Violence escalates in Moneragala: PAFFREL

The widespread election law violations reported from Moneragala has escalated to 120 and is a cause for concern, particularly considering its comparatively low population, an election monitoring group said today.

Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi told Daily Mirror said had so far received 203 complaints of election law violations and election-related violence since July 30 and added that 158 of them had been confirmed.

He said they were alarmed about the situation in Moneragala because 120 cases off the 158 confirmed cases of election law violations had been reported from the district.
“We have confirmed 40 cases of attacks on party offices with 39 of them from Moneragala. It is worrying particularly because the voter population in Moneragala is only half of that of Badulla and yet the highest violence and election law violations are reported from the district,” Mr. Hettiarachchi said.

He said election law violations and election violence was continuing despite requests made to relevant authorities including the Elections Commissioner and law enforcement officials to station additional armed police personnel in Moneragala to bring the situation under control.

Mr. Hettiarachchi said the politicisation of the Police Service had resulted in police inaction.

Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Executive Director Ranjith Keerthi Tennakoon in a statement said the total number of complaints they had received on election law violations and violence in the Uva Province has increased to 162 which includes 55 cases of attacks on party offices and property damage.

The latest incident was reported this morning when a UNP office located along the Buttala – Kataragama road was destroyed.  

Meanwhile both organisations expressed concern over the intimidating presence of several vehicles without vehicle registration numbers and some of them with Western Province vehicle registration numbers. Opposition candidates said various intimidating tactics adopted by ruling party candidates was creating a climate of fear in the district.

CaFFE said despite the continuous allegations levelled against these mysterious vehicles and the obvious violations of motor traffic regulations as well as election regulations, the Police have done nothing to remove these vehicles from the areas. (Lakna Paranamanna)