Elections jeopardize democracy

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 August 2009, 00:46 GMT]
With only 20 percent turn out in the municipal elections, the clear verdict of the Eezham Tamils is no confidence in the Sri Lankan state and its institutions, said Tamil circles, commenting further that genocidal war and democratic elections mean the same for Colombo. They were citing the manner in which the elections were conducted denying entry to outside witnesses, while 40 percent of the voters not present, 50 percent of polling cards not delivered, Colombo-sponsored forgery of ID cards accused, people coerced and even the Tamil outfit with the government was forced to drop its identity. Whether war and elections against Tamils mean the same to the international community too is the question now coming from the Tamil circles which pointed out that the armed forces occupying the peninsula were more than double in number than the people voted in the elections.

The Tamil decision to boycott the elections was spontaneous despite the big show made by the Colombo government and the participation of the TNA. The most important message is that Eezham Tamils will trust only an election conducted under their own sovereignty, Tamil circles further said.

Results: Jaffna Municipal Council

UNITED PEOPLE'S FREEDOM ALLIANCE (UPFA): 10,602 (13 seats)
ILANKAI TAMIL ARASU KADCHI (ITAK): 8,008 (8 seats)
INDEPENDENT GROUP 1: 1,175 (1 seat)
TAMIL UNITED LIBERATION FRONT: 1,007 (1 seat)
UNITED NATIONAL PARTY: 83 (no seat)
INDEPENDENT GROUP 2: 47 (no seat)

Valid Votes: 20,922
Rejected Votes: 1,358
Total Polled: 22,280
Registered Electors: 100,417


Vavuniyaa Urban Council:

ILLANKAI TAMIL ARASU KADCHI: 4,279 (34.81%, 5 seats)
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S LIBERATION FRONT:4,136 (33.65%, 3 seats)
UNITED PEOPLE'S FREEDOM ALLIANCE: 3,045 (24.77%, 2 seats)
SRI LANKA MUSLIM CONGRESS: 587 (4.78%, 1 seat)
UNITED NATIONAL PARTY: 228 (1.85%)
SRI LANKA PROGRESSIVE FRONT: 10 (0.08%)
INDEPENDENT GROUP 1: 6 (0.08%)
INDEPENDENT GROUP 3: 1 (0.05%)
INDEPENDENT GROUP 2: -


Valid Votes 12,292
Rejected Votes 558
Total Polled 12,850
Registered Electors 24,626

Chronology: