by Anura Maitipe

A new trend of political violence has emerged and two people have been killed and many others injured in the Nivitigala electorate a few days ago. Free and fair elections would never become a reality under the UNP government, spokesman for People's Alliance Sarath Amunugama told a press conference held at the SLFP head office yesterday.

Over 1,200 PA party organisers and supporters have been taken into custody following the general election held last December. The police made these arrests under political influence in order to weaken the PA in the forthcoming Local Government election, he said.

The government made various promises and came to power but none of these promises has been fulfilled. The value of the rupee against US dollar has further depreciated and prices of essential commodities have gone up. The salary increase of Rs 1200 seems to be a mere dream. Since it has no other way to win the local government election it has resorted to violence for an easy victory, he added.

Meanwhile, former minister Nimal Siripala de Silva charged that when the UNP was in opposition it was clamouring for media freedom and free and fair elections. But now the government used its invisible hand to persuade media in its own way. Popular TV political programs such as Rathu-Ira and Janhanda are no more. We urged the government to invite foreign observers to monitor the local government election but there is no positive response.

Acts of pre-election violence have been reported from many parts of the country. Grave incidents have been reported from Nivitigala, Ratnapura, Galle, Attanagalla, Ruwanwella, Anamadwa, Kurunegala, Haputale, Beruwala and Katugampola.

Former minister Mangala Samaraweera said there is a sinister move by the government to tarnish the image of the PSD in order to weaken the Presidential Security service. The government blamed the PSD for the Udathalawinna incident without a formal inquiry but now it has been proved that the PSD had no involvement in this incident. The other such incident was the Millennium City case which is the most unkind betrayal of war heroes in the century.