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Media
Communiqué on Election-related Violence General Elections 2000
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Monday 9th October 2000
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At the close of the campaign, CMEV has recorded 1726 incidents of violence, of which 940 (54.5%) are Major incidents and 786 (45.5%) are Minor ones. The run-up to the General Election became increasingly violent during the last week, totaling 664 incidents of which October 7th and 8th accounted for 134 and 119 respectively. The 33-day election campaign resulted in an average of 52.3, while the last week averaged 94.9 incidents per day.
It is clear that the level of violence has increased both qualitatively and quantitatively in the past two weeks, resulting in 62.1% of all incidents recorded so far, for 80.3% of the Murders and 65.4% of Attempted Murders reported in the entire campaign.
The cumulative count of incidents reported to CMEV so far, and their disaggregation by type and alleged perpetrator is as follows:
SUMMARY
OF INCIDENTS REPORTED IN
GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN (•)
|
Type of Incident
|
Number of Incidents Reported |
Number in which PA is alleged perpetrator |
Number in which UNP is alleged perpetrator |
Number in which perpetrator is not identified |
|
Murder
|
61 |
10 |
02 |
48* |
|
Attempted Murder
|
26 |
14 |
04 |
07 |
|
Hurt
|
232 |
132 |
58 |
28 |
|
Grievous Hurt
|
29 |
15 |
06 |
07 |
|
Assault
|
336 |
198 |
81 |
37 |
|
Threat & Intimidation
|
187 |
109 |
20 |
49 |
|
Misuse of State Resources
|
25 |
24 |
01 |
-- |
|
Robbery
|
11 |
04 |
01 |
05 |
|
Arson
|
33 |
11 |
06 |
16 |
|
Mischief
|
255 |
102 |
35 |
111 |
|
Threat
|
356 |
187 |
95 |
57 |
|
Damage to Property
|
94 |
55 |
08 |
26 |
|
Election Offences
|
35 |
07 |
05 |
17 |
|
Others
|
46 |
14 |
06 |
21 |
|
TOTAL
|
1726 |
882 |
328 |
429 |
(•) This summary contains the total number of incidents together with a breakdown of the alleged violations of the two major contenders and those of unknown political affiliation. The small numbers of incidents alleged against other parties have been left out for the sake of brevity.
[*41 of these murders are believed to the result of LTTE suicide attacks.]
Of these 1726 complaints, 751 (43.5%) were reported by supporters of the UNP, 526 (30.5%) by supporters of the PA, 198 (11.5%) by the JVP, and 118 (06.8%) by persons without any known political affiliation. 117 (22.2%) of the PA’s 526 complaints were directed against supporters of the PA itself, the only significant examples of intra-party rivalry recorded in this campaign.
The PA’s alleged share of the violence is 882 incidents or 51.1% which is more than two-and-a-half times the UNP’s contribution of 328 (19.0%). Persons of unknown political affiliation are being held accountable for 429 (24.9%), and the JVP for 12 incidents. In terms of the major incidents alone, the PA is allegedly responsible for 55% and the UNP for 19%. If you consider only the major incidents in which the alleged perpetrator has been identified, the PA and UNP taken together account for 93.7% of all complaints.
Regionally, the Western and North-Western remain the most violent areas, recording 356 and 256 incidents respectively. Sabaragamuwa has recorded the least number of incidents among the provinces, but it too has produced 127 incidents, where the violence is concentrated in certain electorates such as Rambukkana and Aranayake. A significant increase in violations was recorded in the last two weeks from the North-East Province, making it the fifth in order of violence with 191 incidents, behind the Central (223) and Uva (212) provinces. The North Central and Southern Provinces have recorded 180 and 181 incidents respectively.
In terms of districts, Gampaha has produced 162 incidents, Kurunegala 140, Colombo 121, Badulla 118, Kandy and Puttalam 116 each, Anuradhapura 99, Digamadulla 96, Moneragala 94 and Kegalle 90. Outside the North-East, the lowest number of incidents has been recorded from Ratnapura (37) and Galle (49), but the types of incidents recorded even in these areas do not leave any room for complacency as regards polling day. In general, the escalation of violence has affected all of the districts adversely, creating a climate of tension and fear among ordinary voters.
Assessment
of Electoral Divisions on the Basis of Election Campaign Violence
Based on monitors’ reports, international observer assessments, police complaints and follow-up, CMEV has determined that the level and intensity of violence in the following electorates has been so high during the campaign as to render a free and fair election in these areas unlikely. These 19 electorates have been so flawed during the campaign, the voters so intimidated that the final outcome of voting may be significantly distorted.
