An election of little interest to the people
|
A
meeting to celebrate the victories in
the
Wanni war in the midst of the election
heat |
By Arthur Wamanan,
Nirmala Kannangara and B.M. Murshideen
The occasional convoy of politicians driving
at excessive speed for their next meeting in
is the only indication that there is an
election to be held in the Nuwara Eliya
District - in one week's time.
Otherwise, there are no physical signs of an
election that is around the corner. Despite
the scheduled election, the town and the
suburbs of Nuwara Eliya appear very quiet
with very little or no colourful decorations
of political parties on display except in
the respective political offices.
In fact, there were more national flags
swaying in the breeze by the roadside than
flags or banners of political parties.
Almost every building, including those in
the estate sector had a national flag
hoisted or hung to commemorate the February
4 Independence Day and to endorse the
heroism of the soldiers fighting in the
Wanni.
The people too appeared more interested in
going on with their normal life than be
electioneering or attending election
meetings. It is as if the political
developments around them appealed to none.
Only a handful of them appeared keen to know
how the various political parties were
faring and their chances of winning the
election.
A drastic change
In recent times, the livelihoods of those in
the upcountry have seen a drastic change for
the worse due to the economic downturn
experienced by the entire world. The global
recession is continuing to take its toll on
the local tea industry, affecting the lives
of those who toil to send it to the market.
Tea smallholders were compelled to take
serious measures in order to stem the impact
on the industry.
The estate workers however have had no say
in any of these developments but have
nevertheless been at the receiving end. This
meant, coping with lesser incomes and
tightening the family kitty.
Plantation
management companies have either reduced the
number of workers or reduced the number of
days of work in the plantations. Either way,
workers have been affected and are forced to
accept what they are being given.
The people who are better off than the
estate workers say that they (estate
workers) are partly to be blamed for the
state they find themselves in. According to
them, the estate community had suffered many
hardships for the past several years but
their living conditions appear not to
improve, perhaps partly due to their
political decisions.
"They (estate workers) do what they are told
to do and they never question," was the
reason given.
No improvement
Even the workers accept this. "We have been
living like this for the past several
decades and our living conditions have not
improved at all," said G. Paripooranam, an
estate worker.
She was forced to look after three of her
children following the death of her husband.
Today, she is happy that at least her
children are doing slightly better then her.
"My eldest son is in the
Middle East. He studied here but could not find a job. Therefore he
went to the
Middle East and now he is sending whatever
money he can earn."
Her second son too is employed "Only my
daughter is at home. She just completed her
education," Paripooranam said. Some of these
estate sector workers sometimes travel a
long distance in order to find work in one
of the estates. They will find work, only if
they are lucky.
"I travel from home paying Rs. 50 for
travelling. There have been occasions where
I had to go back home empty handed, as I
could not find work in any of the estates,"
says K. Rajamany. "I get around Rs. 300 a
day for about 20 days a month. This has been
the way for the past several years.
Politicians come to us only for votes. But
don't do anything."
Plight of workers
This is the state of the estate sector
community and this has been their plight for
a very long time. The tea industry had
contributed enormously to the country's
revenue, and ironically, the very people
who are responsible for this continue to
live in an impoverished state without any
hope of ever raising their heads.
Many of these people do not have their
proper identification documents. Today, it
has been made compulsory for them to obtain
their IDs for two reasons. Firstly, due to
the forthcoming elections and secondly, for
security reasons. The compulsion to have
identification documents for the estate
community people increased amidst growing
concerns over LTTE infiltration of the
plantation sector. Many still await these
vital documents.
According to the Campaign for Free and Fair
Elections (CAFFE), around 71,250 people in
the Nuwara Eliya District are yet to obtain
their National Identity Cards (NIC) out of
which the majority do not have any of the
documents stipulated by the Elections
Commissioner.
CAFFE Spokesperson, Keerthi Tennekoon in a
statement on Friday said that less than 400
applications for NICs had been received by
the Nuwara Eliya Assistant Elections
Commissioner and added that there were many
more applications in the Divisional
Secretariat office.
