Violence threatens Sri Lankan election<\/p>\n
COLOMBO (Agencies): An independent monitoring group has said
\nexpectations of widespread violence might keep people indoors in
\nMonday's elections for Sri Lanka's Northwestern Provincial
\nCouncil.<\/p>\n
\"There is expectation of violence tomorrow. It might keep
\npeople home, but we hope they will come out and vote,\"
\nPaikiasothy Saravanamuttu of the Center for Monitoring Election
\nViolence (CMEV) told a news conference on Sunday. \"Violence is
\ngoing to affect the trend of voting.\"<\/p>\n
Private monitors said on Sunday that violence surged to
\nunprecedented levels in north-western Sri Lanka ahead of a key
\ncouncil election, triggering fears of more attacks during
\nMonday's voting.<\/p>\n
Police and para-military commando units were placed on red
\nalert to prevent clashes between rival political parties during
\nand after voting in the North Western Province Provincial council
\nelection, officials said.<\/p>\n
However, the CMEV warned there could be even more violence on
\nMonday in areas where there had been a spate of clashes during
\nthe 45-day campaigning that ended Friday.<\/p>\n
At least two people have been killed and hundreds injured in
\nclashes and assaults in the run-up to the election, a battle for
\nprestige between the ruling People's Alliance (PA) and the main
\nopposition United National Party (UNP).<\/p>\n
Saravanamuttu said a total of 675 incidents of election-
\nrelated violence had been reported in the 45 days of campaigning
\nfor the elections in which 446 candidates from seven political
\nparties and four independent groups will vie for 52 councillor
\nseats in the province.<\/p>\n
Other CMEV officials said although there were no indications
\nof direct participation by police in pre-election violence, they
\nhave been slow in investigating the complaints probably due to
\npolitical interference.<\/p>\n
Political analysts say a People's Alliance victory in state
\npolls could embolden the government to push through a plan for
\nending Sri Lanka's 15-year-old ethnic war by granting greater
\nautonomy to the provinces.<\/p>\n
It is also seen as a test of the government's popularity ahead
\nof the parliamentary and presidential elections that are due next
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The government has also decided to hold elections to five
\nother provincial councils which it postponed last year for
\nsecurity reasons.<\/p>\n
No dates have yet been fixed for the polls in Uva, Central,
\nNorth Central, Sabaragamuwa and Western provinces, but political
\nobservers say they will most likely be held in March.<\/p>\n
The UNP has accused the PA of intimidating its supporters,
\nsmashing its offices and planning to rig Monday's polls.<\/p>\n
\"Violence perpetrated on the candidates and the supporters of
\nthe UNP and other political parties by the PA thugs under cover
\nof the PA politicians continued...despite repeated appeals by the
\nElection Commissioner and the concerned citizens group,\" the UNP
\nsaid in a statement.<\/p>\n
State media said more than 15,000 policemen will be deployed
\nin the province to curb violence and police officials earlier
\ntold Reuters that it was likely that a curfew would be imposed to
\nensure a peaceful counting of votes.<\/p>",
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