CMEV Interim Report General Elections 2004. This document is in Adobe PDF format (406 kb).

The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) was formed in 1997 by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), the Free Media Movement (FMM) and the Coalition Against Political Violence as an independent non-partisan organization to monitor the incidence of election – related violence. CMEV has monitored every national, provincial and local election since 1997, including the last Presidential Election (1999) and the General Elections of 2000 and 2001. The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) functions as the Secretariat of CMEV.

CMEV appoints Field Monitors to Polling Divisions, Coordinators at both District and Provincial Levels and approximately 30 Monitors or Election Day Monitors in each Polling Division on the day of the polls. Mobile Teams are also deployed on Election Day. Information on the incidence of election related violence is corroborated at the level of the Polling Division, District Coordinator and finally Provincial Coordinator levels, before it is released to the media. All Media Releases and Reports are signed by the three Co-Convenors, Ms Sunila Abeysekera, Mr Sunanda Deshapriya and Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu. CMEV Monitors sign a pledge affirming their commitment to independent, non partisan monitoring and are trained before deployment.

In addition to local Monitors at all levels, CMEV also deploys International Observers to work with its local Monitors in the field, two weeks to ten days before polling day and on polling day. International Observers are recruited from international civil society organizations and have worked in the human rights and development fields as practitioners, activists and academics.

On Election Day, CMEV will have 4584 Monitors plus 20 International Observers, making a total of 4604 Monitors.

Funding

For the monitoring exercise of the April 2004 Election, CMEV has received financial assistance from the following:

TOTAL = Rs 34,901,887

Funds received are spent on the expenses of Monitors in the field throughout the campaign and on Election Day (including telephone, fax and travel as well as the setting up of District level CMEV offices), the CMEV headquarters and staff in Colombo for a period of three months, the publication of reports including the Final Report in all three languages, the public interest media campaign and the expenses of International Monitors including airfares.

Introduction

CMEV has monitored the situation relating to incidents of election-related violence including violations of election law from the commencement of nominations (17 February 2004). This Report deals with the period 17 February 2004 to 30 March 2004.

CMEV Media Releases have reiterated the critical role of the Elections Commissioner, the Police Commission and the Police Department in ensuring a violence-free election campaign and a free and fair election on April 2, 2004. We have commended the steps that have been taken by these two key institutions to ensure a violence-free campaign and defended their right to act free of political interference.

CMEV has also constantly appealed to the political parties and groups contesting in this election to conduct their campaign and propaganda activities with full respect for the democratic rights of the citizens of this country. We have maintained that upholding the principle of a free and fair election requires that candidates and parties have a right to campaign and propagate their views among the public. Further, that voters have a right to receive this information from all parties contesting the elections, so that they may make a free and fair choice of the party and candidate of their preference.

We have in particular been concerned by many reports of assault on property and persons, including those involving the use of fire arms. This points to a high level of intolerance of political and ideological diversity, which is a critical feature of democracy. The fact that supporters of senior politicians have been involved in these incidents is one of the most disheartening factors that have come to light in our monitoring.

a) Profile of Violence

Of a cumulative total of 1485 incidents, 540 (36.4%) have been classified as Major Incidents. The highest number of incidents of violence, both Major and Minor, have been recorded in the Colombo District (152 or 10%). The highest number of Major Incidents have been recorded in the Digamadulla District (56 or 10.4%) followed by the Kurunegala District with 55 or 10.2% and Puttalam with 44 or 8.1%. The highest number of Murders has been in the Batticaloa District with 4 or 80% of all Murders.

The highest number of complaints have been made by UPFA (726 or 49%). The party which has been identified in the most number of complaints as the Alleged Perpetrator is the UNF (714 or 48%). The corresponding statistic with regard to Major Incidents only, is the UNF (286 or 53%).