Tennekoon stated that nearly 50,000 people
would not be in a position to cast their
votes due to this issue. Friday (6) was the
final day for submitting applications.
Awaiting votes
It is in this backdrop that the politicians
are eagerly awaiting their votes.
As for the upcountry people, the political
arena appears less active and far less
inspiring, despite the poll day being just
around the corner.
According to some, there is a likelihood
that the political landscape may change this
time around. This they forecast due to the
entry of some new political faces such as P.
Digambaram and Prakash Ganesan.
Though the mainstream parties such as the
Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) and the
Upcountry People's Front (UPF) continue to
enjoy their vote base in certain areas, some
feel that there could be a change in the
political landscape this time. "It might be
a small one (change). But there could be a
change," many a person said.
The general view of the public is that the
votes would be split between the UPFA and
the new UNP candidates like Digambaram and
Ganesan, who are gaining popularity amongst
the upcountry people.
However, the entry of the likes of Ganesan
would not prove a threat to the major
parties like the CWC and the UPF. These
parties have been representing the community
for years if not decades.
Incidents increase
However, people feel the splitting of votes
would result in the major parties losing a
part of their vote base.
Meanwhile, complaints on pre-election
violence have been on the increase.
According to CAFFE, 66 complaints had been
recorded as at February 5.
The rate of incidents have increased during
the last couple of weeks according to the
monitors.
Monitors however say that the level of
violence reported was lower than the
previous provincial polls in the Eastern,
North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces
held last year.
The police too confirmed that there have
been few complaints with regard to
pre-election violence. Police however said
that there had been a few incidents
reported, which were 'usual' during election
period.
The people have an explanation for the
absence of posters or banners of political
parties and candidates around Nuwara Eliya.
They feel the police were acting in a
neutral manner and especially during the
pre-election period, had made every effort
to clear posters and cut-outs of candidates
in public places. Nevertheless, in many
places, the President's cut-outs remained
intact.
A friendly people
Most of those who spoke to The Sunday Leader
did not want themselves to be identified due
to fear. They said that though there was no
immediate threat of violence against them,
they feared as to who was around them.
"We are a friendly people and share cordial
relationships with each other. But,
sometimes things change within a second and
there would be a clash. My closest friend
does not know who I'm supporting and vice
versa. Everything is done undercover," they
said.
In addition to this, they said that there
were a few skirmishes in the region recently
between party supporters. The biggest
incident was recorded when some of Arumugam
Thondaman's supporters clashed with those of
P. Chandrasekeran (UPF).
Post election, they wish to resume their
normal lives. Their challenges remain the
same. The economic hardships cannot be
wished away.
Members of the plantation community have
little to be content with. The basic
infrastructure needs remain unaddressed.
Sanitation is another issue. They live in
the same line-houses and depend on their
daily wages for survival. It is a lifestyle
they have so far failed to break free from.
It is unlikely that a new breed of
politicians or the same old faces would
ensure a change for the better which they so
richly deserve.
|
'Family has been ardent UNPers' -
S. B. Dissanayake
UNP National Organiser and Chief Ministerial
candidate for the Central Province S.B.
Dissanayake did not have any special liking
towards politics from his young age, but
felt attracted to it during his
undergraduate days at the Peradeniya
University.
"For generations, our families were ardent
supporters of the UNP and it was way back in
1970 that I first made a speech. I was
welcoming the then Justice Minister Fairly
Wijemanne and Prof. Stanley Kalpage when
they visited our ancestral home for lunch.
Both politicians were thrilled with my
skills. However I did not want to be engaged
in politics. But I used to listen to
speeches made by Rohana Wijeweera, Mahinda
Wijesekera, Nimal Maharage and Kelly
Senanayake and read many books on Marxism
when I was in the university. I did not want
to engage in politics until being arrested
in 1971. I was taken into custody and was in
remand prison for five days for being a
UNPer," added Dissanayake.
According to Dissanayake it was the time the
first JVP insurgency raised its ugly head
and those who were taken into custody during
the JVP uprising were detained in
universities.
