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| Sunday, 28 March 2004 |
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Politics |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Credibility, impartiality of electoral process concern of observers by Karel Roberts Ratnaweera It is the credibility of the electoral process in Sri Lanka and its impartiality and not the outcome that is the purpose of the visit here of the Commonwealth Observer Group to monitor next Friday's General Elections, Margaret Reid, Chairperson of the group, told the local and foreign media last week. Reid, who is from Australia, said that the group was here on invitation of the Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake. "Our Terms of Reference from the Commonwealth Secretary General say that we should come to a view about 'the credibility of the electoral process as a whole,' and determine in our own judgement whether the conditions exist for a free expression of will by the electors and if the results of the elections reflect the wishes of the people," she told the conference. She said that therefore they would be making their observations as individuals. The groups will not be physically present at polling booths, she said. The Chairperson said that talking and listening to people was of great importance, with emphasis on listening. She said the media was a very important part of any electoral campaign. Answering a foreign journalist, Reid said that the Commonwealth Secretariat was responsible for funding the group's visit to Sri Lanka. She said that the group has no authority to intervene or take an active role in election proceedings. Rather, it was the presence of the group that was important. The Commonwealth observers include persons from India, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada,South Africa and Malawi. Observers from several other countries are also in the country for the elections. The 43rd Observer Group to have been constituted since 1990, the group began its work in Sri Lanka on March 25. |
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