CMEV Concerned About Post-Election Violence

The Island Home News Page Three Monday 12th April, 2010 3 CMEV concerned about post-election violence

BY LAL GUNESEKERA Australian PM defends tions relating to malpractices and irregu- tration number on the counterfoil. This Pradeshiya Sabha. L. D. Nandasiri a for- The Centre for Monitoring Election larities, absence of opposition polling affected the secrecy of the voters. mer member of the Galewala Pradeshiya freeze on Lankan Violence (CMEV) recorded 84 major inci- agents and deliberate failure of many CMEV is also concerned about post- Sabha was grievously wounded in his dents, including 53 of intimidation within SPO’s to implement the law with regards election violence. One CMEV stationary right eye and admitted to Matale Hospital asylum-seekers the precincts of polling centres on the day to verifying the identity of voters, greatly monitor was assaulted by an unknown and subsequently transferred to Kandy of the parliamentary elections (April 8). facilitated voter impersonation. group and observation forms snatched in General Hospital. BRISBANE: Australian Prime This figure includes seven incidents The CMEV also expressed concern Nawalapitiya on April 8 night. CMEV said a clash between support- Minister Kevin Rudd has defended a involving election officials, seven of over the confusion and disarray relating Clashes between support- ers of UPFA candidates for the Ratnapura sudden freeze on refugee claims by threats and intimidation and six of to the indelible ink on the ring finger of ers of UPFA candidate C. B. district, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Sri Lankan and Afghans as another assault, the CMEV said. voters. Clear disregard to the Election Ratnayake and Saliya Bandara John Seneviratne, was reported near the boatload of asylum seekers was The CMEV recorded 189 incidents of Commissioner’s directive to this Dissanayake, Chairman of the residence of the former in Rilhena, picked up en route to Australia. election law violations. Compared to the practice was observed. Ink was Central Provincial Council, broke Pelmadulla in the late evening of April 9. The federal government has sus- January 26 presidential election, there applied to both ring and little out in Ragala, Brookside on April 8 The perpetrator was a supporter of pended processing new claims by was a higher number of incidents on the fingers during the first few evening. Dissanayake had cam- another UPFA candidate Lakshman Sri Lankans and Afghans, who com- day of the polls. hours and such reports were paigned for UPFA candidate Naveen Wasantha Perera. prise 80 per cent of all boat arrivals, Polling agents were evicted from received by the CMEV from all Dissanayake and a supporter of Former Puttalam district UNF parlia- for three and six months respective- polling centres, sometimes forcefully and over the country, particularly Ratnayake, one H. M. Dharmapala, mentarian Palitha Range Bandara was ly. cases of voter obstruction and alleged from Vavuniya, Deraniyagala, received gunshot wounds to his hip, critically injured and rushed to the Rudd said in Brisbane the freeze attempts to rig the results were reported Colombo, Wattala, Puttalam, Kalawewa allegedly inflicted by Dissanayake and Colombo National Hospital on April 10 on claims would be reviewed. form Nawalapitiya and Trincomalee. The and Minneriya. admitted to the district hospital. Ragala after being attacked with iron rods and “It is a matter of suspension CMEV received numerous reports of A number of complaints regarding the Police confirmed this incident. assaulted badly by a fellow defeated UNF being enforced as of now, which voter impersonation in Puttalam, transparency procedures followed by elec- CMEV also received reports on April 9 candidate in Chilaw, who has been arrest- means it will be reviewed in the Katankudy, Akkaraipattu and Pottuvil. tion officials at polling centres too were of another shooting incident at ed with five others, CMEV said. case of one group over a three- According to CMEV field reports, the reported to CMEV.Ballot papers that were Millawana, Matale allegedly by Naradha They also had a T56 weapon in posses- month point and a second group, at failure of polling agents to report objec- issued were marked with the voters’ regis- Millawana, a UPFA member of Pallepola sion, it added. a six-month point,” Rudd said. “The reason for that is based on information concerned with the changing security circumstances in the country of origins. Indian aid for rehabilitation “Our