SL government servants in Jaffna complain political exploitation

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 July 2011, 12:59 GMT]
Tamil public servants working under Rajapaksa Administration occupying the Tamil country, now openly complain that they are exploited in Colombo’s electioneering. The occupying government forces them to do election campaign, the civil officers accuse. Colombo particularly pressurises them to claim the development work undertaken by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the UN Agencies, as those of the achievements of the Rajapaksa government, the civil officers said. In this regard, they are forced to use public funds to send ads to local newspapers, they further said. Local newspapers said that everyday they receive around 10 such ads, but many of the newspapers shun publishing the ads fearing public backlash.

Meanwhile the campaign of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is completely blocked in the north. Even TNA parliamentarians are afraid to undertake any campaign work.

The SL police that refuses permission for TNA campaign, ridicules those who ask for permission by asking them back, “Don’t you know what had happened to the meeting at A’laveddi?”

No action has so far been taken for the SL military attack on the TNA meeting at A’laveddi, last month. No one has so far been arrested over the incident, confirms Thellippazhai police. The TNA parliamentarians said that they could identify two SLA commanders who led the attack. The SL police maintain that nothing had happened other than injury to two policemen and a chair falling down.

The SL Election Commissioner has sent his deputy on Wednesday to find out the situation in Jaffna.

A three-member committee from the Election Commission visited Jaffna earlier. Some offices were also opened to make complaints. But no action has ever been taken on any of the complaints.

Presidential sibling Basil Rajapaksa is camping in Jaffna along with 13 SL ministers to supervise the Rajapaksa campaign.

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