Incompetent authorities lead the country towards an unfair election

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

(January 13, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Election Commissioner, Dayananda Dissanayanake, was reported by the Daily Mirror Newspaper as having removed the competent authority who was to monitor the media. LankaeNews reported that:

The Commissioner who was thoroughly disillusioned remarked that, at this rate it is impossible to hold a free and fair election. He was so disgusted with the way the government is promoting violations of election laws that he said, he will not waste time holding meetings with party representatives, and he will take steps to dismiss the competent authority appointed by him.

Repeated complaints by the monitoring organisations clearly indicate an increase of violence, the abuse of the state media in favour of President Mahinda Rajapakse and the heavy abuse of state property by the government. Adding to all this, the first murder during this electoral campaign was announced today from Hungama, Tangalle. Clearly the escalation of violence is the result of a deliberate decision on the part of the Sri Lankan police authorities not to enforce law and order during the election.

This election has demonstrated that there is massive discontent spread throughout the country against the government. The attendance of massive crowds for the rallies of the opposition candidates clearly demonstrate the wish of the electorate to participate actively in the election campaigns and to make their voices heard.

The long years of conflict with the LTTE has created a climate of fear in the country which was exploited by all the governments in power for their own limited political purposes. The war provided an excuse for the suppression of all opposition and the media. The propaganda that any criticism of the government might help the LTTE was used effectively to suppress all opposition.

This election is being conducted after the conflict has ended. Therefore the government in power has lost the advantage of having war-like conditions to be used in its favour to suppress the opposition campaigns. The people, who have for a long time endured the conditions of intimidation under the atmosphere of a military conflict, have at last found an opportunity to express themselves freely at this election. It is the duty of all democratic forces to allow the people their democratic rights to engage in expressions of their wishes during an election and to choose whomever they wish to have as their rulers.

Under these conditions it is the duty of all authorities to assist the people to participate in this election in an atmosphere of freedom. However, the government appears to be preventing the conduct of this election in an atmosphere of freedom and appears to be influencing all government authorities, such as the police and the civil service, in order to continue maintaining a climate of fear during this election.

Paralysing the law enforcement agencies and causing incidents of murder and other violence will amount to the denial of the right to a free and fair election.

As the signs of a violent election emerge it is the duty of all to urge the government to ensure the proper functioning of all authorities, particularly the law enforcement authorities, and to provide all services needed to ensure a free and fair election.

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.