Postponement of local polls in N-E a setback: EPDP

COLOMBO: The EPDP has described the postponement of the local government polls in the North-East as a setback to the democratic rights of the people living in the two provinces.

The EPDP in a press release said there had been a resurgence in the activities of the North and East Community after nominations to the local government elections as the party came forward to protect their democratic rights amidst threats and attacks aimed at candidates of alternative parties by the LTTE and their unofficial lackey the TNA.

The LTTE and their agents who feared this community resurgence as a threat to its image abroad as the sole representative of Tamil people had requested the Elections Commissioner to postpone the elections.

The EPDP leader has been residing in Jaffna for the past month and resolving the burning problems of the Northern populace.

The EPDP has also been returned to the Pudukadiruppu Pradeshiya Sabha in Mullaitivu District uncontested. As a result, people have been flocking round the EPDP banner in large numbers and the LTTE could not withstand this situation.

Now that the elections in the North and East have been postponed by six months, the EPDP wished to inform the local and international community that it would take all measures to keep up the democratic rights and tempo of the North and East people until the elections are held in six months as promised.