Excesses in election campaign!

- Thinakkural Editorial

(July 26, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Although the Commissioner of Elections has promised to hold a fair and free election, there are reports of election violence and mal-practices from the North Central and Sabragamuwa Provinces. The opposition parties have made complaints that politicians belonging to government party are abusing their powers to get votes.

UNP and JVP have brought these excesses to the notice of the Commissioner of Elections. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanyake has appealed to all human rights and social activists to rally together to fight against such anti - democratic measures.

The complaints are about misuse of State property, attacks, threats etc in these two provinces. There have been complaints that certain police officers are not acting impartially. All these complaints are made while there is a lot of heat emerging from the election campaign by the political parties.

It is true that it is difficult to ensure that all candidates observe the norms in the right sprit. The truth is that the people have been deprived of their right to vote in a fair and free election during the last 25 years. There are no signs that the situation can improve.

(An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo)
- Sri Lanka Guardian