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The issue of post election violence against PA supporters loomed large at the PA Parliamentary Group special meeting held in the Parliamentary Complex yesterday (07) chaired by Opposition Leader Ratnasiri Wickremanayake.

The meeting was specially convened to discuss proposals relating to post-election violence against PA supporters, when Parliament meets today.

Addressing the participants, the Opposition Leader stated that the PA decision not to accept the position of Deputy Speaker of the House stands unchanged and that the PA members, though at liberty to express their own independent views, will have to abide by the decisions taken by Party Leader President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

Mr.Wickremanayake further said that in view of the continuing flow of complaints of post election violence, he made a written request to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who agreed to allocate time on January 8 to discuss the matter. He said that on that occasion the issue of Police not entertaining PA complaints of violence, compensation to victims and obstruction to PA supporters when reporting for duty, will be discussed.

A number of participants pointed out that the refusal of the Police to entertain a complaint is a violation of human rights of which the public should be made aware of at length.

Chief Government Whip Mahinda Rajapakse requested the members to make people aware that when the Police refuse to entertain a complaint they have the right to make a direct written representation to the Magistrate of the area with a copy to the IGP and added that they can even write to the Chief Justice.

SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena expressed the view that the IGP should be invited to participate in the discussion with the Prime Minister. He said that legal advice for victims of election harassment could be arranged at the SLFP Headquarters at T.B.Jayah Mawatha, Colombo.

It was agreed to brief the diplomatic community about human rights violations by the Government and also to make a video documentary on incidents of post-election violence for which purpose a committee was appointed by the Leader of the Opposition.

The members expressed the view that the holding of Local Government elections after arresting and remanding Pradeshiya Sabha members and their Chairmen was tantamount to the burial of democracy.

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