Corruption watchdog, Transparency International Sri Lanka has written to the Elections Commissioner regarding misuse of state resources in the election campaigning activities of President Rajapaksa.
Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya
In a letter to Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya, the organisation has listed out specific accounts of state resource misappropriations on which they have received complaints so far to which includes ‘treating’ of public sector officials, state institutions joining hands with movements led by the Rajapaksa family and use of schools to promote election campaigns.
TISL has noted that Chief Accountants of every district have been summoned to the Temple Trees for a discussion on the budget without inviting them to the Finance Ministry or the Treasury as usual. The organisation has pointed out that this action has challenged integrity of the electoral process, the trust and validity of election results and has called upon the EC to probe into the incident.
They have also noted that the organisation – Sri Lanka Youth which is a state institution has been linked with the ‘Nil Balakaya’ a movement led by President’s son MP Namal Rajapaksa to campaign for the President. In the guise of capacity building training, some 100 youth from the Northern Province have been given instructions on how to carry out campaigning for Mahinda Rajapaksa in their respective areas.
TISL has also written with concern over the use of schools for political activities where school development committee meetings have been held and parents and members have been summoned by provincial politicians to promote the election campaigning activities of MR.
Among the other incidents noted is also the misuse of land that belongs to the Kurunegala Municipal Council. The establishment’s auditorium – which is usually not given for the use of external parties-, had been given out to a group named the ‘Kurunegala Free Lawyers Organisation’ who were pledging their support to MR.
While noting all these incidents, the TISL has urged the EC to take relevant measures in order to ensure they do not recur and has called upon the public to inform them on such incidents on 0115627432 or 0719241133.
Saman / December 15, 2014
Unfortunately this boneless EC is not capable and able to implement or execute any rule or regulation which has been constituted in law.
Rules and regulations are visible only on papers. They are not practically active in this Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.
Everything in our society or country has been changed into rules of Family regime. Nothing can do about it.
Everyone is powerless except Rajapaksa family. Rajapaksa family… even their pets and animals are very powerful.
If Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe, Madam Chandrika and other educated people must inform international institutions such as United Nations, Commonwealth Group, European Union and other institutions which kindly help to expel this DICTATOR and his Family.
If not our people will be in HELL.
Now a days God or Gods or Divine beings are not in Sri Lanka. They left the country many years ago. They do not listen to us. Prayers are in the air only.
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Jackson / December 16, 2014
The EC is a state employuee like any other and with the 18th amendment reduced to the leval of a minor employee who is under the jack boot of the dictator. The 17th amendment provided for an elections commission as the position of the EC was not very powerful even before.
MR must be defeated and the norms of a democracy has to come back with an independent JUDICIARY and draconian powers removed from the Presidency Parliament must be vested with all powers.
This country does not belong to MEDAMULANA and for them to loot
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Justicia / December 17, 2014
What Saman says is true. There no gods or deities in Sri Lanka anymore. If they are our county would not b in this stat. Th wrong-doers would have been eliminated by now. Most public servants including th EC and Police spokesman are more interested in what they can get from the “King” and not about the public that provide their “bread and butter”
Th so called “Deities”, if they are present, too are more interested in what (bribe) they get from the powers that be.
So the public have to find their own protection. I do not see any reason why the people other than the powerful should go to them.
As the majority are Buddhists I do not see why they clamor to visit Kataragama.
Does it help them in anyway to attend the ultimate goal – the “Nirvana?”
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