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Election monitors under fire for skipping Tamil observers

Mar 31, 2004, 04:57 [TNS]

Sri Lankas election monitors have come under fire for skipping Tamil observers in the north after expressing confidence in the north for holding free and fair elections, say resident intellectuals and NGO officials from the Jaffna area.

Along with the international monitors, only ten other Sinhalese poll monitors now have been deployed in the North and no Tamils from the region were assigned, said officials with local NGOs. Officials said that they were deeply disappointed and outraged in the decision to omit Tamils from the monitoring team, especially since it comes after public expressions of confidence and faith in the north.

Last week, a spokesperson for one of the monitoring teams expressed confidence in having a free and fair election in Jaffna and other parts of the North and the East monitored by the locals of the areas. Executive Director of PAFFREL Kingsley Rodrigo speaking to a local press also noted it was important that the locals there observe the polls themselves to ensure a free and fair election in those areas.

Jaffna intellectuals are dismayed and enraged over the CMEV’s Mr. Paikaisothy Saravanamuttu’s unprecedented decision to exclude Tamil monitors in north. They say this is the first time the Tamils are excluded and a Sinhala-only local team assigned to the North.

“This is a slap in the face for north and a grievous insult on the credibility and impartiality of those of us in the north, a Jaffna University lecturer told TNS.

He further accused the monitoring team of the marching to the beat of the majority. He said the poll monitors had succumbed to pressure from the President, JVP and the Jathika Hela Urumaya who were opposed to the idea of having Tamils from the region observe the elections.

This has been the root cause of all the problems. In the past it was always the case that the will of the majority be imposed on the minority. It is a sheer tragedy that with all this talk of peace, this still hasnt changed and the election monitoring body itself has become a victim to this attitude, he said.

நன்றி - TNS