"Since the universities were transformed
into prisons, the students got together and
fought for our rights. Chandrasiri Gajadeera
was with us, and I was elected as the
secretary and later as the chairman of the
University Students Federation," Dissanayake
said.
After a successful career at the university,
Dissanayake obtained a scholarship to Moscow
University and later returned to contest
from the Communist Party for the
Hanguranketha seat in 1977.
"My parents and other family members thought
that I have let them down since I became the
candidate for the Communist Party, but later
they helped me in my campaign. I was
defeated very badly and I put politics
aside. I then joined Marga Institute under
Dr. Gamini Corea and worked as a Research
Analyst. During this period I had the
opportunity to work closely with Sirimavo
Bandaranaike during the referendum in 1982
and that was how I became a SLFP member. I
became a full time SLFP activist in 1985,
contested the election from Hanguranketha in
1989 and entered parliament. From then on I
won all the elections that I contested. In
2001 I crossed over to the UNP ranks and
helped the party to win the 2001 general
election," Dissanayake said.
Dissanayake is the father of two sons and he
does not want them to enter politics.
"Both my sons are pursuing higher studies
and they do not have any idea of entering
politics. We do not want to see our sons in
politics," said Dissanayake.
'I have been CM thrice'
- UPFA's Sarath Ekanayake
The UPFA chief ministerial hopeful Sarath
Ekanayake is confident that he would be
sworn in as the chief minister of the
Central Province on February 15. If he does,
it would be for the fourth consecutive time.
"It was in 1999 that I first became the CM
but later had to relinquish office paving
way for my brother Nandimithra Ekanayake.
But I still continued as a provincial
councillor. However my brother contested for
the 2000 general election and when he was
elected to parliament I was once again sworn
in as the CM. In the 2004 provincial council
elections I was re-elected and that was the
third time," Ekanayake claimed.
Ekanayake first entered politics in 1982
with his brother Nandimithra who had
contested the general elections that time.
"Soon after the election I left the country
and then came back in 1992 and joined my
brother. I became the private secretary to
my brother when the SLFP formed the
government in 1994. He was the Deputy
Minister of Transport, Lands and finally
Forest and Environment Minister. The
experience I earned moulded me into what I
am today. Since I work according to a plan I
have successfully developed the Central
Province," said Ekanayake.
"My plans to improve the educational system
in the province was well recognised by
Education Minister Susil Premajayanth
recently. Even the health sector too would
be upgraded and the road net work and the
agriculture sector will be improved once I
am elected this time," he further stated.
Ekanayake went on to say that it was he who
introduced the transfer system to the
teachers in the province as earlier
transfers were blocked by political
interference.
"I did a survey and came to know that there
were many temporary bridges in the province
and up to now I was able to allocate money
for 178 small bridges and hope to complete
them during the next couple of years," he
added.
'I will eradicate corruption'
- JVP's Samansiri Fernando
The JVP Chief Ministerial candidate for the
Central Province Samansiri Fernando told The
Sunday Leader that he could make the Central
Provincial Council 'the one and only
corruption free provincial council' if
elected as its CM.
"Both the UPFA and the UNP administrations
in the former councils failed to serve the
people. On what grounds do they request the
people to elect them once again? We have
seen how the previous administrations robbed
public money and how they neglected their
duty by the people in the province," claimed
Fernando.
Having had fair knowledge on how best to
serve people from his younger age, Fernando
first entered active politics in 1987 whilst
in school. According to Fernando, his mother
was an active supporter of the JVP, which
ultimately made him join the party.
Fernando contested and lost the 1997 local
government election but became a Pradeshiya
Sabha member for Patha Hewaheta and in 2004
became a provincial council member from the
Kandy District under the UPFA-JVP coalition.
Political victimisation rampant claims UNP
A list of supporters' name of a new
opposition candidate has been circulated
among Nuwara Eliya District police stations
by a top-level government politician.
The said politician whose pocket borough is
Nuwara Eliya has reportedly instructed the
police stations to search for the listed
people for alleged terrorist involvement.
The list contained names of 66 persons, all
of whom were from various electorates in the
Nuwara Eliya District. Some of them were
questioned by the respective police stations
on 'suspicion' but were immediately cleared.
