Douglas Devananda – Minister for Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development – accused the TNA of tricking the Tamil people of the North to vote for them, according to the Island . Devananda made his accusations on the basis that the TNA would not be able to keep any of the election promises made to the Tamil people, mainly, reducing military presence in the North, resettlement of Tamils in their own homelands and development of the North.
In a statement released today, the British Tamils Forum (BTF), outlined the need of the international community to work with the Tamil People in the North-East to safeguard their human, political and cultural rights. Commenting on the resolve of the Tamil people the statement read, “The Tamil people’s overwhelming support for Tamil rule in the election is made all the more remarkable by the widespread violence, intimidation and misinformation they faced in the run-up to and on the day of the election. The fact that Sri Lanka’s ruling alliance received such a drubbing in the election – despite the threats and bribes it offered the Tamil people – is testament to the courage and overwhelming conviction of the Tamil people. Furthermore, the shocking reports of intimidation during this election – often in full view of election monitors and the media – should serve as a reminder to the global Tamil community that it is their duty to speak up and tell the world about the injustices and persecution faced by their kin in the island of Sri Lanka.” “ Given the increasingly perilous position of the Tamil people in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka, it is more important than ever that the international community works with the Tamil people, and the Tamil- mandated TNA, to safeguard their human, political and cultural rights – including their right to self- determination – and to protect them from the genocide perpetrated by the Sri Lankan state. British Tamils Forum stands shoulder to shoulder with any individual or organisation that works towards these aims.”
One of Sri Lanka’s hardline Sinhala nationalist parties has warned the government to scale down Northern Provincial Council powers for fear that the TNA’s landslide victory and the powers it will acquire will breed separatism. Leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), part of the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance, Udaya Gammanpila said : "The real war has just begun. We are entering a new phase of the war. It is not a war that will be fought with guns and bombs." "The TNA will revive the separatists' campaign through the provincial council."
A ‘high-profile’ three member investigative team is to be dispatched to Haiti to investigate allegations of a rape committed by a Sri Lankan ‘peacekeeping’ soldier. The Sri Lankan Army said in a media release: "Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake on hearing the alleged misconduct took a very serious view of the incident and assured the UN of a full and impartial inquiry immediately in order to bring any offender to justice,” Both the soldier in question and field command are to be investigated, with the Army further stating: "Any such Field Commander, found to be negligent in supervising his...
In a show of defiance against weeks of mounting intimidation and harassment, the North cast a vote of outright rejection of the Sri Lankan state, with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) sweeping 75% of the overall vote. The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) fell miles behind, securing only 17% of votes but still faring better than the opposition United National Party (UNP) which failed to secure even 1% of the vote. The TNA won 30 out of the 38 seats on the Northern Provincial Council . The UPFA secured 7 seats with the remaining seat going to the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress (SLMC). Statistics from therepublicsquare.com "The TNA firmly believes that sovereignty lies with the People and not with the State. It is not the government in Colombo that holds the right to govern the Tamil People, but the People themselves. In this regard the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka is flawed in that power is concentrated at the Centre and its Agent, the Governor. Our political philosophy is rooted in a fundamental democratic challenge to the authoritarian state. Our political programme is therefore rooted in the needs and aspirations of the Tamil Speaking People for justice and equality. " - From TNA's 'Manifesto Statement'
The election monitoring group, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), today confirmed reports that the vehicle of the TNA candidate Sajanthan was fired on Saturday, whilst outside the polling booth in Varani, in Jaffna district. According to CaFFE the incident took place just opposite the army camp. See here for account by Sajanthan on ColomboTelegraph.
In a statement released on Sunday, the US embassy in Colombo expressed concern regarding the reports of election violence, and said that the reports of involvement by uniformed individuals in these acts was "particularly troubling". Statement reproduced in full below: "We congratulate the people of Sri Lanka on their historic Provincial Council elections on September 21. The high turn-out and participation in all three of the provinces holding elections is a victory for the democratic process. We remain concerned about reports of elections violence, however, and urge a transparent and...
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, by the end of the elections, recorded 32 incidents of violence on the northern provincial map. Click here to explore the map for individual descriptions of each incident. Incidents of election violence across the Northern Province
The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Human Rights, condemned acts of election intimidation as "completely unacceptable". In a statement , the Ministry's Parliamentary Secretary, Deepak Obhrai, said: “Canada is deeply concerned by continuing reports of violence against electoral candidates and an election observer in the lead-up to the three provincial council elections that will take place in Sri Lanka on September 21. “Such acts of intimidation are completely unacceptable, and the perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice.
The highly controversial Northern-Provincial Elections took place today, after a week that saw the attack of an electoral candidate’s residence, the death of a TNA campaigner and several other draconian measures . Sources suggest that over 60% of eligible voters took part in all districts of the Northern Province. The district of Jaffna had the lowest turn-out of 60%. The past week saw citizens of the North subject to heightening intimidation and misinformation. Less than two days before the Northern Provincial Council election, one of the most vocal and outspoken candidates of the Tamil National Alliance’s electoral campaign Ananthi Sasitharan narrowly escaped an attack at her home. Consequently, an election monitor, who rushed to the scene after receiving a call from Ananthi, was brutally attacked. Full Coverage: SL army attack Ananthy Sasitharan's home (20 September 2013) Fake prints of the Uthayan newspaper were distributed around the Northern Province, exhibited fictitious calls from the TNA that urged voters to boycott the elections. The forged paper went as far as alleging that TNA candidate, Ananthi Sasitharan, had pledged a new alliance to the ruling party, the UPFA. Copy of fake Uthayan Newspaper- Courtesy www.Seithy.com