obligations are to deal with genuine asylum seekers, and those who are not genuine asylum seek- centre in North likely ers, we send them back to their countries of origin.” BY VIPUL SIVAKUMARAN had earlier, in 2009, treated nearly 50,000 A boat carrying asylum seekers Indian assistance has been sought to IDPs. was intercepted by a Customs vessel set up a regional rehabilitation centre in The Jaipur artificial legs made in on Sunday morning northwest of the North to help civilians, Rajasthan, are known for Browse Island off the West troops and ex-combatants being cosmetically and func- Australian coast. affected by the conflict, Sri tionally close to the human Initial indications suggest there Lankan relief officials said. limb. are 25 passengers and two crew on To be located on 10 acres The artificial limbs are board the boat. in Olumadu, Mankulam, the considered to be the most It is the 41st asylum seeker boat centre will provide physical inexpensive and cost effective intercepted this year and the third and rehabilitation services to in the world. since the federal government moved war victims. The camp, which was offi- on Friday to suspend the processing It will include a swimming cially inaugurated on March of claims for people from Sri Lanka pool and a sports ground in 19 by the High Commissioner and Afghanistan. addition to in-patient and out- and Social Services and Social (Sydney Morning Herald) patient facilities. Welfare Minister Douglas The announcement was Ashok K. Kantha Devananda, commenced func- made at a recent event in tioning from March 13. Colombo attended by Indian By the time the camp High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha closed on April 8, it had fitted artificial and top Sri Lankan military and reha- limbs and other devices to 1,400 benefi- bilitation officials. ciaries in all. These included 1,087 pros- “The Government of India remains thesis (limbs), 123 orthosis (calipers), committed to continuing its assistance and 190 crutches. to the IDP population in the Northern Dr. A. S. A. Safras, Rehabilitation Co- Province with a view to helping them ordinator for Northern Province, made return to lives of peace, normalcy, and a presentation at the Colombo event of dignity,” the envoy said. the ‘Jaipur project’ in Wanni. The 19 skilled technicians of the He said relief officials were keen to Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata go ahead with the new rehabilitation Samiti (BMVSS), the makers of the centre in Olumadu. famed Jaipur foot, were returning to Team leader Dr A. B. Sharma said The Department of Motor Traffic has been India after a month-long stay in Sri the Jaipur foot fitment had been provid- presented with Thaikealimotor Award for Lanka. More than 1,400 people have ben- ed to landmine victims and others in for- Modernization and Productivity bythe efited from their services. eign countries. Japan – Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural The Jaipur Foot camp, fully funded Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe, Association. The Commissioner Motor by the Indian government, was set up in Commissioner-General, Rehabilitation, Traffic B. Wijeratne presents the Award to Zone 1 of Menik Farm in Vavuniya dis- and Viji Jegarajasingam, Ministry of Transport Minister Dallas Alahaperuma. trict. Social Services and Social Welfare were Additional Secretary to Department of It was run from the same location among senior government officials who Motor Traffic Upul Samarasakara was where the Indian emergency hospital attended the presentation. present on the occasion. CPC Chairman remanded over post-poll violence

BY JAYAKODY RATNAYAKE, ment in election violence on April 9 at Private Secretary to former Minister Nuwara Eliya Corr. Brookside Estate in Ragala. C. B. Ratnyake, V.Dharamadasa, who Police said that the four suspects were received gun shot injuries following this Nuwara Eliya acting Magistrate on taken arrested over a clash between sup- incident, is being treated at the Nuwara Saturday (10) ordered four suspects, porters of two candidates of the UPFA. Eliya General Hospital. including Central Provincial Council The suspects A. J. M. Sumedha, K. M. B. Hospital sources said that his condi- Chairman Saliya Bandara Dissanayake Mahagedara were from Rikillagaskada tion was not serious. (brother of S. B. Dissanayake) remanded while Saliya Dissanayake and D. M. S. B. Two vehicles were damaged in the until April 22 for their alleged involve- Dissanayake were from Hanguranketha. clash, police said.