FORUM-ASIA strongly urges the government of Sri Lanka and
the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections. The government must protect the rights of all citizens to
participate in Presidential elections scheduled to be held on 26 January 2010
while respecting freedom of the press, freedom of association, and freedom of expression
in ensuring a secure and transparent procedure for all voters.
(Bangkok, 25 January 2010) The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly urges the Government of Sri Lanka and
the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections in line with Article
25 of the International Covenant for Civil Political Rights (ICCPR) to which
Sri Lanka is party. The government must protect the rights of all citizens to
participate in Presidential elections scheduled to be held on 26 January 2010
while respecting freedom of the press, freedom of association, and freedom of expression
in ensuring a secure and transparent procedure for all voters. Each of these
rights are fundamental to any democratic institution and they must be upheld if
Sri Lanka's presidential election is to be considered a legitimate expression
of its people's will.
FORUM-ASIA, a membership-based organisation representing 46
human rights NGOs across Asia, calls on the Government of Sri Lanka and the Election
Commission to adhere to the following expectations:
- Ensuring that facilities are
provided for voters in all parts of Sri Lanka to exercise their
fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka. - Ensuring that all persons who
have been displaced by the conflict are able to exercise their right to
vote, in accordance with international standards. - Ensuring a transparent process
and legitimate result through elections free of violence and secure
polling booths.
FORUM-ASIA is deeply concerned of reports of numerous
incidents of election-related violence which have marred the pre-election
campaign. In this, the first Presidential election since the end of the internal
armed conflict, there have so far been 391 confirmed pre-election incidents,
including 5 homicides and 84 cases of assault, up from 22 case of assault
during the 2005 election that only saw 172 incidents in total. While security
is a great concern, FORUM-ASIA urges the Government and Election Commission to
ensure that the law enforcement officials, including police, being deployed for
the election security operate in observation with human rights.
FORUM-ASIA is also concerned by the report of Transparency
International on the alleged mis-use of state resources for the campaign of the
President. The Commissioner of Elections has already gone on record expressing
his dissatisfaction with the process. All this creates doubts in the minds of
Sri Lankans and observers that the electoral process in Sri Lanka will indeed
be free and fair.
FORUM-ASIA firmly believes that the elections should pave a path
towards restoring respect for basic rights, including life and liberty, ending
arbitrary arrests and detention, enforced disappearances and torture, and
restoring respect for freedom of expression in Sri Lanka.
For more information please contact:
Mr. Surya Deuja, South Asia Programme Manager (FORUM-ASIA)
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +662 653 2940-1
(Photo courtesy of AFP)
