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This beautiful land bordering the sea where mythical singing fish would sing in the night and the forest where the Tamil Tiger terrorists have scattered bases like Toppigala, is home for the majority of Sri Lankan Moors. Dozens of military camps make their best attempts to confine terrorists to the jungle. The ongoing war has affected the day-to-day life of the Batticaloa civilian. It has damaged or forced to neglect their essential infrastructure and basic commodities. Unemployment is high among the youth; reputation as a war zone has kept the investors away from the city. Throes of the war are everywhere: fishing, the profession of thousands of people is banned to some extent, embargo on transportation of fertilizer to the uncleared areas hold a serious challenge to farmers; massacres of prayers in the places of worship by the LTTE still haunt in the memories of the people. Peace is what the whole district, battered since the eruption of the war in 1983, desperately asks. Political Parties and Independent Groups Contesting Total number of candidates contesting - 176
Number of Registered Voters
Kalkudah - 80,685
Batticaloa - 130,846
Padirippu - 70,548
Total registered voters - 282,079
Peace: top priority - M.L.A.M Hisbullah [ PA] PA district leader Hisbullah says peace is the urgent need of the people. Though the previous efforts of the PA government failed, he is confident that the future PA government would bring an end to the war. Peradeniya University graduate, Hisbullah promises to develop agriculture and fishing. He hopes to provide modern fishing equipment to the fishermen in the district, whom he says is still depend on the traditional methods and equipment. Education has received the priority of his development plan and promises to upgrade school facilities. He hopes to encourage the private sector participation in the economic activities, in order to create new employment opportunities. Thus, attract investment as well as tourists in a bid to uplift income levels of the Batticaloa peopls. Ceasefire and peace talks - Ali Zahir Moulana [ UNP] Claiming that the former PA regime has discriminated against the people in the uncleared areas, whose basic needs were denied by the Government, Moulana points out the need of equal treatment to all the Sri Lankans irrespective of racial differences. He asks for the urgent removal of the embargo on the transportation of essential items to the uncleared areas. A former computer scientist, Moulana advocates for a peaceful solution for the ethnic problem and promises work towards a ceasefire between the Government forces and the LTTE, thus paving the way for the peace talks. He pledges to upgrade the standard of long neglected hospitals and schools and improve the life standard of the population. He underlines the need for the removal of the ban on fishing and promises to work for it, if his party is given a mandate. We'll lift LTTE ban - Joseph Pararajasingham [TULF] Journalist turned politician, Pararajasingham claims that the Tamil party alliance will campaign on a three point agenda, namely the removal of the LTTE ban, commencing peace talks with the LTTE and the transportation of essential items to the uncleared areas. Underlining the need of infrastructure development to ensure a substantial economic growth, Pararajasingham promises to work his best to develop the roads, telecommunication, drinking water facilities and irrigation systems in the district. He pledges to provide special assistance to the widows and orphans and the other victims of the ethnic conflict. Claiming unemployment as one of the serious problems in the district, he underlines the need of a special job creation program. Pararajasingham pledges to support any major party which committed to end the war by pushing the Norwegian brokered peace process with the LTTE. General Election Results
- 10.10.2000
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Produced by Lake House |
