A violent election?

The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) spokesman said that the commissioner should take immediate action against the misuse of state media. “Even in the live telecast of the nomination day by SLRC, we observed that coverage was made into a totally partisan event and this situation arose because the rights to the live telecast were given to only one television channel. It is essential that Election Department take responsible charge of the situation and ensures that no single candidate gets an irregularly high amount of media time in the future presidential election period,” he said.

Samurdhi officers and Govi Niyamakas given the boot

The government decided to issue temporary identity cards to the 2.6 million people who do not possess a valid identity card. Earlier, they were to be issued by Grama Niladharis and estate superintendents while the application forms could be certified by a principal of a school, Samurdhi officer, Govi Niyamaka (agricultural officer) or a Justice of Peace.

But Last week the Election Commissioner ruled out Samurdhi officers and Govi Niyamakas (agricultural officer) after the protests by election monitoring bodies and opposition political parties.

“All the election monitoring bodies and the opposition political parties told the election commissioner that Samurdhi officers and Govi Niyamakas were political appointees and that their involvement will create irregularities that can lead to mass scale election rigging,” said CaFFE spokesman, Keerthi Tennakoon.

This move comes in the wake of reports that several SLFP organizers have decided to hold ‘workshops’ for Samurdhi Officers and Agriculture officers on issuing temporary identity cards. “Such a workshop was to be held at the Sugathadasa stadium on the 18th by SLFP organizer of Maharagama. And she sent a letter stating that the attendance of the Samurdhi officers and Govi Niyamakas were compulsory. Imagine what this kind of issues this would have lead to?” asked the CaFFE spokesman.

Elections in the North: a big challenge

The Department of Elections will face a serious challenge in holding elections in the North since there is no effective state administrative structure in place. The Department usually uses the state administrative mechanism to hold elections in any part of the country.

“The Department uses the existing government administrative structures from school buildings to government officials from teachers to divisional secretariats. All the labour is provided by low level admintrative servicemen. But in areas like Kilinochchi, Mannar and Mullaitivu that structure does not exist,” said CaFFE spokesman Keerthi Tennakoon. “Also there are no trained people in those areas to conduct the election. So with less than 36 days, what kind of plan could be drawn? Are we going to take people from Colombo to these areas?”

http://www.lakbimanews.lk/special/spe2.htm

Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFERAL) Executive Director, Rohana Hettiarachchi denied that there is a split in the election monitoring body as a new election monitoring outfit Democratic Action for Free and Fair Elections (DAFFERAL) which features the wife of Kingsley Rodrigo made its debut last week.

“There is no split in PAFFERAL. What happened was that when the former Executive Director, Kingsley Rodrigo died, some felt that his wife should take up his position.

 “But since this is an organization controlled by a board of directors they selected me instead,” Hettiarachchi said. “There was no personal animosity; we just took a decision that we thought was for the best for the organization. DAFFERAL is a group formed by Chitrani Rodrigo and some individuals that worked with us in the past,” he said. (Read More)

Polls Chief's TV blunder

In any parliamentary democracy, the media are freely allowed to report on the conduct elections.
Not so in Sri Lanka. Elections Commssioner General Dayananda Dissanayake only allowed the State owned Rupavahini to provide live coverage of Thursday's nominations for the Presidential Elections. Other television broadcasters were compelled to hook their channels to Rupavahini to keep their viewers informed.

Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) complained to Mr. Dissanayake that Rupavahini had used this "honourable occasion in a very biased and partisan manner." It said although every Presidential candidate should get an equal amount of importance during the live telecast, only one candidate (Mahinda Rajapaksa) was given importance. Even names of other candidates were omitted when their pictures were screened, CaFFE said.

The Attorney General explained to the Supreme Court yesterday that the guidelines were a prerequisite. If they were not followed by the media institutions, the need to appoint a Competent Authority would arise.

Three petitions filed by General (Retd) Sarath Fonseka against three media institutions were called before the Court yesterday. Upul Jayasuriya supported two of the three petitions.  (Read More)

President Mahinda Rajapaksa kicking off his Presidential election campaign from Anuradhapura yesterday said he would refuse with contempt a US$ 1 million from LTTE sympathizers but would accept with gratitude and respect a rupee offered by an innocent farmer for his, propaganda campaign.

Addressing a packed and highly charged election rally at Salgado Public Ground at Anuradhapura, President Rajapaksa went on to say that he is seeking a second mandate from the people to complete his development programme launched in 2005 with many obstacles.

“Political leaders since independence came before the people seeking a mandate with many pledges. They pleaded with voters to elect them to political office to fulfill their promises. For the first time in the political history of Sri Lanka I have come before you not with promises but to seek your support to complete the development programme this government launched four years ago,” President Rajapaksa said. (Read More)

Presidential Candidate General Sarath Fonseka says he will never let down the troops who were under his command even if he has to go before an international court but at the same time will not defend some top government officials who interfered with the military operations.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mirror Online in Kandy last evening prior to his inaugural election rally General Fonseka said he was in the Army to win the war and not to win friends and that he had sidelined disgruntled elements in the Army during the war.

“The requirement was to finish the war, not to be on good terms with everybody in the Army. There were a large number of non-professional and weak officers in the Army (Read More)

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga is to address the election rallies of Opposition Common Candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka early next month, UNP sources said yesterday.

The new political development is expected despite Mrs. Kumaratunga’s claim made earlier that she would never come out of her retirement.

The leaders of the newly formed United National Front (UNF) which now supports the candidature of Gen. Fonseka, have decided to ensure a political role for Mrs. Kumaratunga in the campaign. However, she will not be given any official post in the UNF.

Gen. Fonseka also hinted the possible entry of the former President into politics again, at a news conference on Thursday.

“I hope she will support my candidature soon,” he said.

Presidential Candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka who inaugurated his election campaign in Kandy yesterday said Ministers of this government will also have to play a role in reforming the country.

He said there would be no point, for anyone, to hold on to power if he was unable to deliver what the nation wanted today.

In a jam packed and highly charged political rally the ex SLA Commander said he would somehow resolve the burning issues of the country. He said he fully understood the Cost of Living issues faced by the people, the corruption that was rampant in the country, and the issues of children and youth. (Read More)

Common Opposition Candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka yesterday pledged to make public his assets and liabilities annually if elected as the President of the country

Gen. Fonseka gave this assurance at a ceremony where he also made the ‘National Pledge’ to build a free and democratic nation.

He made a start in revealing his assets by presenting a statement on his assets to the religious leaders including the Ven. Maha Sangha.

The assets he revealed included two lands including one he had received from the government as a grant and a land he had purchased at Bokundara, Piliyandala.

According to the data revealed he had obtained a loan keeping one land in Piliyandala as a guarantee. The other assets included some personal bank accounts.

General Fonseka also pledged that he would submit a special cabinet paper to the caretaker cabinet within a month if elected to abolish the Executive Presidency. (Read More)