About CMEV
CMEV was formed in 1997 by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), the Free Media Movement (FMM) and the Coalition Against Political Violence as an independent and non-partisan organization to monitor the incidents of election related violence and has monitored or observed every election since then.
It is currently constituted by CPA, FMM and INFORM Human Rights Documentation.
CMEV Operations
While overall monitoring and evaluation was coordinated at the Colombo office, each district had a designated district coordinator who was assisted by field mobile teams and stationary monitors.
1.In Trincomalee : 6 field monitors, 6 mobile monitor teams and 110 stationary monitors2.In Batticaloa : 12 field monitors, 8 mobile monitor teams and 190 stationary monitors3.In Ampara: 6 field monitors, 8 mobile monitor teams, and 70 stationary monitors
Offences by party
TMVP 1 2 25 1 29 3 3 32 4 25
UPFA 2 5 1 5 1 1 2 1 18 1 1 3 5 23 2 20
EDF 0 0 0
JSP 0 0 0
SLMC 0 1 1 1
UNP 1 1 2 2 2 4 3
EPDP 0 0 0
LTTE 1 1 0 1 1 2
JVP 0 0 0
IND 1 0 0 0
POLICE 2 2 1 1 3 3
A-Z 0 0 0
PNG 1 1 2 5 2 1 12 1 4 5 17 8
Grand Total 0 0 2 3 9 1 0 0 0 30 1 0 1 4 0 7 1 0 0 4 0 1 64 0 1 2 14 0 17 81 7 61
Pol
l. C
entr
e
Major Incidents Minor incidents RemarksM
urde
rA
tt.M
urde
r
Gri
ev.H
urt
Hur
tA
ssau
lt
Ele
ctio
n O
ffen
ce
Oth
ers
Min
or(T
otal
)
Fir
earm
s In
volv
ed
Maj
or(T
otal
)
Mis
chie
fT
hrea
tD
amag
e to
Pro
pert
y
Tot
al #
of I
ncid
ents
Att
Stu
ffin
g &
Im
per
Inti
mid
. Pre
sens
e
Ele
.Mtr
Rel
ated
Abd
ucti
onA
rson
Vot
er R
elat
ed
Bal
lot B
ox R
elat
ed
ID I
ssue
Ele
c.O
ffic
ial R
elat
ed
Perpetrators
Thr
eat &
Int
imid
.M
isus
e of
Sta
te
Res
ourc
esR
obbe
ryB
allo
t Stu
ffin
g
Sys.
Im
per
Sml.S
cl. I
mpe
r
Seiz
ing
Pol
ling
Car
ds
Pol
l.Agt
Rel
ated
Offences report (cumulative)
Kalkudah 4 1 1 6 3 3 9 12
Batticaloa 1 1 4 1 12 2 1 1 23 1 1 2 4 27 1 20
Padiruppu 2 2 1 1 3 3
Total 0 0 1 1 4 1 0 0 0 16 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 31 0 1 1 6 0 8 39 1 35Ampara 1 1 4 1 1 8 7 7 15 6
Sammanturai 1 1 0 1 1
Kalmunai 0 0 0
Potuvil 1 2 13 16 1 1 17 6 13
Total 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 14 0 0 1 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 25 0 0 0 8 0 8 33 6 20Seuwila 0 0 0
Trincomalee 2 1 1 4 1 1 5 5
Mutur 2 1 1 4 0 4 1
Total 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 8 0 0 1 0 0 1 9 0 6GrandTotal 0 0 2 3 9 1 0 0 0 30 1 0 1 4 0 7 1 0 0 4 0 1 64 0 1 2 14 0 17 81 7 61
Ass
ault
Ars
on
Mis
chie
f
Thr
eat
Ele
c.O
ffic
ial
Rel
ated
A
tt S
tuff
ing
&
Impe
r
Sml.S
cl. I
mpe
r
Tot
al #
of I
ncid
ents
Oth
ers
Min
or(T
otal
)
Dam
age
toPr
oper
ty
Ele
ctio
n O
ffen
ce
Trincomalee
Att
.Mur
der
Gri
ev.H
urt
Hur
t
DistrictPolling
Division
Batticaloa
Ampara
Mur
der
Mis
use
of S
tate
R
esou
rces
Minor incidents Remarks
Abd
uctio
n
Major Incidents
Poll.
