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| Sunday, 7 March 2004 |
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Politics |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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JJP hopes to jolt slumbering women to action by Deepal Warnakulasuriya The Colombo district leader of the Jathika Janatha Party (JJP) Sharmila Daluwatte claims that their presence at the forthcoming General Election would create a big impact and rouse the minds of the slumbering women to action. According to her, this is the second time the party is fielding members as candidates. The party, formed in 1999, had obtained around 2,800 votes at the General Election 2000; they are confident of better results this time.Daluwatte told the Sunday Observer that the JJP was not `feminist' though they speak about the problems faced by women in the country." Women comprise over 50 per cent of the island's population now. But we do not receive adequate representation in the elected bodies at both local and national level. Ours is an effort to educate the women folk and the public, using the political platform", she added. Daluwatte said they had to field candidates using the JJP ticket as financial constraints prevented them fighting as an independent group. The JJP contests Colombo and Matale; in Colombo, all candidates fielded are females. However, the Sunday Observer reliably learns that the founder of the JJP is a candidate of a major political party contesting Colombo. While rejecting the allegation that they are supportive of the major political party, she said: "Women now play a role in the election field supporting different political parties". She found fault with the few women elected saying that they have failed to wield their influence with the political parties in power to bring about women-friendly legislation. Daluwatte further said that their team comprises lawyers, university students and other sectors in society. |
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