Tamil voters nullify SL Government’s expectation - TNA

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 August 2009, 15:28 GMT]
“Tamil National Alliance (TNA) winning Vavuniyaa Urban Council (VUC) election and Tamils refraining from voting in large numbers in Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) election prove that Sri Lanka Government was not able to achieve the success it planned for and expected. We wish to thank the Tamils for voting for Ilankai Thamizh Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) even amidst intimidation and frustration and despair caused by the war,” TNA said in a press release signed by Jaffna District TNA parliamentarian, Mavai Senathirajah, Sunday.

Excerpts of the press release follow:

“Ruling United People’s Freedom Allianace (UPFA) could only win the third place in Vavuniyaa UC election and a large number of Tamils refrained from voting in JMC election. This shows that the government could not achieve its aim of winning in these elections.”

“More than 8,000 persons have voted to ITKA in Jaffna while most of them have refrained from participating in the election because of their disinterest.”

“Particularly in Jaffna, fishermen were not allowed to go fishing on election day; fear prevailing among the people due to intimidation was another factor for their disinterest.”

“The continued presence of Sri Lanka Armed Forces in Jaffna, the empty promises of concessions announced by visiting government ministers and government servants and students being forced to attend the ruling party election meetings were some of the reasons for people’s frustration.”

“Many voters could not vote because they did not possess National Identity Cards and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) identity cards they had were not accepted for voting.”

“80.74% of eligible voters in Jaffna Municipality had refrained from voting because of their dissatisfaction with the government.”