The few questioned in that manner were not
retained as there was no evidence against
them and it turned out that they were in
fact innocent supporters of P. Digambaram, a
UNP candidate in the Nuwara Eliya District.
The list circulated amongst the police
stations contained names of persons from
areas of Agrapatana, Talawakelle, Kotmale,
Pundaluoya, North Meddecombra,
Bogawanthalawa, Weli Oya, Ragala, Kandapola,
Nuwara-Eliya, Nanu Oya, Lindula, Kotagala,
Hatton, Dickoya, Hornsey, Maskeliya and
Upcot.
"This is illegal. This has been done by a
leading, powerful Tamil politician in the
government. The names in the list are those
of innocent supporters of the party. They do
not have any connections whatsoever with any
terrorist organisation," Digambaram told The
Sunday Leader.
Meanwhile, UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman
Seneviratne tabled the list of names in
parliament on Thursday during the emergency
debate and said there was political
victimisation of innocent UNP supporters. He
added that the IGP's attention too has been
drawn to this matter.
Incidents
- Pre-election period
From December 14 to February 5, 2009
Assaults-39, Election law violations-1,
Impersonation - 0, Intimidation -7, Misuse
of state property-9, Total No. of complains
as at 12.30 p.m on February 5 - 66.
Nuwara Eliya-11, Matale -12, Puttalam-10,
Kurunegala -12, Kandy-21, Total- 66.
Source CAFFE
Nuwara-Eliya District details
Total population 750,000
Tamil population 57.10%
Sinhala population 40.20%
Registered voters 452,395
Number of candidates
456
Number to be elected
16
Polling booths
395.
|
Election overload has
taken its toll in NWP
|
UNP has made its presence felt and
Government party candidates do not hesitate
to market the war |
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
in the North Western Province
The campaign for the North Western
Provincial Council consisting of Kurunegala
and Puttalam Districts, has entered its
final stages but people continue with their
respective livelihoods sans the usual
excitement in the run up to an election.
Considering the elections experienced in the
past, especially considering infamous
Wayamba polls held in 1999, the present
campaign has been a relatively silent one.
While the governing party is seen
capitalising on the victories gained in the
battlefront to the maximum, opposition
parties have raised issues pertaining to the
local economy, development and other issues
that directly impact on the lives of the
people in the province.
UNP Kurunegala District Parliamentarian
Akila Viraj Kariyawasam says that although
the government was riding high on the
military victories, the people in the
province are aware of the corruption and
mismanagement of the governing party.
"Despite the military victories, the people
in Kurunegala know the real situation as
most of the soldiers killed in the
battlefront are from this district.
Regardless of what the government says these
people are aware of the truth," he said.
He said that people in the area were also
unhappy with the deterioration in several
key sectors, especially education.
As for the lackadaisical approach of the
people towards the whole election,
Kariyawasam said they were tired of politics
as there were now elections being held once
in two months.
Ratnayake and Sugathadasa of Galgamuwa feel
that it is time for people to think of
survival before any other issue. To them,
war is an excuse the government is using not
to provide any relief to the people.
Traditional UNP supporters, Ratnayake and
Sugathadasa feel that people in the province
needed to address the issues they are faced
with on a daily basis when voting at the
elections.
W.A. Somasiri, a farmer engaged in paddy and
vegetable farming in Kuliyapitiya said that
most people had confidence in the government
due to the military victories. "People want
an end to the war and are willing to bear
the cost of living," he said.
Somasiri however did admit that unlike the
paddy farmers, the vegetable farmers were
faced with the problem of finding a market
for their produce. "A kilo of brinjals is
sold at Rs. 5 by the farmers, which does not
even partially cover their cost," he said.
The governing party's campaign on the
military victories is evident everywhere in
the province, especially in the Kurunegala
District, where posters and cutouts of
candidates are always pasted or put up next
to those commending the military victories.
However, the campaigns seem to have created
quite an impact on many people in the
Kurunegala District, which has an
agriculture based economy. Most paddy
farmers in the province have little to
complain about given that a kilo of Nadu
gets Rs. 36 in the market while a kilo of
samba receives Rs.40.
