaged in election campaign.
“We have received so many complaints from the Jaffna and Killinochchi Districts that military personnel are engaged in election campaign. So we requested the Human Rights Commission to send a group of representatives as poll observers to look into this matter before and on the election date to ensure a free and fair election in the North.
“An election is being held in the North after twenty years and we need to create confidence in the minds of those people that their election rights are ensured,” PAFFEREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi told media after submitting a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.
He said PAFFEREL had brought to the notice of the Human Rights Commission Chairman about three factors identified by it including the use of public property in the election campaigns in the North, Central and North Western province and requested the commission to work out a mechanism to minimise such incidents in the future.
“We know that misuse of public property for election campaign for several decades. We brought to their notice about all the complaints received to our organisation and we expect the Human Rights Commission would work out an effective mechanism to minimise such incidents in the future,” he said.
Mr. Hettiarachchi said they noticed that the Elections Department had taken necessary steps at District level and at national level with regard to the issue of misuse of public property in this election. (Ajith Siriwardana)
Pix by Pradeep Pathirana
UPFA candidate threatens Civil Defence Force
by Chrishanthi Christopher-Thursday, 12 Sep 2013
A ruling party Provincial Council (PC) candidate, Geethanjali Naguleswaran of Panangkandi, in the Kilinochchi District, has allegedly threatened members of Civil Defence Force stationed there, during the postal voting for the Provincial Council elections that took place on Monday (9) and Tuesday (10).
Director of People's Action for Free and Fair Election (PAFFREL), Rohana Hettiarachchi, said yesterday, the UPFA candidate had warned the soldiers they could lose their jobs if they failed to support the UPFA.
PAFFREL, which had deployed around 400 local monitors for the postal voting, said in the Nuwara Eliya District and in the Wariyapola electorate, the election officers were seen allowing voters to pass through without checking their identity cards. "They may know who they are, but going by the law, the voters should have been checked," he said.
According to Hettiarachchi, the voting had been peaceful in general, except for a few incidents in which loudspeakers had been used in polling stations, posters displayed, as well leaflets distributed. All violations had been reported from the Kurunegala District
