680 incidents of election violence reported

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 December 1999, 10:44 GMT]
Six hundred and eighty incidents of violence relating to the Presidential elections have been reported to the Special Election Secretariat since the nominations were filed on 16 November, the Police said.

A printing press worker shows the charred remains of an opposition poster after the press was torched 12 December 1999 by gunmen alleged to be supporters of the ruling People's Alliance. Violence has escalated ahead of the 21December 1999 presidential elections with at least five people killed and many more wounded during campaigning.Photo:AFP

They said majority of the complaints have been lodged against the ruling People's Alliance (PA).

The Police said 34 incidents were reported during the past 24 hours, ending at 6 a.m. today. Of these the PA, and the main opposition United National Party (UNP) have filed 14 complaints each, the police added.

On Saturday, three printers in Colombo, which were used by the UNP, to print election campaign leaflets were set on fire by unidentified men. The UNP has blamed PA activists for the arson.

Party members from the leftist People's Liberation Front (JVP) carry out house-to-house campaigning for the December 21 presidential polls in southern town of Tangalle.Photo:Reuter

Meanwhile Tamil sources in Colombo said the EPDP and a faction of EPRLF cadres loyal to the group's former leader Varatharajah Perumal, are planning to carry out large scale vote-rigging in the north-eastern province.

Residents in Jaffna said EPDP cadres have been collection the polling cards of those people who are displaced or have travelled abroad.

The EPDP's regional leaders from the eastern Batticaloa-Ampara districts have also been to Colombo to discuss election campaigning in the region with their leader, Douglas Devananda, informed sources said.