Centre for Policy Alternatives on 11 January, 2010 CMEV has recorded a
cumulative total of 316 Incidents of election related violence since
the issue of the Gazette Notification on 23rd November 2009
announcing the Presidential Election. Of these, 133 are classified as
Major and 183 as Minor incidents. The highest number of Major incidents
have been reported from the Hambantota(17) and Galle(11) Districts.
Included in this media communique are details of two major incidents. Read it in full here.
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 11 January, 2010 As of 8th January
2010, CMEV has confirmed a cumulative total of 281 incidents of
election related violence of which 117 incidents have been categorized
as Major. Of these, 36 incidents are of Assault, 31 are of Threat and
Intimidation, 18 of Grievous Hurt, 7 incidents of Hurt, 6 incidents of
Attempted Murder, 11 cases of the Misuse of State Resources and 4
incidents of Robbery and Arson respectively. The total number of
incidents involving the use of firearms is 38. In addition, 164
incidents have been categorized as Minor.
Out of 117 Major incidents, 85 incidents have been reported against
the ruling UPFA – this being the highest number reported against any
one party. Of the total figure of 281 incidents, the UNP had been
accused as the perpetrator in 15 incidents and the JVP in 6. Incidents
of violence are increasingly being reported from the Southern province
(67), North Western province (44) and North Central province (39).
CMEV reiterates its concern about the upward trend in election
related violence and calls upon all concerned, especially the Election
Commissioner and his officials, the Police and political parties to
take all necessary steps to deter such violence and to deal with those
who are responsible for it. We call on all presidential candidates to
demonstrate their commitment to eradicate political violence and
malpractice.
Read the media communique in full, with more details on incidents reported, here.
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 11 January, 2010 The CMEV brought to
the attention of the Election Commissioner the illegal display of
banners and cutouts in public places and within the premises Government
Offices & buildings, by the letter dated 5th January 2010. CMEV
appreciates the order given to the Police by the Elections
Commissioner, to remove all illegal banners and cutouts from public
places and government premises, and institutions on the 5th of January
2010, at the meeting held for party secretaries… CMEV has noted that
coinciding with the increase in cutouts the level of violence has
increased as a direct result of disputes arising from cutouts and their
placement.
Read the media communique in full with more details here.
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 7 January, 2010 CMEV is running a tri-lingual public information campaign to raise
awareness on the documents required for voter identification in the run
up to the Presidential Elections.
The posters and banner ads can be seen, freely downloaded, printed and disseminated via from here.
Presidential Elections 2010: Your vote is your constitutional right. Use it!
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 7 January, 2010 6 January 2010, Colombo, Sri Lanka: CMEV has confirmed 91 major incidents of election related violence as of today, since the gazette notification of presidential election on 23 November 2009. Most of the major incidents (27) have been reported from the Southern Province. CMEV highlights the most recent confirmed major incidents in this report.
Download it as a PDF here.
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 31 December, 2009 The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) visited selected
areas of the North and East from 22 -25 December 2009 to identify the
issues pertaining to the voter application process for displaced
persons, the availability of required identification documents and the
general context in which the campaign is being conducted. CMEV met with
Government officials, political party representatives, leading civil
society actors including religious leaders, the media, academics, and
displaced persons.
Read the full report in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
Presidential Elections 2010: Field Visit Report, December 2009
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 28 December, 2009 Article by Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu published in the Daily Mirror on 24 December 2009.