TNA MP: Low turnout reflects Tamils losing faith in political system

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 April 2010, 01:34 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesperson Suresh Premachandran has been quoted by The Island as saying that the very low turnout of Tamils in North and East in the 7th parliamentary elections of Sri Lanka signalled that the Tamil voters were losing faith in the political system. The TNA MP from Jaffna further said that the majority of Tamils who participated in the elections had endorsed the TNA manifesto for the resolution of the conflict and speedy re-settlement of the uprooted civilians.
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Overwhelming Tamil majority rejects elections under Sri Lankan State

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 April 2010, 11:04 GMT]
A record number of candidates, numbering more than 1800 contested for the parliamentary seats in the North and East, but Eezham Tamils responded to it by a record low in participation. The turnout was only 18 percent in the North. Even after including the displaced it is only 23%. The clear verdict of Eezham Tamils, said in the most profound democratic way under circumstances possible, is that they have no confidence in democracy under Sri Lankan State. Another interesting observation is that in the entire Jaffna district, the leading Tamil National Alliance (TNA) totally polled just 65,119, only as much as the 64,256 votes cast in favour of Vaddukkoaddai Resolution by the diaspora in UK alone. The silent but vast majority of Eezham Tamils at home demand new genre of political organisation and leadership is the message of Thursday's polls.
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Clashes reported in the wake of election all over the country

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 April 2010, 19:56 GMT]
Clashes following Thursday parliamentary election between supporters of opposing candidates are reported to be taking place in several areas of the island, according to media reports. Former minister of the ruling United People’s Freedom (UPFA), M. Aluthgama is alleged to be directly involved in the assault of a member of the Election Monitoring Committee in Navalappiddi in the upcountry where incidents of post election violence has been high. Fights between two Muslim factions in Aalayadiveampu in Batticaloa in which Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) members are alleged to be involved, are also reported.
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Lowest number of votes registered in Jaffna electoral district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 April 2010, 18:31 GMT]
Only 18 to 20 percent of the voters in Jaffna electoral district cast their votes in the parliamentary elections Thursday recording the lowest in island, while the voting percentage in the whole country was from 52 to 55 percent, according to Election Monitoring Agencies. Jaffna electoral district, compared to other electoral districts, recorded the lowest turn over of voters where voting percentage in Thenmaraadchi was higher than that of Vadamaraadchi while voting was very low in the islets of Jaffna, the sources said. Compared to the recent presidential election where the voting was low the voting turn out was even less in the parliamentary election in Jaffna electoral district.
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Incidents of violence mark Election Day

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 April 2010, 10:15 GMT]
In Vavuniyaa in the North, alleged supporters of former Minister of Resettlement and ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Risard Badudeen harassed private bus owners transporting Vanni uprooted civilians in Vavuniyaa detention centres to the polling stations in Vanni district, according to Advisor to the Elections Commisioner, Bandula Kulathunge. Meanwhile, Executive Director of PAFFREL, Rohana Hettiarachchi said that the Election Day was quite violent with incidents continuing to pour in from all parts of the island.
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Self-organised democracy of Tamils receives global attention

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 April 2010, 09:59 GMT]
The Tamil community in Australia is trying to test its aspirations of its people through a referendum of its own while Sri Lanka goes for parliamentary elections, reported Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Wednesday about a referendum on independent Tamil state organised by Australian Tamils on April 17th and 18th. "This ballot has nothing to do with the parliamentary elections held this week in Sri Lanka. This is a referendum to test the will of the Tamil diaspora," Liam Cochrane of the ABC reported. "Self-organised democracy, the most meaningful of all democracies, has become the need of the times for Eezham Tamils, who are cornered for subjugation, not only militarily, but also through imposed elections in the island," TamilNet correspondent in Australia cited the mood of the diaspora.
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Ballot boxes dispatched to polling booths in Jaffna, Ki’linochchi districts

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 April 2010, 11:07 GMT]
Jaffna secretariat started dispatching Wednesday morning ballot boxes and polling cards in vehicles escorted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police to the polling centres in Jaffna district and to the cluster voting centres set up in Ki’linochchi district and in the islets of Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. The ballot boxes, cards and election duty officers to Nedunththeevu were flown in a helicopter. Meanwhile, Saravanabavan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidate contesting Jaffna electorate, alleged that nearly 3,000 polling cards had been snatched away by Eezham People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) men in the islets of Jaffna.
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SLA releases Vanni civilians from Thellippazhai Rehabilitation Centre, opens Clock Tower road

