Violence threatens Sri Lankan election

Violence threatens Sri Lankan election

COLOMBO (Agencies): An independent monitoring group has said expectations of widespread violence might keep people indoors in Monday's elections for Sri Lanka's Northwestern Provincial Council.

"There is expectation of violence tomorrow. It might keep people home, but we hope they will come out and vote," Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu of the Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) told a news conference on Sunday. "Violence is going to affect the trend of voting."

Private monitors said on Sunday that violence surged to unprecedented levels in north-western Sri Lanka ahead of a key council election, triggering fears of more attacks during Monday's voting.

Police and para-military commando units were placed on red alert to prevent clashes between rival political parties during and after voting in the North Western Province Provincial council election, officials said.

However, the CMEV warned there could be even more violence on Monday in areas where there had been a spate of clashes during the 45-day campaigning that ended Friday.

At least two people have been killed and hundreds injured in clashes and assaults in the run-up to the election, a battle for prestige between the ruling People's Alliance (PA) and the main opposition United National Party (UNP).

Saravanamuttu said a total of 675 incidents of election- related violence had been reported in the 45 days of campaigning for the elections in which 446 candidates from seven political parties and four independent groups will vie for 52 councillor seats in the province.

Other CMEV officials said although there were no indications of direct participation by police in pre-election violence, they have been slow in investigating the complaints probably due to political interference.

Political analysts say a People's Alliance victory in state polls could embolden the government to push through a plan for ending Sri Lanka's 15-year-old ethnic war by granting greater autonomy to the provinces.

It is also seen as a test of the government's popularity ahead of the parliamentary and presidential elections that are due next year.

The government has also decided to hold elections to five other provincial councils which it postponed last year for security reasons.

No dates have yet been fixed for the polls in Uva, Central, North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Western provinces, but political observers say they will most likely be held in March.

The UNP has accused the PA of intimidating its supporters, smashing its offices and planning to rig Monday's polls.

"Violence perpetrated on the candidates and the supporters of the UNP and other political parties by the PA thugs under cover of the PA politicians continued...despite repeated appeals by the Election Commissioner and the concerned citizens group," the UNP said in a statement.

State media said more than 15,000 policemen will be deployed in the province to curb violence and police officials earlier told Reuters that it was likely that a curfew would be imposed to ensure a peaceful counting of votes.