This assessment does not, however, include those areas in which the poll is non-viable due to the current war. The entire election is a sham and a fraud in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu electorates, as well as in the "uncleared" areas and regions of current conflict and civilian displacement in the Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Mannar and Jaffna districts. It is estimated that approximately 200 polling centres which should cater to 250,000 registered voters will be relocated in areas utterly inaccessible to the legitimate voters in these areas.
|
PROVINCE |
DISTRICT |
ELECTORATE |
REGISTERED VOTERS |
|
Western |
Gampaha |
Katana |
103,105 |
|
Central |
Kandy |
Patha Dumbara Nawalapitiya |
64,618
70,727 |
|
Central |
Nuwara Eliya |
Hanguranketa |
58,045 |
|
Central |
Matale |
Matale |
65,389 |
|
Southern |
Hambantota |
Beliatta |
69,413 |
|
North Central |
Anuradhapura |
Kalawewa |
93,423 |
|
North Central |
Polonnaruwa |
Polonnaruwa |
103,667 |
|
North Western |
Puttalam |
Anamaduwa Chilaw |
82,002
89,650 |
|
North Western |
Kurunegala |
Wariyapola Galgamuwa |
61,293
81,446 |
|
Uva |
Badulla |
Mahiyangana |
68,260 |
|
Uva |
Moneragala |
Wellawaya |
101,765 |
|
Sabaragamuwa |
Kegalle |
Aranayaka Rambukkana |
46,852
55,564 |
|
North-East |
Jaffna |
Kayts |
51,007 |
|
North-East |
Digamadulla |
Kalmunai Pottuvil |
56,513 113,519 |
|
TOTAL |
19 |
1,436,258 |
In addition, in the following electorates extensive pre-election violence, including the systematic intimidation of voters, is of sufficient magnitude to contaminate the election result even if no further violations take place on October 10th. However, both these 29 electorates and those 19 listed above comprise the areas in which CMEV anticipates the most significant violence and violations during the polling.
|
PROVINCE |
DISTRICT |
ELECTORATE |
REGISTERED VOTERS |
|
Western |
Gampaha |
Attanagalla
Gampaha
Minuwangoda |
103,895
114,218
101,131 |
|
Western |
Colombo |
Kotte
Kolonnawa
Kaduwela |
71,617
99,486
130,721 |
|
Central |
Kandy |
Gampola Galagedera |
75,067
47,418 |
|
Central |
Nuwara Eliya |
Walapane |
65,424 |
|
Central |
Matale |
Rattota |
72,597 |
|
Southern |
Hambantota |
Tissamaharama |
118,516 |
|
Southern |
Matara |
Devinuwara
Weligama
Deniyaya |
69,003
79,629
76,101 |
|
Southern |
Galle |
Hiniduma |
81,128 |
|
North Central |
Anuradhapura |
Anuradhapura West |
75,498 |
|
North Western |
Puttalam |
Puttalam-Kalpitiya |
82,077 |
|
North Western |
Kurunegala |
Hiriyala
Nikaweratiya
Polgahawela |
76,763
74,822
63,613 |
|
Uva |
Badulla |
Badulla |
43,882 |
|
Uva |
Moneragala |
Bibile
Moneragala |
60,633
75,537 |
|
Sabaragamuwa |
Kegalle |
Yatiyantota
Kegalle |
61,299
60,082 |
|
North-East |
Wanni |
Vavuniya |
91,598 |
|
North-East |
Digamadulla |
Amparai
Samanthurai |
124,405
58,100 |
|
TOTAL |
28 |
2,254,260 |
Allegations
Against Individual Politicians
CMEV has received two or more complaints against the following politicians and/or their supporters.
