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PICTURES: Uva PC polls: 18 election offices attacked in 24-hours
Aug 26, 201408:27 AM
With only weeks remaining to the Uva election, in 24-hours time, 18 opposition election campaign offices in Moneragala district were attacked, and destroyed, bringing the total number of election violation complaints to 74 thus far.
Some 13 UNP, 4 JVP and 1 Democratic Party (DP) offices were reported to have attacked during this period.
“Opposition candidates, supporters and the general public in Moneragala district now fear for their lives as armed groups attacked 18 opposition election offices in the last 24 hours,“ said Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE).
This was especially true in Bibile police area as armed groups carried out a series of attacked for over six hours starting from the dawn of August 24th. CaFFE observers report that these groups acted with impunity and no action was taken to arrest them.
Propaganda material of United National Party (UNP) offices in Ilukapathana, Bakinigahawela, Medagama, Kanulwala, Heraliyawala, Nannapurawa, Galkumbura, Wegama, Hepola, Delliyedda have been destroyed by the attacks. Mohommad Nazeer who hosted the UNP office in Moneragala Road, Kanulwala, Bibile said that an armed group threatened him stating that they will kill him if he continues to host the UNP office. Meanwhile the armed groups have asked the UNP office in Parana Alupotha, Badalkumbura, to be removed. There are 24 legitimate UNP offices in Bibile, out of which 13 have been attacked yesterday.
JVP offices in Obbegoda, Mariyarawa and Weliyaya in Moneragala and Mayuragama in Kataragama have also been attacked. JVP candidate for Moneragala district Anura Kumara Wickremasinghe said that a leading UPFA candidate is behind the attack. 12 JVP offices in Moneragala have been attacked since August 07. Last week JVP office in Sellakataragama was destroyed and JVP members had been assaulted by a group led by Kataragama PC Chairman. Two injured JVPers had been admitted to Kataragama hospital.
Meanwhile office of DP Moneragala candidate Saman Kumara Abeyrathne at Moneragala Road, Bibile was attacked at 3.15 am on August 24 by armed groups and threatened the candidate.
These violent attacks have created a fear psychosis among opposition activists in Moneragala. CaFFE has received 74 complaints by 10 am August 25 and yesterday was the most violent day so far,”
