Monthly Archives: February, 2010
By Sandun A. Jayasekera
The Police Department yesterday said it was not in a position to frame charges against violators of the election law without the Attorney General’s advice and that was the reason cases have not been filed against most violators of the elections law.
“We refer the files to the AG’s Department and are waiting for instructions,” Police media spokesman Preshantha Jayakody said.
Commenting on the pasting of posters in every nook and corner, putting up banners, floats and cut-outs, he said it is up to the Police Department to remove them but financial and human resource constraints have hampered the action to be taken.
Asked about the reported allocation of Rs. 25 million for the task for the Police Department by the Elections Department, Mr. Jayakody said the money had not been received so far. “We act on the instructions of the Elections Commissioner to remove illegal banners and cut-outs. The instructions must come with the necessary funds,” he said.
Mr. Jayakody said only one complaint of election related violence had been received by the Police Election Desk by yesterday.
Source: Daily Mirror – 25.02.2010
Election Commissioner says
By Ranjan Kasturi
Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake has directed all District Secretaries to take immediate action to remove election posters, banners and cutouts in government office premises.
The Elections Commissioner has made the directive through a circular issued to the District Secretaries. He had asked them to ensure that no government premises including schools, pradeshiya sabha office premises, CTB depots, hospitals, government corporations and statutory boards, should have any posters, banners and cutouts of political parties. He had said that if there are such material steps have to be taken to remove them.
The Elections Commissioner has also ordered all the Commissioners and the Secretaries to ensure that all the Provincial Council premises are free of political propaganda material. He had directed to remove political propaganda material from their premises before February 26.
The circular has specified that even the display material exhibited with permission after payment of fees shall not be allowed during the election time and the police have been notified to provide necessary protection in removing such material.
Source:http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/news/news/4609.html
By: Shreen Saroor
President Rajapakse’s belated promise to resettle expelled northern Muslims by May 2010 will do little to ameliorate growing tensions with the Tamil community.
The civil war in Sri Lanka ended on 17 May 2009 with a grave human tragedy, and the plight of war-affected Tamil civilians remains distressing. More than eight months later, many displaced are still living under trees and in roadside tents, their kith and kin still missing. The dead, meanwhile, remain unnumbered; even many among the missing are locked up in detention centres or prisons. The government’s military victory over the LTTE has indeed brought relief to many, however – including the northern Muslims, whose sufferings and refugee lives have been neglected for almost two decades by observers of the Sri Lankan conflict. (more…)
SAHR believes that most problems in South Asian countries require South Asian perspectives and solutions. Narrow nationalism has not and cannot solve South Asian problems and lead South Asia towards welfare of its people, justice and peace. SAHR also believes that this is a time for us to discuss the nature of our problems with open minds, considering the new complexities and emerging challenges.
Towards this end, SAHR plans to bring together concerned and conscientious citizens – from different sectors of society – to identify impediments to peace in South Asia and to suggest initiatives to move forward towards progress and cooperation in the region. The Multilogue is expected to be held at the India International Centre, New Delhi from the 13th to 15th September 2010.
Based on an in-depth analysis, this Multilogue will evolve guidelines and strategies aimed at a peaceful and just resolution of conflicts that are adversely affecting the development, well being as well as human rights and dignity of people of South Asia.
This 3-day South Asian Multilogue will bring together a group of 35 South Asian professionals, political leaders, cultural activists and media persons, both women and men, who are well known for their expertise, involvement and commitment to peace with justice, pluralism, democracy and human rights, that can provide the framework for a people centred development.
The following issues will be discussed at the Multilogue:
1. Challenge of Terrorism, Militancy & Religious Extremism
2. Tyranny of Majoritarianism & Divided Polities
3. Towards Sustainable Peace in Afghanistan
4. Counter Strategies of the State with reference to control regulations, impunity, dissapearances and visa restrictions.
5. Promoting Peace & Cooperation in South Asia in terms of economic cooperation, inter state relations, sustainable solutions for the internally displaced and people displaced across borders.
