CMEV has received two reports from the Puttalam District in the North Western Province. One incident falls into the category of Damage to Property and involves the use of firearms as well. The other is an incident of Grievous Hurt.

Mrs. Mohamad Sammi Yesmin Yazeera of the UPFA alleges that on 18 March 2004 a group of 15 persons led by Mr. S.G.M. Ajjuwaddu of the Swaraja Party had forcibly entered her house and damaged the furniture and household items. She further alleges that goods had also been stolen and that before entering the house, the attackers had fired 5-6 shots. No one however, was injured. Complaint No: 4/2004 has been lodged with the Puttalam Police.

When CMEV spoke with Mr Nabdi, secretary of Mr. Nawavi, UPFA candidate, Puttalam District, he alleged that Mr Ajuwad is a close friend of Mr. Bais Kamardeen, SLMC candidate, Puttalam District and that both Mr Ajuwad and Kamardeen were engaged in acts of thuggery in the area. Mr. Kamardeen informed CMEV that Mr Ajuwad was not involved in the incident.

CMEV also spoke to OIC IP Samarakoon of the Puttalam Police who confirmed that there was evidence of the use of a firearm, which in his opinion was a T-56. He further informed CMEV that Mr. Ajuwad has been taken into custody on being identified by Mrs. Nisanthi, the sister –in –law of the complainant and remanded until 30 March 2004. He is expected to be produced in court.

In the other incident form the Puttalam District, Mr. E. Premapriyantha Silva of the UPFA alleges that on 16 March 2004 at 2330 hrs, attackers entered his house and assaulted Mr. E.Edmund Silva, his father, with clubs. He told CMEV that as a consequence of the attack, his father had to be admitted to Chilaw Hospital. CMEV subsequently confirmed this with the hospital. Mr. Edmund Silva had undergone surgery on account of a broken bone in his left hand.

SI Deshapriya of the Madampe Police told CMEV that Mr Edmund Silva had identified UNF supporters as the attackers and that he suspected the reason for the attack on him to be his support for Mr Priyankara Jayarathne, UPFA candidate, Puttalam District.

CMEV spoke to Mr. Priyankara Jayarathne who alleged that the attackers were supporters of Puttalam District UNP candidate Janaka Pradeep Soysa. Mr. Soysa when contacted by CMEV dismissed Mr. Jayarathne’s allegations as false.

CMEV has recorded a total of 822 Incidents of election related violence in the April 2004 general election campaign. Of these, 279 or 33.9 % of Incidents have been classified as Major Incidents. The majority of the Major Incidents have occurred in the Districts of Puttalam (31), Digamadulla (27), Anuradhapura (25), Kurunegala (23), Gampaha (20), Nuwara Eliya (19), Kandy (16) and Ratnapura (15).

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 and non-partisan organization to monitor the incidence of election related violence.

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