|
POLITICIAN & PARTY AFFILIATION |
DISTRICT |
NUMBER
& TYPE OF ALLEGATIONS |
NUMBER
& TYPE OF ALLEGATIONS |
|
D M Dassanayake (PACandidate) |
Puttalam |
02 (Assault) |
07 (Assault, Attempted Murder, Damage to Property, Grievous Hurt) |
|
Bandula Basnayake (PA Candidate)
|
Puttalam |
01 (Assault) |
07 (Attempted Murder, Assault, Threat & Intimidation)
|
|
Priyankara Jayaratne (PA Candidate) |
Puttalam |
01 (Assault) |
07 (Assault, Threat & Intimidation) |
|
Anuruddha Ratwatte (PA Candidate)
|
Kandy |
-- |
02 (Grievous Hurt, Assault) |
|
S Rajaratnam (UNP Candidate)
|
Kandy |
03 (Threat & Intimidation, Threat)
|
|
|
Thilak
Rajapakse
|
Kandy |
03 (Assault, Hurt, Threat & Intimidation) |
|
|
T
D Jayatissa |
Matale |
04 (Damage to Property, Threat & Intimidation, Assault)
|
|
|
Dilan
Perera
|
Badulla |
-- |
16 (Murder, Attempted Murder, Threat & Intimidation, Hurt, Damage to Property)
|
|
Vijayamuni
Zoysa |
Moneragala |
-- |
02 |
|
Maheepala
Herath
|
Kegalle |
-- |
06 (Hurt, Assault, Threat & Intimidation)
|
|
Lalith
Dissanayake
|
Kegalle |
-- |
03 (Hurt, Assault, Threat) |
|
H
R Mithrapala |
Kegalle |
-- |
02 (Assault) |
|
John
Seneviratne
|
Ratnapura |
-- |
03 (Assault, Hurt) |
|
Duminda
Dissanayake
|
Anuradhapura |
-- |
17 (Grievous Hurt, Assault, Threat & Intimidation, Damage to Property, Misuse of State Resources)
|
|
Shantha
Pemaratne
|
Anuradhapura |
-- |
03 (Threat & Intimidation, Threat) |
|
Janak
Adikari
|
Anuradhapura |
-- |
02 (Hurt, Assault) |
|
W B Ekanayake (UNP Candidate)
|
Anuradhapura |
-- |
02 (Hurt) |
|
Maithripala
Sirisena |
Polonnaruwa |
Gross Misuse of State Resources |
13 (Assault, Threat & Intimidation, Threat)
|
|
P K S Jayaratne (UNP Candidate)
|
Polonnaruwa |
-- |
02 (Grievous Hurt, Threat & Intimidation)
|
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Olitha
Premathiratne |
Gampaha |
06 (Damage to Property, Threat, Mischief) |
02 (Threat, Damage) |
|
Jeyaraj
Fernandopulle
|
Gampaha |
-- |
04 (Attempted Murder, Damage to Property, Threat & Intimidation) |
|
Edward
Gunasekara
|
Gampaha |
01 (Assault) |
01 (Mischief) |
|
Prasanna
Ranatunga
|
Gampaha |
01 (Mischief) |
02 (Threat & Intimidation, damage to Property) |
Attack
on Party Offices
CMEV has received complaints that 141 regional and local party offices have been attacked during the campaign. Though many of these are, in fact, makeshift structures and not officially registered offices, it is nonetheless a serious indicator of the level and extent of violence that such a significant number of these incidents have been reported, since the violence seeks to strike at the very heart of an opponent’s election campaign.
It is also significant that the otherwise relatively less violent Southern Province has recorded the highest incidence of attacks on rival party offices, and this may be a more accurate indicator of the electoral climate than the mere aggregate of incidents. A notable feature of these attacks is the reluctance of the aggrieved party to make an official police complaint.
A number of reasons have been adduced to explain this, which include the fact that many of these offices are not officially registered. CMEV, however, considers the main reason to be the fact that none of the parties wish to acknowledge their weakness vis-à-vis another, and in this sense to make official complaints will be to publicise their vulnerability as well as, in their view, to give added importance to the incident.
|
Province & District |
No. of Party "Offices" Attacked PA UNP JVP Other |
Alleged
Perpetrator of
Attacks on Offices |
Total No Attacks |
||||||
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NORTH CENTRAL PROVINCE Anuradhapura Polonnaruwa |
|
06 |
|
|
03 |
10
01
09 |
|||
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CENTRAL PROVINCE Kandy Matale N’Eliya |
-- -- |
01 -- |
04 -- |
-- -- |
04 |
|
01 |
09
04
05 |
|
|
UVA PROVINCE Badulla Moneragala |
03 03 |
03 03 |
02 01 |
01 |
03 03 |
01 |
05 04 |
16
09
07 |
|
|
SABARAGAMUWA Kegalle Ratnapura |
-- |
-- |
01 |
01 |
-- |
|
|
10
09
01 |
|
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NORTH-EAST PROVINCE Jaffna Wanni Batticaloa Trincomalee Digamadulla |
|
01 01 |
|
01 |
01 01 |
03
01 02 |
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NORTH WESTERN PROVINCE Kurunegala Puttalam |
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