|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Political Assassinations Will Exert a Chilling Deterrent Effect on Right of Parties
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo,
SLT 10.25 A.M Wednesday 3 March.
PAFFREL (Peoples Action For Free and Fair Elections) Say that political
assassinations in the North and the East will exert a chilling deterrent
effect on the right of the political parties to campaign in the North east
and of the people to choose their selected representatives at free and fair
elections. In a statement issued today PAFFREL say the killings in
Batticaloa and Valachchenai have occurred in the context of a campaign being
carried out by groups in the north east that Tamil candidates who do not
belong to the parties comprising the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are
traitors to the Tamil cause.
The organization say that they have received complaints from political
parties that they are finding it difficult and impossible to conduct their
election campaigns in parts of the north east due to a general climate of
intimidation and intolerance. PAFFREL call on the government and the LTTE
the two parties with major security capacities o ensure that the environment
in the north east is conducive to a free and fair poll.
Published: Tue Mar 2 23:30:30 EST 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
O
T
H
E
R
H
E
A
D
L
I
N
E
S
|
|
|
|
LTTE Trying To Annihilate Political Opponents- EPDP
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo,
SLT 8. 40 P.M Tuesday 2 March.
Leader of the EPDP Douglas Devananda says that the LTTE is trying to
annihilate political opponents and trying to achieve its fascist goals to
try and gain status as the sole representative of the Tamil people before
the elections. In a letter to the Commissioner of Elections Devananda warned
that if necessary action is not taken before the elections the LTTE would
increase its activities and disrupt the elections in the North/East of Sri
Lanka. Devananda said that the EPDP member shot dead last night was a full
time member actively involved in the election campaign of the EPDP for the
April elections. He said that Ponniah Yogendran was under severe threat
from the LTTE before he was killed.
Published: Tue Mar 2 09:47:05 EST 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPDP Member Shot Dead
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo,
SLT 6.20 P.M Tuesday 2 March.
A member of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) has been shot dead by
an unidentified gunman in Valachenai yesterday night around 9.45 p.m. The
victim Ponnaiah Yogendran has been gunned down at his wife’s residence
once used by Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) as their
office. Valachchenai Police are conducting investigations. This is the
second political killing in the East after the nominations for April
elections were closed. The Lanka Academic sources in Valachenai say that it
is still not known if the LTTE was behind the killing of the EPDP member.
Yesterday the United States condemened the killing of the UNP candidate,
Sinnathamby Sunderaampillai by two unknown gunmen. State Department
Spokesman Richard Boucher said "Although no one has claimed responsibility
for the crime, we note recent statements by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam that were clearly intended to discourage Tamil candidates of whom they
did not approve. The United States calls on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam to renounce terrorism and cease terrorist acts, including political
assassination, and to comply with the terms of the ceasefire agreement they
signed."
Published: Tue Mar 2 07:37:35 EST 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
