by
Shamindra Ferdinando
Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya and SSP Ajith Rohana addressing the media at the conclusion of Jan 8, 2015 presidential poll (pic by Gamini Munasinghe)
Additional security contingents took up position in Colombo yesterday as the seventh presidential election concluded without any major incident. The Election Secretariat at Rajagiriya reported a voter turn out of 70 per cent.
Denying reports that the army had taken over security in the city and its suburbs and a new Major General placed in charge of security arrangements, Military spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that security forces remained on alert to assist the police in case of an emergency. He dismissed claims that Colombo had been placed under a Major General.
The Brigadier was addressing the media at the Information Department at the conclusion of the polling.
Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana and military spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that there had been two bomb explosions at Navaladi in the Jaffna peninsula and Nelumkulam in the Vanni during the day. However, there hadn’t been any casualties due to the blasts, SSP Rohana said. Asked whether the blasts had any bearing on the voter turnout in the Northern Province, SSP Rohana said that the two polling booths nearest to the blast site at Navaladi and Nelumkulam had recorded a voter turnout of 67 % and 60% respectively.
Comparing yesterday’s poll with presidential polls in Nov. 2005 and Jan 2010, SSP Rohana said that the police had received 405 complaints during the campaign and upto noon yesterday. Of them, approximately 100 were violations of election laws, he said, adding that altogether 175 persons had been arrested during the period. The police spokesman said that there hadn’t been any damage to property or any instances in which weapons were used.
SSP Rohana said that the police had received 1,200 complaints at the 2005 poll and 1090 at the last presidential election.
Responding to a query, Brig. Wanigasooriya pointed out a relatively high voter turnout at polling booths situated closer to areas where blasts took pointed to the fact place people had exercised their franchise without fear.
In spite of allegations that the army was to be deployed in the Northern Province on the day of the polling, troops remained in barracks, the Brig said. Police headquarters deployed 75,500 police, including elite police commandos.
In the run-up to yesterday’s poll, UN Secretary General Ban ki moon as well as the European Union expressed concern over the possibility of the electorate not being allowed to exercise their franchise freely. The UN chief went to the extent of issuing two statements calling for peaceful election.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, too, has spoken with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and expressed concern over violence during campaigning. International media quoted State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki as having told media:”To that end, Secretary Kerry called the Sri Lankan President on January 6 to underscore the government’s responsibility to ensure the January 8th elections will be free from violence and intimidation and that the vote counting is carried out credibly and transparently,”
“We urge the government, its election officials and police, all political and actors to ensure access to all vote centers for the voters to vote and counting centers for all international and domestic observers.”
SSP Rohana said that the police and armed forces would shoot to kill if any unauthorised persons used firearms.
Responding to another query, SSP Rohana said that the police would ensure post-poll security in the Polonnaruwa District, the home base of Opposition presidential candidate Maihripala Sirisena.
Both SSP Rohana and Brig. Wanigasooriya declined to comment on the actual number of additional personnel assigned for security duties in Colombo or any other part of the country.
SSP Rohana said the police and the military would remain on alert during the next six days, though they didn’t anticipate any untoward situation. The senior police officer said that the impending papal visit too had to be taken into consideration.
Responding to allegations pertaining to the army interfering in the electoral process, Brig Wanigasooriya said that some interested parties had made unsubstantiated allegations against the military. The Brig accused various interested parties of propagating lies. He accused them of having an agenda.
Courtesy:The Island