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 April 2010, 10:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) released 106 Vanni uprooted persons including young men and women held in Thellippazhai SLA Special Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) and opened Clock Tower Road in Jaffna town Wednesday in a last minute attempt to support the government in the context of Thursday parliamentary election, sources said. Jaffna SLA Commander Major Gen. Mahintha Kathurasinghe presided at the official event held at Thellippazhai SRC Thursday morning and later officially opened Clock Tower Road which had been closed by SLA for the last 15 years. Jaffna Government Agent, K. Ganesh, Jaffna University Vice-chancellor Prof. Shanmugalingan, Commanding Officer of SLA 515th Division G. A. Jayasundara participated in the event at Thellippazhai.
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High ranking Tiger officials in SLA custody feared assassinated

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 April 2010, 15:39 GMT]
Basil Rajapakse, senior advisor of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and his brother said Monday in Colombo that if the name of anyone not found in the list of 11,000 persons held in the rehabilitation camps for Liberation Tigers, published in government websites they could be considered no longer living, in a conference he held with the Non-government Organizations now functioning in Vanni. In response to a question raised by HUDEC Caritas representative on the situation of the persons gone missing and arrested during the final stage of the war on Vanni Basil Rajapakse referred to the list of 11,000 persons held in the rehabilitation camps but failed to mention the websites he referred to, an NGO representative who attended the conference said.
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EPDP continues to intimidate other contestants in the islets of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 April 2010, 14:35 GMT]
Eezham People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), an ally of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in the islets of Jaffna which is under the absolute control of Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), has spread a false news in its website and media that 3 local youths had been attacked with swords in Naaranthanai in Oorkaavatu’rai in the islands of Jaffna with the aim of scaring the polling agents of other contestants from appearing for duty in the islets of Jaffna on the election day, sources in Jaffna said. Sinhalese thugs from South brought to Jaffna by United National Party (UNP) had slashed the youths, according to news spread by EPDP, the sources added. However, residents of Naaranthanai denied any attack on youths in their village while Jaffna dailies did not carry any such news.
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USA aids, awards Colombo supplier

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 April 2010, 22:56 GMT]
A Colombo-based supplier of horticultural produce to McDonalds, Burger King, Unilever, Heinz and also to Japan has been provided with US aid since 2008 to initiate its activities in the Eastern Province. Mr. Mohan Pandithage, chairman of the supplier group, Hayleys, a Multi National Corporate (MNC) of Sri Lanka, received an award from USAID for the achievement of economically linking conflict-affected East with the Colombo-centric system and through that with the other multinational corporates. While Eezham Tamils were butchered, starving, suffering from acute malnutrition, deprived of their land and were incarcerated, sections of their cultivable lands were producing gherkins, jalapeno, peppers and pineapples to MNCs under the programme of the USA, commented a university academic of the East.
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SLA shoots on persons transporting sand in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 April 2010, 16:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers opened fire Sunday evening on three youths on a tractor transporting sand for building purposes without stopping at the SLA check post in Allaarai area in Thenmaraadchi, sources in Chavakachcheari said. The soldiers were able to take two of them into custody while the third person had run off. Kodikaamam police to whom the two persons were handed over to produced them at Chaavakachcheari magistrate court Monday. The court ordered the two youths to be placed in remand prison.
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Elections for ‘Asian’ model of dictatorship

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 April 2010, 10:27 GMT]
Even though the present elections are imposed ones and are deviation tactics of the oppressors, if it is properly understood where the game is heading for, Eezham Tamils will know to whom should they vote to keep their aspirations alive. Despite all odds, the TNA line of politics has to be challenged by the Tamil national cause, at least in some token constituencies, to send the message loud and clear to India and to the outside world. Such a challenge only can be the inspiration for Tamils to eventually evolve the much needed new genre of polity of their own to meet the local and global scenario and once again, such a challenge only can nullify forces conspiring to divide Eezham Tamils in the diaspora and at home, writes TamilNet political commentator in Colombo.
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41 percent polling cards remain undelivered in Jaffna electorate

