That a second election-related murder has taken place in Batticaloa District on the night of March 1, shortly after the murder of UNF candidate Mr. Sunderampillai earlier on that day, points to the danger of the election there being turned into a grim mockery of the electoral process.

Mr. Ponniah Rajendran, a member of the EPDP, was shot dead in Valaichchenai at about 9.45 p.m. outside the EPDP office. The perpetrators have not been identified, although the head of the list of EPDP candidates for the Batticaloa District has gone on record stating that he suspected the LTTE of having been involved.

The Police and the LTTE are the two actors who have the capacity to ensure the safety and security of all candidates and their supporters in the north and east. They have the primary responsibility in ensuring this and demonstrating that rhetorical commitments in this regard are backed up with effective action. CMEV reiterates the points made in its Media release of 1st March 2004 in which it cited the Supreme Court judgement on the exercise of the franchise and conduct of elections. CMEV also draws attention to the 27th February 2004 Press Release by Amnesty International in which it states that it is :

…particularly concerned that candidates and supporters of the Tamil political parties not allied to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)- which the LTTE is backing in the elections – may become targets for assassination.

We once again appeal to all concerned with the conduct of a free and fair election to take the steps necessary to ensure that all candidates and political parties contesting the elections are given the opportunity of conducting an election campaign free of intimidation and violence, so that the voters may exercise their right to vote freely and fairly.


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 organisation to monitor the incidence of election related violence.

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