EPDP obstructs other parties campaigning in the islets of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 March 2010, 14:57 GMT]
Candidates contesting Jaffna district electorate allege that supporters of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), a constituent party in the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), obstruct other political parties from electioneering in the islets of Jaffna which are under the complete control of Sri Lanka Navy (SLN). EPDP is trying to secure a seat in the parliamentary election in the islets of Jaffna with threats and physical harm to the contestants and supporters of other political parties, the candidate of a national political party who had been to the islets for election campaigning told TamilNet.

During the 2004 general election Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members were assaulted by EPDP men in Naaranthanai area in the islets and two TNA supporters had been killed and many including the candidates were injured in the incident, he said.

The same atmosphere prevails in the islets of Jaffna now and there is no room at all for any free election activity by others, he further said.

Only one or two of the national political party candidates had gone to the islets for election canvassing, sources in Jaffna said.

The candidates’ vehicle had been obstructed across the road by EPDP men in their vehicles and their propaganda over the loud speaker was drowned by EPDP songs and propaganda blared over their sound amplifying systems, they said.

The wall posters they managed to paste were ripped off, torn and thrown on the roads within a short time, they added.

Neither TNA nor Tamil National People’s Front political parties had gone to the islets of Jaffna for election campaign so far.

The fear of being killed or attacked should they go to the islets for election campaign prevails among many of the contestants.