NEM-IHR commences monitoring

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Network for Election Monitoring of the Intellectuals for Human Rights (NEM-IHR) has started monitoring the Uva election. Uva province election will be held on August 8.

Uditha Gunasekara, Chief executive of the NEM-IHR said, "We successfully did monitoring in the last provincial elections. Likewise this time too we are on the job. Already we have sent two monitors to each Divisional Secretariat. We sent 30 monitors to the Badulla District and 22 monitors to the Moneragala District. They are well trained and qualified people."

He also said, according to our monitors only two incidents of election violence have been reported from Thanamalvila and Haliela in Badulla. But there are many complaints have been received about election law violations.

"In the past most of the problems occurred due to the unavailability of ID cards. Most people in the Uva Province don't have IDs because most of them are living in rural villages and estates. We are going to take action to provide National Identity Cards to them. But there should be changes in the whole election process. People should also think about requirements like IDs without waiting till elections close in," said Uditha Gunasekara.