Sri Lanka Human Rights Watch The opposition holds a meeting to protest the rigging of the election
(February 04, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) A meeting organised by the joint opposition to condemn the rigging of the presidential election was held at Hyde Park Corner on the 3rd February. Thousands of participants gathered at this meeting representing diverse political groups. It is one of the most significant meetings following an election in Sri Lanka to protest the validity of an election result.
The crowds that gathered through various roads surrounding Hyde Park Corner shouted slogans condemning the election as rigged and called for inquiries and investigations. The meeting was addressed by all the leading members of the joint opposition group. The joint opposition candidate, retired general, Sarath Fonseka, in addressing the meeting stated that there was clear evidence of malpractice in the election. He showed the ballot papers that had been found at Ratnapura which had been thrown into a rubbish dump which were, in fact, valid votes that had been declared as wasted votes. Mr. Fonseka said election observers were chased away from many centres before the election results were announced. Therefore, at these centres the opposition observers were unable to observe the process or to receive the carbon copies of the result sheets. He said that the opposition had the legal right to go before the Supreme Court in order to file an election petition within 20 days from the date of the election and that the opposition was, in fact, making arrangements in order to file the petition.
The meeting was also addressed by leaders of other political parties such as the United National Party, the JVP and also the Nava Sama Samaja Party and the Muslim Congress.
The joint opposition candidate’s letter to the Commissioner of Elections
The joint opposition candidate, retired general Sarath Fonseka has written a letter to the Commissioner of Elections expressing his belief that the election result is not legally valid due to violations relating to election law and a number of activities which were of a fraudulent nature and stating that he is informing the Commissioner that evidence is available to declare that the election is invalid.
He further stated that according to the information available the result that was announced was incorrect and illegal. He stated that the brother of the president, Basil Rajapakse was in the Election Commissioner’s premises from the early morning of the 27th and that he manipulated the election results and that the manipulated statistics given by him were announced as the final election results. He also states that Mr. Rajapakse was in the premises at the time when the persons who contested the elections and their secretaries were not permitted to enter the Commissioner’s office.
He further went on the state that in terms of Act No. 15 of 1981 there are procedures to follow before declaring an election and these procedures have not been adhere to. Mr. Fonseka requested the Election Commissioner to issue to him copies of the result sheets issued by 22 election districts which had been sent to the Commissioner and also the result sheets of the postal votes as he wished to refer to these in his petition to the courts regarding the election.
Death threats to Sanjeewa Samarasinghe
The President of the United Government Employees Conference, Sanjeewa Samarasinghe has complained to the Inspector General of Police in writing that he has been facing death threats. Mr. Samarasinghe is a journalist and the convener of the Association of Journalists at Lakehouse. He stated that since the announcement of the election results on the 27th January he has been receiving numerous telephone calls in which persons who are not known to him have been making death threats against him. Also, a number of persons, not known to him, have visited his house. They have inquired after his whereabouts. A number of other persons who arrived on motorcycles have also been making inquiries about him. He mentioned that many members of the association have been assaulted and dismissed from their jobs and even chased away from their working premises following the election results. Meanwhile, he also accused the chairman of Lakehouse of acting in a manner that could put Mr. Samarasinghe’s life under threat.
He also stated in his letter to the IGP that he, his wife and children have left their house and are living in an undisclosed location due to the threat to his life. He has asked for protection for his family, his home and himself.
The wife of the disappeared journalist complains to the Human Rights Commission
The wife of Pregeeth Ekanaliyagoda, the journalist of LankaENews who disappeared on the 24th January, made a complaint yesterday to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka regarding the disappearance. She arrived at the Commission with a group of lawyers in order to record a complaint. A senior officer of the HRCSL initially refused to record her statement. When the lawyers accompanying the journalist’s wife questioned the official as to why he would not record the complaint the senior officer finally took the statement. However, he went on to say that there was no possibility of inquiring into this matter.
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has taken the position that although it has taken the statement it does not have the capacity to investigate the disappearance of the journalist.
Meanwhile, a journalist belonging to the Shaktki TV Shri Ranga and Sub Inspector who is acting as a guard for the journalist were assaulted by a group of unidentified persons in Hatton. A complaint has been made by Mr. Ranga that he and his body guard who has been acting as his security officer were assaulted yesterday, the 3rd February.
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