PAFFREL to deploy 5,000 observers
I will begin the preparations immediately after the gazette notification is issued. Obtaining the services of observers will be considered after that
The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said yesterday it would deploy about 5,000 observers some of whom would be from the Asian Network for Free and Fair Elections (ANFFE) to monitor the elections to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) in September. PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said he had written to ANFFE and that its response had been positive.
“Our aim will be to deploy a minimum of 10 foreign observers in the North. I don’t think there will be many problems in the Central and North-Western Provinces if the Government decides to hold elections there as well. However, we are ready for any eventuality,” he said.
Mr. Hettiarachchi said the observers from ANFFE would be from Asian countries because they would be familiar with Sri Lanka’s terrain, its culture, social behaviour and elections. He said PAFFREL provided several mobile services in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mannar to assist the Commissioner of Registration of Persons to issue more than 7,000 national identity cards to people in the North so that they could cast their vote at the forthcoming election.
Meanwhile, Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said he needed a minimum of 80 days to prepare for the PC polls in the three provinces if held on the same day and 60 days for elections in the Northern Province only. “I will begin the preparations immediately after the gazette notification is issued. Obtaining the services of observers will be considered after that,” he added.
United National Party (UNP) General Secretary and parliamentarian Tissa Attanayaka said his party would request the Elections Commissioner to obtain the services of observers including those from the Commonwealth and the European Union so as to ensure a free and fair election.