“Govt. candidates are brazenly flouting the election laws”

(Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Tissa Attanayake, the UNP Gen. Secretary, addressing the media on yesterday (6 Aug) , said the postal voting of Govt. servants are due on the 7th and 8th of August for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces. Like how the Govt. is using force, lies and violence at every election, even at these provincial Council elections, it is trying the same tricks. It is under this regime that the Govt. servants got the worst treatment after the most promises having been made to them at elections by the Rajapakse Government. No Govt. in Sri Lanka’s history has duped and deluded them as this Govt., he lamented. He therefore strongly urged them to cast their votes judiciously as this is the only weapon they have to oust the Govt.



As the Govt. is aware that it cannot win on a fair and free election, it is trying every trick in the book and resorting to the worst violations of election laws including, attacks on UNP offices, assaulting UNP supporters, bringing in thugs and armed groups to the electorates for purposes of intimidation and violence. The Govt. candidates are brazenly flouting the election laws using loudspeakers and numberless vehicles for election campaign, while the Police too are turning a blind eye, he exhorted.

The Govt. servants cannot forget how this Govt. cheated them on its Mahinda Chintana promises ; how it used violence and intimidation tactics to break the recent General strike when they made a monthly salary increase demand of Rs. 5000.00.; how it had systematically eroded their privileges , including the stoppage of loans and season ticket concessions , he exclaimed.

Do not allow the Govt. to plunder your votes or plunder election victory by tyrannical power and force. Do not fear Govt. intimidation and atrocious actions. The only way you can meet these Govt. threats is by the Govt. servants overpowering this Govt. despotism and voting it out lock, stock and barrel, he asserted.

The Govt.’s desperation and fear of election defeat is so great that it is using all its resources not to win election legally, (because it knows it cannot win by such methods), rather, using them to commit the worst criminal activities and acts of election violence. In just last three days, 13 UNP election offices were attacked in Tambuttegama alone; the business establishments of a businessman were sealed just because he crossed over from the UPFA to UNP; Berty Premalal, the UPFA candidate is indulging in glaring acts of election law violations holding meetings in his House summoning Teachers, Police officers, Grama Sevakas to unduly influence them to vote for him, while law enforcing authorities are looking the other way. Complaints to Police are also unheeded, he bemoaned.

It is under these lawless and dire circumstances , the UNP is fighting the elections , so it is the people who can , by using their franchise fearlessly and fairly give the right verdict against this dictatorial regime , he emphasized. Attanayake called upon all to stand together resolutely, resist force and intimidation of the Govt. and demonstrate their power by overthrowing this Govt.
- Sri Lanka Guardian