Although paddy farmers are somewhat a happy
lot, not so the small time coconut growers.
Secretary, Association to Protect the
Coconut Industry and the Coconut Oil
Manufacturers, Ranjith Pathiraja says that
small time coconut growers are faced with
the threat of closing down their businesses
due to financial issues.
He explained that while the production cost
of a coconut shell was Rs. 15, it is sold at
Rs. 16. "Although a coconut shell is Rs. 28
in the market, it is sold at Rs. 16 by the
growers. Therefore, there are no benefits
for the growers."
Pathiraja attributed as the key reason for
the decline in prices the government's
decision to encourage the importation of
palm oil by reducing import taxes. "When the
coconut prices were high, the government
encouraged the importation of palm oil. Now
the global palm oil price has declined, but
the government has not increased the taxes,
which it should have."
Due to the inability to work at full
capacity, around 500,000 persons in the
province directly and indirectly involved in
the coconut growing process have been
affected, Pathiraja said.
However, even with the rising cost of living
and various sector specific issues in the
Kurunegala District, the war victories would
play a decisive role this Saturday (14).
In the Puttalam District where the main
livelihood of the people is fisheries, the
sentiment is quite different.
The main concern of shop owners in Puttalam
is the high cost of living and the battle
for survival.
It is also interesting to note that unlike
in the Kurunegala District, Puttalam
District does not have many families with
members who have joined the armed forces.
"The present battle for survival plays an
important role to us than the war. The
forces will fight the war, but we need to
survive as well," they said.
It was also highlighted that the large
population of Muslims in the Puttalam
District would play a decisive role in the
February 14 polls.
Most Muslims who have resettled in the
district following eviction from the north
during the height of the ethnic conflict, do
not seem to have much faith in the military
gains and prefer not to return to their
homes. (See box)
Considering the overall situation in the
North Western Province the war in the north
is likely to play a key role at the
elections. However, it must also be noted
that the people in the province are no
longer ignorant of the larger picture and
are aware of the social and economic issues
they are faced with.
|
Flashback to Wayamba 1999
The North Western Province or Wayamba has
recorded the worst election marred by
violence and mayhem in post-independence Sri
Lanka.
The infamous Wayamba 1999 election is still
considered to be the biggest black mark in
Sri Lanka's violence riddled election
history.
Among the many incidents of violence and
mayhem reported at the 1999 Wayamba
elections was when in Puttalam a UNP polling
agent who refused to budge from his desk was
mercilessly assaulted allegedly by PA
supporters and a politico from Colombo who
reportedly went there to stuff the ballot
boxes.
In another incident, armed gangs kidnapped a
younger brother of a female JVP polling
agent on the day of the elections. More than
four JVPers were abducted. Almost all the
JVP polling agents were sent to Kurunegala
leaving the party's then chief ministerial
candidate Bimal Ratnayake in a helpless
position.
According to reports following the election,
it was revealed that out of a total of 830
polling stations in the Kurunegala District,
141 had been attacked during polling hours.
In the Puttalam District, out of 300 polling
stations, 71 had been attacked, making the
total 212.
Also from three other polling stations, nine
ballot boxes had been hijacked while being
transported to the counting centres, and
some were found burnt.
Following reports submitted by senior
presiding officers, the Elections
Commissioner had said he intended making an
order canceling the polling at three polling
stations of which the ballot boxes did not
reach the counting centre and that he
intended rejecting 47,000 votes that were
suspected of having been stuffed into ballot
boxes.
However, the Elections Commissioner later
changed his stance and said he did not
intend annulling the polling of the centres
that had been raided by armed gangs.
UNP's K.N. Choksy at the time had pointed
out that 212 out of a total of 1130 polling
stations constitutes 18.5 per cent of the
total poll and argued that it was adequate
enough to cancel the entire election. He had
said the officers of the Elections
Commissioner's Department had detected
48,000 votes in stuffed ballot boxes, but
there could have been much more.
Choksy had reportedly demanded that the
entire election be declared null and void
and that results must not be announced. The
JVP had also supported this view.
