UPFA condemns polls violence

The UPFA vehemently condemns the violence perpetrated by the common opposition front and the JVP are perpetrating in the current presidential election campaign that had already claimed the lives of two UPFA supporters, injured several others and damaged property of our supporters, the UPFA Presidential Election Campaign Office said yesterday.

Acts of violence in the campaign were being heightened by the UNP-JVP cooperating with the opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka. On January 11 UPFA election offices at Track 9 and Track 12 of the Rajangana area were attacked by organized gangs at night and the following day the UPFA offices in and around Mihintale were attacked by persons trained in the use of firearms. On January 12 and 13 at Eppawala and Polonnaruwa similar acts of violence were witnessed.

On January 13 a bomb was seized at the home of Vijayamuni Sumathipala of Ketagalaara, Embilipitiya, a supporter of the opposition common candidate.

The following act of violence against the UPFA supporters were listed by the press release of the campaign office signed by UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayanth.

On January 18 a person was killed in an attack on the house of UPFA Minister Jayaratna Herath. The same day at Dambulla, Dambulla Pradeshiya Sabha opposition leader A.V.Rupasinghe was attacked with swords, it was reported.

Nihal Boteju, a UPFA supporter of Ragama was attacked on January 14.

On January 15, Kalkudah organizer B.M.Chandrapala’s home was attacked.

On January 16, armed opposition groups threatened UPFA supporters at Puttalam District.

On the same day, R.D.Nuwan Tharaka, a resident of Thonigala who had attended a UPFA rally and was returning home was killed and another UPFA supporter Ranaweera was seriously injured in a similar attack Again on the same day at Kurunegala, a number of homes of UPFA supporters was attacked by the UNP-JVP-Fonseka alliance supporters.

On the next day, Gamini Jayawikrama, a UPFA resident of Godagama was assaulted and threatened by the same opposition alliance supporters.

All these acts of violence show that the people’s right to vote at a free and fair environment was being violated by the UNP-JVP-Fonseka alliance.

They seemed to be attempting to bring about anarchy and wanting to bring disrepute to the country among the international community, the press release said.