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| Sunday, 29 February 2004 |
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Politics |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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LTTE proposes: Vanni access for foreign, local polls monitors Polling booths to be sited in LTTE-held areas? by S. Selvakumar In an unprecedented move that may help resolve the dilemma of the fairness of elections in LTTE-controlled areas of the North-East region, the LTTE leadership has now proposed that polling stations be set up in Tiger-controlled territory and agreed to allow foreign and local election monitoring teams to monitor voting in these stations during the April 2 parliamentary election. According to informed sources in Kilinochchi, the Tiger leadership has proposed this as an alternative to the earlier plan by the Government to set up polling stations for some 260,000 voters in Tiger-held areas in the no-man's land between Government and LTTE frontlines. Sources in Kilinochchi told the Sunday Observer that the Tiger high command had felt that since the no-man's land strip was yet dangerously strewn with landmines and other defences, voters would be at risk and suffer considerable nuisance if they were compelled to vote there. The proposal to have polling booths in LTTE areas has been transmitted to the Government and the Tigers are awaiting a response. While polling stations will be allowed in Tiger-held territory, the LTTE will not allow any State security personnel, including police, to enter LTTE areas to provide security for these polling stations. However, the voting may be monitored by foreign and local polls monitors, these sources said. SLMM chief Maj. Gen. Trond Furuhovde was scheduled to meet with LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilchelvam yesterday in Kilinochchi. Earlier the LTTE agreed with the authorities to establish cluster polling booths in the no-man's zone adjoining uncleared areas to facilitate nearly 260,000 voters to exercise their franchise. Meanwhile, the LTTE has already commenced campaigning on behalf of the Tamil National Alliance and the first such meeting was held in Vavuniya on Thursday where LTTE Vavuniya political wing leader S. Elilan addressed the Vanni district voters in the presence of TNA candidates. A similar meeting was held in Batticaloa on Friday presided by political wing Ampara-Batticaloa representative Kausalyan. Tamil political party observers said that within the next few days LTTE political wing stalwarts would address a series of political meetings in support of TNA candidates. In Colombo on Friday, TNA stalwarts had a lengthy meeting to draft the party's election manifesto and according to TNA sources, establishment of the Interim Self Governing Authority for the North and East resettlement of displaced people in their homes in high security zones and totally lifting the ban on fishing in the North and East would be the priority in the TNA manifesto. It will be made public during the course of this week, sources added. Out of the wilderness, one K. Sinnathurai residing in London has informed the Commissioner of Elections last week that he is the President of the Federal Party and it is without his consent the TNA is using the "House" symbol of his party and wanted the Commissioner of Elections not to allocate this symbol. However, by yesterday the commissioner has ruled out the request of Sinnathurai and has stated such request should have been made before the allocation of symbol to the TNA. |
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