The Elections Commissioner however went
ahead and announced the election results.
At the same time a UNP supporter from the
Kurunegala District had filed a fundamental
rights application requesting the Supreme
Court to grant an interim order directing
the Elections Commissioner not to gazette
the results and also to make a final order
after the hearing, declaring the elections
null and void and directing that fresh
elections be held.
The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices
Ranjith Deeraratne, S. W. B. Wadugodapitiya
and Asoka Gunawardene granted leave to
proceed but did not grant the interim order
directing the Elections Commissioner not to
gazette the election results.
Muslims prefer to stay put in Puttalam
A large number of Muslims evicted from
Mannar and Jaffna by the LTTE during the
height of the ethnic conflict have settled
down in the Puttalam District. They too will
be casting their votes at the provincial
election.
These Muslims after having lived in
temporary shelters for a long time are now
in the process of rebuilding their lives in
land plots allocated to them in Puttalam.
Although the war is now nearing an end,
these people say that they do not wish to
return to their homes in the north, as they
had little or no faith on the permanency of
the military victories achieved.
"What's the point in going back? If it
happens again we will have to return and
then we won't even have this piece of land,"
they say.
Naleem who was evicted from Mannar 19 years
ago says that he arrived in Puttalam after
the army had brought him and his family to
Kalpitiya.
Naleem works at the saltern for a daily wage
ranging between Rs. 250-300.
"We prefer to stay. We have now built a
house and our children are schooling here,"
he said. He expresses doubts on the ability
of the forces to hold on to the land that
has been captured by the government.
"Without a permanent solution, we do not
have confidence to leave," Naleem said.
Hameed, who has also lived in Puttalam since
1997 said he preferred to stay here.
"Even if we go, we will have to come back.
We are not sure of the situation there," he
said.
According to him, almost every Muslim who
was evicted from the North, preferred to
stay back in Puttalam.
'Await record victory'
- UPFA's Athula Wijesinghe
UPFA chief ministerial candidate, Athula
Wijesinghe says he is confident of "a record
victory" at the North Western Provincial
Council elections.
The campaign of the ruling UPFA is aimed at
promoting 'development in the south along
with the humanitarian efforts in the north.'
"We want the people to know that the
government while liberating the country from
terrorists was also engaged in development
projects in the south," he said.
According to Wijesinghe, the massive support
shown by the people towards the UPFA
election campaign was a definitive
indication of the landslide victory it would
record come February 14.
Referring to the problems faced by people in
the province, Wijesinghe says that since
everyone's main focus was on liberating the
country from the terrorists, they had
expressed their desire to make certain
sacrifices.
Referring to issues raised by farmers about
the delay in receiving subsidised fertiliser
and the problems faced by the small time
coconut growers, the chief ministerial
candidate denied there was a delay in
farmers receiving the subsidised fertiliser,
adding that the current price for coconuts
was good for the growers.
Responding to allegations of misuse of
public property in the election campaign of
the ruling party, Wijesinghe said that they
were baseless allegations leveled by the
opposition parties. "The opposition members
who have alleged misuse of public property
by the ruling party are also misusing public
property. The vehicles they use, especially
for election campaign work are also public
property," he said.
However, Wijesinghe expressed confidence in
winning the election given the successful
military operations in the north that are
aligned with development projects in other
parts of the country.
A lawyer by profession, Wijesinghe hails
from a political family. Wijesinghe's father
was a teacher and was involved in Leftist
politics.
Following his initial education at his
village school, Wijesinghe entered
Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala for O/Levels
and Nalanda College for A/Levels.
He then entered Law College although he was
selected to the Vidyalankara University in
the science stream.
Explaining his childhood in a political
family, he said that during his young days
he had witnessed his father being
politically victimised by the then UNP
government.
It was the suffering endured by his father
that had pushed Wijesinghe to enter
politics.
In 1978, Wijesinghe became the secretary of
the Sri Lanka Nidahas Lawyer's Association.
In 1980, he took oaths as an attorney at law
and also entered active politics.
