Two shooting incidents in Madampe, Puttalam - UNPer targeted
- Sunday, 23 November 2014
Pre Election period of 2015 Presidential Elecion is getting increasingly violent as shots were fired two houses in Madampe, Puttalam last night. The house of Mr. Milton, a staunch UNP supporter, at Medagama, Madampe was attacked twice after 00.20 today. The house of Mr. Sudeh Priyankara, at Second Lane, Medagama, was also attacked.
CaFFE believes that both men were targeted because they lit fire crackers after former SLFP Secretary Maithripala Sirisena announced his intention to contest as the common opposition candidate.
Mr. Milton said that a group of people om motor cycles arrived at his house and fired shots. While they left once after residents of the house came out, one motorcycle returned and fired shots.
These are the second and third shooting incidents after the election was declared. CaFFE has received information about four instances of election related violence and three victims of these incidents are being treated at Colombo and Kurunegala hospitals. One person is in a critical state.
Rajapaksas discuss dissolution of parliament
- Sunday, 23 November 2014
A group of senior members of the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration are reportedly discussing the early dissolution of parliament in the event of a mass exodus from the governing party.
Media reports also stated today that consultations have taken place at the highest levels on the pros and cons of dissolving parliament.
It is learnt that the early dissolution of parliament was being considered by the government seniors in order to strip dissident governing party MPs of their positions in government and parliamentary privileges with immediate effect.
The government seniors it is learnt have considered a precedent where President J.R. Jayewardene had dissolved parliament on December 20, 1988 the day after the 1988 Presidential election was won by R. Premadasa and fresh elections were called two months later.
Jayewardene’s move at the time deprived President Premadasa of having the 5/6th of Parliament under UNP control then.
