Tamils in Trincomalee score high

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 December 2001, 08:57 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance scored 56119 votes in the Trincomalee district. The Tamil United Liberation Front, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation and the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, the main constituents of the TNA, were able to garner only 19110 votes between them at the general elections in October 2000. Polling was very high in the Tamil strongholds of the eastern district Wednesday. There are four seats in Trincomalee. The UNP, SLMC coalition got two seats by scoring 62, 915 votes here. If the UNP and the SLMC had contested separately them the TNA would have got the bonus seat for the district, officials said. The massive surge in support for the TNA in Trincomalee was largely due to the stand it took on the Liberation Tigers and the war. The EPDP was ignominiously routed despite offering jobs and cash to thousands of voters.

The general chagrin that no Tamil was elected to Parliament from the district last year due to Tamil votes in the district were split among five parties and two independent groups added to the impetus behind the TNA. The high and enthusiastic polling in most Tamil areas of Trincomalee, including those that are not under the control of the Sri Lanka army contributed significantly for the surge in TNA votes.

Polling was sixty-eight in the district. More than ninety percent voters from the Tamil villages held by Liberation Tigers in Mutur south cast their ballots, Divisional Office sources said.

Mutur sources said Tamil voters from LTTE held villages came on foot and by bullock carts and on bicycles to Kaddaiparichchan and Mahindapura army checkpoints to vote in clustered booths.

Trincomalee district election results-2001;

The United National Party---- 62,915 votes – two seats

The Tamil National Alliance- 56119 votes – one seat

Peoples' Alliance -------------- 32,992 votes – one seat

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-- 5, 594 votes

E.P.D.P.--------------------------1470 votes.

Fifteen political parties and six independent groups contested the elections this time.

2001 October general election results:

Peoples Alliance - 53,802-------- three seats

United National Party-46, 676---one seat

TULF----------------------------- 14, 088

EPDP------------------------------ 4524

TELO----------------------------- 498

All Ceylon Tamil Congress---- 3748

Independent Tamil group----- 2621

Independent Tamil group ----- 1434

Seventeen political parties and six independent groups contested the 2000 October general election.