Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the Sri Lankan government to ensure all voters in the upcoming general election are protected from violence and that the Sri Lankan security forces remain impartial.
In a statement released just days before the general election, HRW noted that 135 major incidents of election violence, including the use of firearms, had been noted in the last month alone, primarily in Jaffna, Colombo, Batticaloa, and Gampaha districts.
“With evidence already of violence in the run-up to these elections, Sri Lankan authorities should take all necessary steps to protect voters and party supporters from attacks, threats, and intimidation,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW.
He went on to state Sri Lankan security forces must remain impartial and ensure that the human rights of all voters are respected.
“The role played by the security forces during and after election day will send an important message about the future of human rights in Sri Lanka,” Mr Adams said. “Meeting the basic requirements of a free and fair election is an important step toward addressing the country’s persistent rights problems.”
“Sri Lanka has a long history of attackers getting away with election-related violence. A few arrests, while a positive step, do not address these longstanding concerns,” Mr Adams said.
“State authorities need to pursue each attack vigorously to send an unequivocal message that there will be no obstacles to fair and free elections.”