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 April 2010, 17:29 GMT]
Only 4, 27,164 (59%) polling cards of the total 7,21,359 polling cards of Jaffna electorate which consists of the districts of Jaffna and Ki’linochchi have been delivered to voters through post offices, Jaffna Government Agent (GA) said in a press meet held in Jaffna Secretariat Saturday. However, arrangements have been made for them to get their polling cards until 4:00 p.m on the voting day, he added. Steps have been taken to transport the uprooted Vanni voters held in Vavuniyaa detention centres from 8:00 a.m to 10:00 a.m to vote in the cluster voting booths on the election day, the GA informed on being reminded that there were allegations that the voters in the detention centres were not transported to vote in the last Presidential election.
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Tortured Jaffna undergrad commits suicide

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 April 2010, 20:21 GMT]
26-year-old Balasingham Karunanithi, a third year student of the Faculty of Management in Jaffna University, arrested and tortured by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) when he was held in a Vavuniyaa detention camp after the war on Vanni, committed suicide in Jaffna at a house in Naachchimaar Koayiladi where he was staying, sources in Jaffna said. Karunanithi is the fourth Vanni undergraduate of Jaffna University to commit suicide due to mental derangement resulting from their detention in SLA detention centres in Vavuniyaa, the sources added. A medical faculty student and two first year girl students of Jaffna University had committed suicide after the final offensive on Vanni.
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Mahinda Rajapakse displeased with Jaffna election meeting

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 April 2010, 11:01 GMT]
Despite efforts by Minister Douglas Devananda and the candidates of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) it was possible to bring in only less than 400 persons to attend the propaganda meeting in which Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse participated Thursday in Jaffna Duraippah Stadium, sources in Jaffna said. Mahinda Rajapakse appeared disturbed and displeased on seeing a small crowd and delivered an address which failed to cover the much expected and vital issues like political solution, resettlement of uprooted families in Valikaamam North in Sri Lanka Army occupied High Security Zone (HSZ) and restoring normalcy in Jaffna peninsula.
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Mahinda Rajapakse to engage in election campaign in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2010, 21:09 GMT]
President Mahinda Rajapakse is expected to arrive in Jaffna Thursday to address a public meeting to be held in Duraippaa Stadium Thursday arranged by Eelam Peoples’ Democratic Party (EPDP), an ally of ruling United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA), EPDP sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Varatharaja Perumal, the leader of Eelam Peoples’ Revolutionary Front (EPRLF Varathar faction) and the former Chief Minister of North-East provincial council, arrived in Jaffna Wednesday, sources in Jaffna said.
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Why welcome and caution to Transnational Government

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 March 2010, 07:09 GMT]
Many Eezham Tamils are elated at the idea of Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam. But it seems the concept has been hijacked at the outset itself to turn it into another CEO of corporate colonialism. TamilNet, which was advocating for Transnational Government even before the pronouncement of the present move, will not advise Eezham Tamils to abandon the move. Rather, the diaspora has to face the elections just like people at home face a series of imposed elections. The diaspora is free and better disposed in identifying elements that should be kept at a distance and in electing right candidates to bring in the necessary course correction in the outlook of the Transnational Government. In the meantime, moves for grass root political organizations in the diaspora should proceed unabated, because they are going to be the real fallback for the independent polity of Eezham Tamils.
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Foundation stone laid for star tourist hotel in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2010, 17:23 GMT]
The Governor of Sri Lanka Central Bank, Ajith Cabrala, participating as the chief guest in the ceremony, laid the foundation stone Monday in Nalloor Muththiraichanththai area in Jaffna for a star tourist hotel which he said will soon be completed construction at the event, sources in Jaffna said. Gnanam and Subas hotels in Jaffna had been occupied for the last fourteen years by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) which had converted both private hotels into a major military base of its 512 Division. The government which had refused to handover both hotels to their rightful owners is staging this event in order to show that it is actively promoting development in Jaffna peninsula so as to entice voters, civil society organizations in the peninsula observed.
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Police seek candidates’ assistance to arrest election violators

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 March 2010, 15:07 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police Election Desk has received 201 election related complaints including intimidations and violation of election laws till Saturday and 128 suspects have been taken into custody. Police are now seeking the assistance of candidates of political parties and independent groups contesting the general election to trace 185 more suspects involved in election violence, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Gamini Navaratne said.
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