Cen
tre
Thr
eat &
Intim
id.
ID Is
sue
Rob
bery
Fire
arm
s Inv
olve
d
Bal
lot S
tuff
ing
Sys.
Impe
r
Seiz
ing
Polli
ng
Car
dsPo
ll.A
gt R
elat
ed
Intim
id. P
rese
nse
Maj
or(T
otal
)
Ele
.Mtr
Rel
ated
Vot
er R
elat
ed
Bal
lot B
ox R
elat
ed
Alleged perpetrators of violence
Kalkudah 2 4 1 1 1 9Batticaloa 15 10 1 1 27Padiruppu 1 2 3Total 18 14 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 39Ampara 5 1 9 15Sammanturai 1 1Kalmunai 0Potuvil 14 1 1 1 17Total 14 7 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 9 33Seuwila 0Trincomalee 1 4 5Mutur 1 1 1 1 4Total 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 9
Grand Total 32 23 0 0 1 4 0 1 0 0 3 0 17 81
IND 1 POLICE TOTALA - Z PNGTMVP UPFA EDF LTTEDistrict
Batticaloa
Ampara
Trincomalee
Polling Division
JVPJSP SLMC UNP EPDP
Problems with highest frequency
1. Systematic impersonation
2. Voter intimidation
3. Obstruction of voting
4. Election related violence
5. Chasing away and intimidation of Polling Agents
Valaichennai / Kattankudy
• Pre-poll violence
• Systematic impersonation
• Voter intimidation
• Presence of armed gangs
• Distribution of false identification
• Transporting of voters
• Obstruction of monitors’ access to polling stations
Thirukkovil / Aaliyadavembu
• Voter impersonation by underage persons
• No proper mechanism to verify identification
• Distribution of polling cards by TMVP members
• Presence of armed groups in the area
• Inactive police personnel
• Chasing away of polling agents
Thiriyai
• Repeated cases of election violence, particularly assaults on various politicians
• Ballot stuffing in Thiriyai
• Systematic impersonation and voter intimidation
• Abuse of state resources
• Propaganda material being distributed on election day
Other Major Offences
• Grievous Hurt
• Intimidation of election officials
• Assault and Intimidation of Political Party Officials
• Abuse of State Resources
Other Major Offences
•Intimidation of voters
•Intimidation of Polling Agents
•Propaganda and Election Campaigning continuing past midnight of the 8th
Challenges to monitoring
• Detaining of monitors
• Chasing away of monitors
• Obstructing monitors’ access to polling stations
• Ineffectiveness of local police
• Monitors received little co-operation from the SPOs and other election officials
• Threats by politicians
Recommendations
1. The conduct of the election clearly reinforces the urgency and pivotal importance of implementing the 17th Amendment to the Constitution in full. This entails the reconstitution of the Constitutional Council and its nomination of members to independent commissions, including commissions for the Police, Elections and Public Service – all of which have key responsibilities for the conduct of free and fair elections.
2. The serious problems observed by monitors regarding the conduct of the Police and officials responsible for the conduct of a free and fair election demands this.
3. Political parties need to ensure that their Polling Agents are present in the Polling Stations and are not deterred in fulfilling their responsibilities by threat, intimidation and assault prior to Polling Day and on Polling Day.
Recommendations
4. The procedures agreed upon with regard to Voter identity and the required documentation with regard to this, must be clearly communicated to the officials in the Polling Stations and strict implementation ensured. IDs required for voting must be such that they cannot be easily forged.
5. Given the violence and malpractice that takes place outside of the Polling Station and the impact it has on the exercise of the franchise, procedures must be put in place to ensure that reports of these violations are taken into account when considering whether annulment and re - polling is necessary.
6. Steps should be taken to ensure that the detailed reports of election observers/monitors stationed in Polling Stations can be received by their organizations in time to be communicated to the Election Commissioner, before the counting of votes commences.
For contact details, comprehensive maps and more CMEV reports go to http://cmev.wordpress.com