He contested the local government elections
in 1997 and became Bingiriya Pradeshiya
Sabha Chairman.
He entered the North Western Provincial
Council in 1999 and was appointed chief
minister in 2001, which post he held till
its dissolution in December 2008.
'We will address the real issues'
- UNP's Shamal Senarath
UNP chief ministerial candidate, Shamal
Senarath says that the party's aim is to
address the real issues faced by the people
in the province and to return 'exemplary
leaders' to the provincial council.
He said that the provincial council has so
far been unable to address issues related to
several key sectors. "During the last two
councils led by the PA, the heath and
education sectors have seen a drastic
decline."
Senarath said that most schools in the area
lacked teachers and resources while some
schools had excess teachers. As for the
health sector he said that the province has
recorded a high number of Thalassemia
patients as well as those suffering from
kidney disease.
"Even certain institutions under the council
have been closed down," he said.
According to Senarath, there was no need to
base a provincial election campaign on the
military victories as they belonged to the
whole country and not any particular party.
"By marketing the military victories as the
main election campaign for the provincial
council shows the governing party's
bankruptcy. A provincial council election
should not be based on military victories.
Unfortunately, that is the only marketing
tool for the government," he said.
People in the province according to Senarath
are now aware of the truth.
The UNP has so far held meetings in all the
balamandalas in the Kurunegala District
under Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya.
Meanwhile, zones comprising 10 polling
booths have been formed and meetings have
already been conducted with each zone under
Jayasuriya's leadership.
Senarath said the party is now in the
process of holding pocket meetings and a
house-to-house campaign.
Senarath received his primary education at
Narammala Mayurapada Junior College and then
at Nalanda College, Colombo from grade six
to A/Levels.
He entered the Law faculty of the Colombo
University in 1986. However, when the
universities in the country closed during
the 1988-1989 insurgency, Senarath entered
politics.
With former President R. Premadasa
introducing the concept of ensuring that 40%
of contestants be youth, Senarath contested
and entered the Alawwa Pradeshiya Sabha in
1991.
In 1993, he was elected to the second North
Western Provincial Council under the
guidance of U.B. Wijekoon.
During his 15-year stint in the council,
Senarath has performed the roles of leader
of the house, opposition whip and opposition
leader.
'People cannot be hoodwinked'
- JVP's Nimal Herath
JVP chief ministerial candidate, Nimal
Herath says that while the people commended
and support the military victories in the
north, they are now aware of the
government's plan to cover up its
inefficiencies by it.
Herath says that February 14 would be a
decisive date as the country was now at
political crossroads and it was vital to
make the correct turn that would get the
country on the proper track. "The government
has to show how sincere it is in its
patriotism."
He accused the government of misusing public
property to the maximum. He said that with
the elections drawing near and people moving
towards the opposition parties, the
governing party was misusing public
property.
"Media has been suppressed and the state
media is being manipulated in a manner where
no other message but that of the government
is being taken to the public," he said.
According to Herath, although the Alliance
government was using military victories,
people are now aware of the real plight of
the country.
He said that the JVP was continuing with its
campaign to reach out to the people and
amidst various difficulties due to state
action, the party was in the process of
going from house-to-house. "We have also
organised a series of meetings at village
level with party seniors," he said.
Herath says that the election on the 14th
would not be a free and fair one, but hoped
it would be the day that gives the JVP the
strength to fight for people's rights.
Herath was educated at the Giriulla Maha
Vidyalaya and Mahasen National School,
Nikaweratiya.
Since 1980 he has been an active member of
the JVP and functions as the chairman of the
party's Nikaweratiya committee and is the
Nikaweratiya electoral organiser as well.
In 1997, he was elected as a member of the
Nikaweratiya Pradeshiya Sabha.
Herath was elected to the North Western
Provincial Council in 2000.
North Western Provincial Council polls 2009
Gazette in which dissolution was announced -
1579/2 of 8.12.2009
District
Polling
Registered Members
divisions
voters
to be elected
Kurunegala 14
1,171,881
34
Puttalam 5
489,852
16
Total
19
1,661,733
50*
*Excluding two bonus seats |
