LTTE sympathiser removed from Norwegian Labour party ballot

OSLO: Yogurajah Balasingham, a sitting member Oslo Municipality, has been ditched by the Labour Party of Norway. His name is nowhere to be seen on the Labour party’s candidates list for the Norwegian 2007 municipality election. He is currently serving the last year of his term as a member of the Oslo Municipality.

He was nominated for another term, but the Labour Party election committee has removed his name from the official ballot for the Labour Party.

Khamshajiny Gunaratnam is the only candidate from the LTTE on the Labour party ballot for 2007. She has been nominated as candidate number 44, out of a list of 53 candidates of the Labour Party.

In 2003 the LTTE election fraud was detected by several voters and reported to the election board. The election fraud secured Yogurajah Balasingham enough votes to get into the Municipal Council.

The Labour party accepted Yogurajah Balasingham as their candidate despite of the evidence proving the LTTE fraud. The journalist that exposed the election fraud, Nina Johnsrud was later targeted by unknown gunmen and several shots were fired into her house.

In the Oslo Municipality Yogurajah Balasingham was a member in the cultural committee. During his period the LTTE front organisations benefited with funding both from the Oslo Municipality and from the Norwegian Government.

There have been no official statements or explanations as to why the LTTE Norwegian leader has been removed from the ballot. (Asiantribune.com)

- Asian Tribune