11.3.2008
The
Liberation of the East from the clutches of LTTE terrorism
is over. People overwhelmingly gave their mandate to the
government, repudiating the canards and unfounded allegations
heaped by anti-democratic forces and sections of the media.
The people mirrored other ideas and showed that they wanted
representative democracy.
Tamil
Tigers who de-stabilized their region have been driven
out for good and separatism died a natural death. The
elections also may have driven the last nail in the coffin
of the Tamil National Alliance holding proxy to the LTTE.
Fifty
six percent of the people voted at the elections to nine
local government bodies after fourteen years. A section
of the media down-played the significance of the historic
vote citing that about 200 people were turned away for
lack of valid IDs. People of the East had already disregarded
these prophets of doom who had predicted dire happenings
if the polls were held to the pradeshiya sabhas. The gloomy
forecasters were debunked.
The
historic Batticaloa local government election ended peacefully
yesterday with a 56 percent voter turnout. Among the areas
with the highest voter turn out of 78% was reported from
the Manmunai Pattu Pradehisiya Sabha Division. The lowest
turn out of 38 percent was reported in the Porativu Pattu
area. In the Batticaloa Municipal Council area there was
a 49 percent voter turnout.
Batticaloa
Hindu Vidyalaya was the place that received all the ballot
boxes. Counting started at 7.00 pm.
In
the Tamil majority areas, the election was relatively
peaceful. Voting stared at a slower pace but caught up
during the day. A police force of 6000 officials deployed
for election duty ensured security at all times. The voters
were allowed into polling centers only after a thorough
body search.
The
People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL)
also confirmed that the election was held peacefully except
for a few incidents reported in Vakarai. there had been
few.
Results
of the polling in the 9 local government bodies are given
below:
In
the Eravurpattu Pradeshiya Sabha, Thamil Makkal Viduthalai
Pulikal won 10 seats, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress won 2
seats, and Independent Group 1 won 1 seat and United Peoples
Freedom Alliance 1 seat.
In
the Koralepattu North Pradeshiya Sabha, Thamil Makkal
Viduthalai Pulikal won 10 seats and United Peoples Freedom
Alliance 1 seat.
In
the Manmunai West Pradeshiya Sabha, Thamil Makkal Viduthalai
Pulikal won 6 seats and Independent Group 1 won 1 seat.
Also,
given below the earlier results of the other six local
government bodies which went to polls yesterday.
In
the Batticaloa Municipality,Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal
candidates under United People’s Freedom Alliance
banner fared very well. UPFA won 11 seats in the election
and captured the Municipality, where as Independent Group
1 won 6 seats and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and Eelavat
Democratic Front one each.
In
the Koralepattu Pradeshiya Sabha, Thamil Makkal Viduthalai
Pulikal won 6 seat, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress won 2 seats,
United People’s Freedom Alliance won 2 seats and
Independent Group 1 won 1 seat.
In
the Manmunai South and Eruvilpattu Pradeshiya Sabha,Thamil
Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal 7 seat and Independent Group
won 3 seats.
In
the Manmunaipattu Pradeshiya Sabha, Thamil Makkal Viduthalai
won 7 seats and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress won 2 seats.
In
the Manmunai South West Pradeshiya Sabha Thamil Makkal
Viduthalai Pulikal won 8 seats and Independent Group won
1 seat.
In
the Porativupattu Pradeshiya Sabha, Thamil Makkal Viduthalai
Pulikal won 7 seats and Independent Group won 2 seats.
Courtesy
Asian Tribune