Deadly unrest flares ahead of vote in Lanka

http://www.nation.com.pk

January 20, 2010

COLOMBO (Agencies) – Two people have been killed in separate attacks ahead of a presidential election next week.

A supporter of opposition candidate Gen Sarath Fonseka was killed in a clash involving ruling party activists in the north-western town of Waryiapola. Later, a ruling party supporter was killed in a nearby town when a campaign office was bombed, marking the fourth politically-related death in the run-up to the presidential vote on January 26, taking place amid heightened tension. There have also been 695 incidents of polls related violence

Gen Fonseka is the main rival to President Rajapaksa. He resigned from his post as chief of defence staff in November following differences with the government over who should take credit for defeating the Tamil Tigers last May. In the attack in Waryiapola, about 60km north-east of Colombo, supporters of Gen Fonseka were attacked while putting up election posters. “One man was killed and several others sustained injuries,” a spokesman for the police election secretariat said.

Sources said the man was clubbed to death at Ambakadawara, Wariyapola by a gang alleged to be supporters of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). A group of ten supporters of Gen. Fonseka had reportedly been pasting posters, when they came under attack by a gang on motorcycles. The supporters had fled to escape the attack, but one of them was killed.

The victim H.M. Dhammika Herath (33) was a businessman in the area and the son of the former Principal of Amakadawara Vidyalaya. The body was to be sent from Wariyapola District Hospital to the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital for a post-mortem.

In connection with the killing the police was able to arrest five out of the six suspects who came in six motorbikes.

The bomb attack in Kurunegala, about 15km south-east of Waryiapola, came a few hours later. At least six people were injured.

IOne person was killed and four injured when a hand grenade was thrown at a residence which was also the election office of Minister Jayaratne Herath.

The victim was Suranga Indrajith (28) a driver attached to the Ministry of Health, police media spokesman I.M. Karunaratne said.

Meanwhile, in yet another incident of polls related violence, the Opposition Leader of the Dambulla Pradeshiya Sabha was stabbed by a group of four men Monday morning.

Deadly unrest flares in Sri Lanka ahead of vote

www.channelnewsasia.com

18 January 2010

COLOMBO – A Sri Lankan opposition supporter was killed on Monday as fresh unrest erupted ahead of next week’s presidential election despite a security crackdown, police said.

The man was killed in a clash with ruling party activists in northwestern Sri Lanka, marking the third politically-related death in the run-up to the presidential vote on January 26.

Supporters of the main opposition candidate, former army chief Sarath Fonseka, were attacked in the town of Wariyapola while they were putting up election posters, police said.

« One man was killed and several others sustained injuries, » a spokesman for the police election secretariat said.

Police say they have reports of nearly 600 poll-related incidents of violence already.

President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is running for re-election, has ordered a security crackdown to quell unrest, his spokesman Chandrapala Liyanage said.

« The president is deeply concerned about the violence and has already ordered police to make sure that there is tighter security, » Liyanage told AFP on Sunday.

« He is also appealing to all parties to ensure there is no violence. »

Opposition activist Kusuma Kuruppuarachchi, 60, was the first to be killed in the poll campaign when she was shot in the southern town of Hungama last week.

Police also fired tear gas to disperse thousands of party workers in the eastern town of Polonnaruwa after mobs destroyed vehicles and buildings on Wednesday.

The US embassy in Colombo said it was concerned about the escalating violence in Sri Lanka, where the government last May crushed the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels last year and ended decades of ethnic war on the island.

« Those who lost their lives are not the only victims of these brutal attacks — democracy is also a victim, » the embassy said in a statement. « Such violence undermines the democratic rights and traditions of Sri Lanka. »

The United States was recently accused by a ruling party legislator of funding the main opposition to oust Rajapakse. The allegations were denied by the embassy.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has accused Rajapakse’s People’s Alliance of inciting violence and using intimidation to swing voters.

Rajapakse is facing a tough challenge from Fonseka, who quit the army and entered politics in November.

– AFP /ls

~ par Alain Bertho sur 20 janvier 2010.

Publié dans émeutes, riots