New Delhi: Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) condemned burning down of more villages of indigenous Chakma and tribal peoples today i.e. 23 February 2010 under Khagrachari district of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh. Dozens of houses were set on fire at Mahajanpara and Milanpur villages at Khagrachari by the illegal plain settlers with the backing of the Bangladesh Army personnel at the time of issuing this press release. The illegal plain settlers took advantage of a strike called by the United Peoples Democratic Front, a political party of the indigenous Jumma peoples, protesting against the killings of indigenous Jumma people at Sajek Union under Rangamati district on 19-20 February 2010. (more…)
Till today (on 22 February 2010) the section 144 is still going on. Due to continuing section 144, the Jumma villagers could not trace out dead bodies of the killed. Today in the morning, Bengali settlers ran after some of Jumma villagers who went to see ablaze village of Nayapara Guchhagram . However, they could narrowly escape. On the other, Bengali settlers set fire a fruit garden funded by UNDP at Gangaram.
It is learnt that the outpost of military forces was closed down and Bengali settlers numbering 12 families were withdrawn from Gangaram Duar area though other Bengali settlers are still there along the roadsides. It is mentionable these Bengali families settled there soon after arson attack on 7 Jumma villages on 20 April 2008. (more…)
One of the Managing Trustee of Community Trust Fund (CTF) Mr. Pattani Razeek has been missing since February 11th 2010. He was last seen at Polonnaruwa Town when he got into a white colour van at around 3.00 pm. CTF is deeply concerned about his whereabouts and appeals to the authorities to act speedily to locate Mr Razeek.
Fifty five year old Mr Razeek is from Puttalum District and has worked in a number of positions including in government service and the NGO sector. Mr Razeek, as a Managing Trustee, has been managing the membership affairs/secretariat unit of the CTF. (more…)
Special attention to Chairmen of SLBC and Rupavahini
By Kelum Bandara
Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake, while issuing guidelines for the media to be observed in regard to the upcoming general election, has drawn special attention of the Chairmen of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation to the Provisions in Article 104(B) of the Constitution.
The Commissioner has set these guidelines in terms of this Article of the Constitution.
In his guidelines, the Commissioner has requested that a period of silence be observed from midnight on April 5 till the announcement of the election results. This is to enable voters to weigh the pros and cons of policies outlined by the parties in the fray and contestants, and decide how to cast their ballots. (more…)
SAHR carried out a comparative study on the best parliamentary practices in the region, and has put forward a publication titled “Right to Transparent Governance” Guidelines (RTG Guidelines).
SAHR now plans to take these Guidelines forward by carrying out a Parliamentary Watch program in collation with Transparency International.
The watch will be conducted in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, and monthly reports will be issued on an ongoing basis.
The watch is set to kick off in Sri Lanka in March 2010, and very soon in the rest of the countries in the region.
There will be 2 aspects to the Parliamentary Watch program:
1st Aspect
The first aspect involves rating Parliament for its transparency, accountability, integrity and independence against indicators derived from best practices in SAHR’s RTG Guidelines and indicators suggested by TI’s Research Department.
Parliament’s functioning will be analyzed in respect of these indicators, with special attention to the Rule Book of parliament and how these provisions are practiced in reality.
Such things as Calendar of parliament, calendar of business, record of business conducted, record of attendance, records of debates and discussions will be studied.
2nd Aspect
The second aspect involves the study of parliament’s role in legislating issues that reflect human rights concerns.
Specific areas of interest to SAHR include – minority rights, extra judicial killings, law enforcement, women’s children’s and workers’ rights, corruption etc.
Communications
SAHR wishes to take the findings of the Parliament Watch to policy makers, parliamentarians and communities.
We have opted to disseminate and analyze the monthly report of parliament watch through
- SAHR Newsletter & website
- Media – TV, Newspaper
- Issue groups & other NGOs
- At Members’ Meetings
- TV Talk shows
Until the completion of the General Elections
The Elections Department has issued a circular suspending the recruitment of state sector employees until the completion of the General Elections in April, Department sources told Daily Mirror Online.
The sources said that the circular informed the government sector not to conduct the recruitment examinations for the state sector. No new recruitments are to take place in government institutions or departments until the completion of the General Elections in April.
Meanwhile, a special meeting is to be held today at the Elections Secretariat in Colombo, with the participation of Divisional Secretaries, Deputy Elections Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners and Returning Officers, to discuss the forthcoming elections that are scheduled to be held on April 8.
Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake will chair the meeting.
It is learnt that special instructions are to be given to these officers regarding the elections.
Source: Daily Mirror – 16.02.2010
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