As of yesterday, Saturday 24 November, a total of 1446 incidents of election related violence have been reported to CMEV. Of these 798 or 55.18 % fall into the Major Offences category which includes Murder, Attempted Murder, Grievous Hurt, Assault, Threat and Intimidation. In this category, the PA has been identified as the alleged perpetrator in 359 instances and the UNP in 237. Together they account for 74.6% of all the Major Offences and for 92.6% of all such incidents in which the party affiliation of the attacker has been identified.

Sabaragamuwa Province
In the early hours of today, Sunday 25 November, in the Balangoda Polling Division of the Ratnapura District, an incident involving the pasting of posters has resulted in the death of Kamal Dodantenne, a supporter of UNP candidates A. Wijeysinghe and Vajira Dissanayake and injuries to 05 others. UNP supporters allege that the PA Mayor of Balangoda, W.M.N.G. Weerasinghe was involved in the incident. CMEV has tried to contact Mr Weerasinghe but has not succeeded. CMEV has been informed by the Police that they are searching for him, but that they believe that he is not in Balangoda at present.

On seeing the fallen body of Kamal Dodantenne, a watcher at the Balangoda market, Suduge Mukkalage Tissa reported the incident to the Police Mobile Unit (Complaint No:GCIB 34/205). As of 1600 hrs today, Sunday 25 November, no one has been arrested in connection with the murder. UNP supporters have been agitating in Balangoda town against the PA and the Police. They allege that the PA is responsible for the murder and that the Police are not commencing a proper investigation into the incident. CMEV learns from the DMO Dr Daya Matotaarrachchi that because of the agitation, the post-mortem is to be conducted at the Ratnapura hospital.

North Western Province
Today, Sunday 25 November at 1030 hrs at Pallama, Poththukulama, Chilaw, supporters of Chilaw UNP candidate Janaka Soysa were attacked and one of them, Ajit Tilekeratne has been admitted to the Emergency ward of the Chilaw Hospital after allegedly being beaten with a pole. In a complaint to the Chilaw Police, one of the UNP supporters T. Padmasiri Perera alleges that the attack was carried out by supporters of PA candidate D.M.Dassanayake. He has identified two of them as S.A. Saliya Pushpakumar alias Shankar and Kukul Upali alias Upali. It is further alleged that the one of the attackers fired into the air with a T-56 and that the wind screen of the vehicle used by the UNP supporters and belonging to UNP candidate Janaka Soysa, a white Dolphin van (No 251-0233), was smashed. The attackers are alleged to have arrived in a blue cab (No 251 - 3615).

S. A. Saliya Pushpakumara alias Shankar, is identified as the alleged perpetrator in another incident. Last night (24 November) at around 2210 hrs at Siyambalagaswewa junction, Serukelle, Anamaduwa, UNP supporters Adikari Mudiyanselage Priyadharshan Adikari and S. A.Samantha were attacked whilst pasting posters. They allege that Pushpakumara along with 15 others attacked them and then took them to Mr D.M.Dissanayake's house where they were further assaulted. Mr Adikari's right hand was broken in this attack. They further allege that when Mr D.M. Dassanayake returned home, he gave Mr Adikari Rs 500/= and then left him and the other victims on the road.

The victims have informed CMEV that they are afraid to make a complaint at the Anamaduwa Police station.

CMEV has tried a number of times to contact Mr D.M. Dassanayake regarding these two events, but has not succeeded.

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