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| Tuesday, 2 March 2004 |
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by Manjula Fernando A UNP candidate for the Batticaloa District in the upcoming General election was gunned down yesterday morning, in the first polls related killing. The LTTE is suspected to be behind the killing of S. Sunderampillai, a first time candidate. The victim a resident of Ariyampati, Kattankudi who escaped an attempt on his life the previous day was shot by an unidentified gunman while he was receiving treatment at the Batticaloa hospital, Batticaloa Police sources said. Sunderampillai was contesting the Batticaloa district on the UNP ticket, disregarding a warning by the LTTE, to all Tamil candidates not to contest the election with southern parties. A communique issued by the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence noted with sorrow and grave concern, at the killing of Mr. Sunderampillai, the first murder that has taken place since nominations were called for in the General Elections of 2004. Mr. Sunderampillai's murder brings into sharp relief the context in which the General Elections in the north and east will be held. It has raised its concerns regarding the issue of providing security to those persons who are running for elections in the north and east within the context in which the franchise of persons living in areas under LTTE control is being highlighted. In a statement to the Police after Sunday's incident the injured candidate had said that he suspected the LTTE for the attack, Kattankudi police said. Sunderampillai had a narrow shave when the three armed men attempted to gun him down at his residence at Ariyampati on Sunday night. A niece and a nephew of the candidate who wre living in the same house were also attacked by the intruders, who forced themselves in, after breaking one of the windows. The Kattankudi police said no candidate in the North and East had requested state protection and even after the incident they had not responded to the Police inquiries whether any candidate required police protection. The LTTE is not contesting the election but is strongly backing the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which had 15 seats in the former Parliament. |
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