As of Friday 23rd November, 1389 incidents of election related violence had been recorded at CMEV. Of these, a total of 764 (55%) incidents have been classified as Major Incidents. This category includes incidents of Murder, Attempted Murder, Threat and Intimidation, Assault, Arson and Grievous Hurt. Confirming a trend identified by CMEV in its earlier report, (Thursday 22nd November), 37.8% of the incidents in the Major Incidents category, involves the use of firearms. Of the incidents in the Major Incidents category, the PA is allegedly responsible for 345 or 45.15% of the incidents and the UNP for 228 or 29.8%. Together they account for 93% of the incidents in this category in which the party affiliation of the alleged perpetrator has been identified.

The Puttalam and Anuradhapura Districts continue to register the highest number of Major Incidents with 92 and 91 incidents each, respectively. Next comes Hambantota with 61 incidents. Hambantota however has the highest number of Major Incidents involving the use of firearms - 46. Puttalam follows with 43.

CMEV continues to be concerned at the high levels of violence perpetrated by the two main contenders in this election campaign, the PA and the UNP, which we feel is an indicator of their lack of commitment to the holding of a free and fair election on December 5, 2001.

Sabaragamuwa Province
Mr Ananda Dassanayake , UNP Member, Kegalle Urban Council alleges that on the 22nd of November while UNP candidate W.Somadasa's supporters were returning after making arrangements for a meeting, they were shot at by supporters of PA candidate Mr. Mahiepala Herath at Makoora, Hettimulla in the Kegalle District. He alleges that the PA supporters had obstructed the way of the UNP supporters and then proceeded to shoot at them with two T56 assault rifles. PA Chairman of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council in turn, made the same allegation against UNP supporters. Mr Dassanayake further alleges that UNP supporters who were at the scene, noticed that Mr. Mahiepala Herath had a pistol in his hand at the time of the incident. CMEV subsequently learned from M.A.D. Woodward HQI, and ASP Gamini Seneviratne of the Kegalle Police that 3 policemen, namely Hamilton Ranasinghe, Ariyapala and P.Karunaratne of the Kegalle Police had also been involved in this incident and that they were dressed in civilian clothes at the time. Of these three police officers, Mr. Hamilton Ranasinghe and Mr. Ariyapala are alleged to have used the weapons issued to them by the police to shoot the UNP supporters. Two UNP supporters namely Mr.Jagathsiri Wijewardene and Mr. N.Asanka Danushka were injured as a result of the assault and have been admitted at the Kegalle Hospital. Mr Jagathsiri Wijewardene has subsequently been discharged following treatment for his injuries.

Mr. Srilal Wickramasinghe Chairman of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council (PA) told CMEV that he and Mr. Herath had been travelling together. They had driven straight on and avoided a truck that was obstructing their way, thereby leaving their supporters behind. Consequently, they were not present when the incident took place. He also stated that as they were driving away, they had heard gunshots and that Mr. Herath had personally informed the police of this.

The police took Mr.Hamilton Ranasinghe, Mr.Ariyapala, Mr.P.Karunaratne, Mr.Malcolm Senadheera, Mr.Janaka Jayamanne into custody on the 23rd of November and have produced the suspects to the Kegalle Magistrates Court.

The Magistrate has ordered that the suspects be remanded until the 3rd of December on which date an identification parade will be held.

When CMEV contacted HQI Woodward he stated that the incident was not election related but the result of a dispute between the supporters of the two main parties. ASP Gamini Seneviratne on the other hand stated that the incident was election related.

This incident adds to CMEV's concerns regarding police independence and impartiality in the general elections.

North Western Province
On 23 November at aound 7.15 am, Sisira Kithsiri Munasinghe and Dharmadasa Witharana were shot dead at Kavayankulama in the Puttalam District. CMEV was told by Ms. M A Premawathie a relative of Sisira Kithsiri Munasinghe, that Munasinghe who was an employee of the Mahakumbukkadawala Pradeshiya Sabawa had been returning home on a motor bike with his friend Dharmadasa Witharana (a mason), when at Kavayankulama at about 7.15 am a red cab blocked their way, while an assailant shot them dead. The police found 13 bullet casings and a cell phone charger at the scene of the crime. Premawathie further stated that Sisira Kithsiri's brother, Chulan Lalith Munasinghe is an active supporter of PA Candidate D.M Dasanayaka and that he frequently rode the motor bike belonging to another one of his brothers. This was the bike used by Sisira when he was killed. Ms Premawathie believes that the perpetrator's had intended to kill Chulan, but had killed Sisira instead, in a case of mistaken identity.

CMEV learns that on the basis of eyewitness accounts, UNP Candidate for the Puttalam District Palitha Rangabandara and two others, namely W. M. Wijesundera, and W.M. Karunaratne have been arrested in connection with the killings. When CMEV contacted Palitha Rangabandara, he stated that at the time of the killings he was at a meeting with a Mowlavi from the Madawakkulama Mosque, Mr Mohommed, Rev. Marawave Sirisumana Thera and Mr Riyaz, all of whom will attest to this in affidavits. It was also alleged to CMEV that the vehicle used to block Sisira's bike bears the number plate 250-7970 and is regularly used by Mr. Rangabandara. This vehicle is registered in the name of K.M.N. Chandrasiri.

When CMEV contacted the DIG of the North Western Province Mr. R .M. Seneviratne on the 23rd of November, he stated that armed gangs dressed in law enforcement and security force uniforms are planning to unleash violence to create fear among the masses and sabotage the elections. The police will therefore take stringent measures, including surprise raids, roadblocks and greater police presence to minimize the incidence of violence. It is believed that these armed gangs are operating in Anamaduwa, Puttalam, Gokkaralla, Alauwa, Kuliyapitiya and Katugampola during the early morning hours. The police arrested three individuals in army uniforms at the Gatuwana roadblock and had on another occasion found knives in a van at the Yantampalawa roadblock. The police launched a search operation on the 22nd of November in the Anamaduwa area from 10:00 pm to 5:00 in the morning and arrested 177 suspects. They are currently being interrogated.

North East
Acting Postmistress of Kokuvil, Mrs. N. Vijikala confirmed to CMEV that at Kerniyadi at approximately 12:45 in the afternoon, 23 November, 2 men on a bicycle had threatened postman Mr.Thavarajalingam with a grenade and had stolen 351 polling cards. She added that an inquiry into the incident is being conducted by the Divisional Superintendent of Post Offices, Mr.Sundaramoorthy and that a complaint has been filed with the Jaffna Police, in this regard.

In another incident on the same day (23 November) involving the theft of polling cards, postman Mr.A.Julian was threatened and handed over 260 polling cards to two unidentified men on a bicycle. Mr Julian had to deliver the polling cards on Ilandakulam Road, Colombuthurai, which is situated east of the Jaffna Post Office from where he had collected the cards. The incident however took place on Kurunagar Beach Road which is south of the Jaffna Post Office and the road on which the postman resides. An inquiry into the incident is being conducted by the Jaffna Police and the Chief Post Master of Jaffna.

In yet another incident involving the theft of polling cards on the same day ( 23rd of November), an unidentified person has threatened a Jaffna postman, T.Chandrasekaram and taken 90 polling cards. The incident took place on Eachamattai Road, Chundukuli.

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. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Co-Convenor	Sunila Abeysekera Co-Convenor