Election campaign gains momentum in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 March 2010, 16:28 GMT]
Election campaign activities by contesting political parties and independent groups have gained momentum in Jaffna peninsula and leaders of political parties including President Mahinda Rajapakse of United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), R. Sampanthan of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Ranil Wickremasinghe of United National Party (UNP) and Somaratne Amarasinghe of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are expected to come to the peninsula to engage in electioneering, sources in Jaffna said.

Meanwhile, Mahinda Rajapakse who is expected on 23 March will probably begin his campaign with the event of resettling IDPs in Valikaamam North, the sources said.

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) check posts on the Front Defence Line areas in Thellippazhai are being gradually moved behind into the High Security Zone (HSZ) so as to make place for resettlement.

President Mahinda Rajapakse and his brother and senior advisor Basil Rajapakse had promised the IDPs that they will be allowed to resettle, during the presidential election campaign.

Occupying SLA, however, has not allowed resettlement in the said area.

Meanwhile, TNA election meetings are to be held in several parts of the peninsula in the next few days and its leader R. Sampanthan is expected to be in Jaffna Wednesday.

Ranil Wickremsinghe is expected on 19 March and Somaratne Amarasinghe on 21 March.