The largest number of complaints made against the UNF has been by the UPFA – 547 or 75% of all complaints made by the UPFA. The UNF has made 266 complaints against the UPFA or a total of 66% of all complaints made by the UNF. The Police have lodged 224 or 15% of all complaints made. Of these 89 each or 39.8% are against the UPFA and UNF respectively.

b) North and East

The situation in the North and East has been a special area of focus in our work. In the North, we are extremely disturbed by reports that the TNA supported by the LTTE, has made it virtually impossible for other Tamil parties and groups to carry on with a campaign. We have received many reports of attacks and intimidation of supporters of Mr. Anandasangaree of the TULF and of members of the EPDP and reiterate that in such an environment, conducting a free and fair election in the Jaffna District, remains extremely doubtful.

In the East, we have seen five murders – a UNF candidate, Mr. S. Sunderampillai, an EPDP member Mr. P. Rajendran, SLMC supporter Mr Haldeen Sana, TNA candidate Mr R. Sathiyamoorthi and TNA supporter Mr Kanagasabai. CMEV condemns these murders. We note that in none of these cases, have any of the assailants been apprehended. The shooting of Mr. R. Maunaguruswamy, Batticaloa GA and chief Returning Officer for the District, as the election campaign reached its conclusion is equally contemptible and once again casts a shadow over the holding of a free and fair election.

We have previously reiterated that the Police and the LTTE are the two actors who have the capacity to ensure the safety and security of all candidates and supporters in the North and East. Sadly, they have not been able to fulfill their obligations in this regard. Although we had hoped that the Amnesty International note of caution that ‘candidates and supporters of the Tamil political parties not allied to the TNA may become targets of assassination’ would turn out to be misplaced, the tragic reality has been that the election campaign in the North and East has turned out to be fraught with violence and flagrant disregard for the democratic rights of the citizens of these areas.

The rights of voters in those areas of the North and East that are under LTTE control have become a major focus of attention, especially in the international community. While the focus has been on the establishment of clustered polling stations in areas outside the military control of both the Sri Lanka army and the LTTE and the provision of transport and other facilities to enable the more than 200,000 voters in these area to exercise their franchise for the first time in over 15 years, there has been no focus on the rights of these voters to receive information regarding the different political parties and groups that seek their vote, in order to enable them to make an informed and free choice of candidate. Given a situation where no group other than the TNA has been able to enter and canvass for votes in these areas, once again the issue of whether an election held under such circumstances could be considered to be free and fair remains an issue.

c) Postal Voting

With regard to the postal voting, there has been a great deal of confusion regarding the process, and we hope that the Elections Commissioner will clarify the problems he and his officers are said to have confronted in carrying out the postal voting. We have been assured that all those entitled to cast their postal vote but have not, will be able to do so right up to the time that polling closes at 4 p.m. on 2 April 2004. We hope that all postal voters who have not been able to vote as yet, will be able to avail themselves of this extension.

d) Media and Misuse of State Resources

We are also concerned about the role played by the media in this election campaign, especially by the bias blatantly displayed by the state-owned and controlled media. CMEV welcomes the decision of the Election Commissioner to appoint a Competent Authority in respect of Rupavahini and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. We have intervened in the fundamental rights petition of

The Programme for the Protection of Public Resources has also continually voiced their concerns regarding the abuse of public property in the election campaign by all those parties in power.

Conclusion

Although in the beginning of the campaign CMEV had noted a lower rate of incidence of violence than in previous elections, in the last week of the campaign we have recorded a sudden and steep increase in such incidents. Given that areas of violence on Election Day are in turn closely co-related to areas of violence during the campaign, we are apprehensive of what this increase may mean.

In this context, we urge all political parties contesting these elections to ensure that their leaders, candidates and supporters act with due respect for democratic ethics and principles on Election Day, and ensure that the results of the election will be acceptable to all democratic citizens of this country as well as to the entire world.

We call on everyone to extend their support to the Election Commissioner and his officials as well as to the Police.

We urge the citizens of Sri Lanka to exercise their franchise without any fear, to elect a candidate and a party of their choice and to ensure that all others are able to enjoy the same right as well.

District Office Contact Details

National Contact Details

CMEV Interim Report General Elections 2004. This document is in Adobe PDF format (406 kb).

Dr. P. Saravanamuttu Co-Convenor	Sunila Abeysekera Co-Convenor	Sundanda Deshapriya Co-Convenor