‘Good job by Sri Lanka Election Commissioner’: ACMC to EU

Wednesday, 30 October 2019 01:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

‘Minority parties handicapped by shortcomings’ – Bathiudeen
Will issue a preliminary statement a few days after election day’ – EU’s Boland

The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) yesterday welcomed the European Union Election Observation Mission for Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election (EUEOM) with open arms.

The ACMC stressed that the EUEOM’s arrival strengthened the electoral efforts of all political parties, especially minority parties such as the ACMC, for the November Presidential Elections.

ACMC Leader and Vanni District MP Rishad Bathiudeen said the EUEOM’s involvement would bolster Sri Lanka’s democratic election process and encourage minority parties such as the ACMC.

Bathiudeen, who is also the Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development and Vocational Training Minister, was addressing the EUEOM’s Political Analyst Mary Boland and her team in Colombo. ACMC officials were also present at yesterday’s meeting.

Speaking to Boland and her colleagues, Bathiudeen said: “Minority parties such as the ACMC are handicapped by many shortcomings and one of our main fears is possible malpractice or manipulation. The Sri Lanka Election Commissioner and his teams have been doing a good job. Thanks to the Election Commissioner’s strong stand, many malpractices and violence at the ground level have so far been avoided. However, news reports of many violations are seen in the media. In this situation, your scrutiny strengthens Sri Lanka’s democratic election process.”

“The EU has a well-established long-term methodology for observing elections. Since 2000, we deployed over 150 EOMs across the world. We do so with strict adherence to our code of conduct which demands impartiality, neutrality and non-interference,” Boland asserted.

“The mission’s mandate is to provide an expert, comprehensive assessment of the electoral process. It assesses Sri Lanka’s compliance with the international commitments it has made through various human rights instruments,” said Boland, adding that one of the objectives of the EU’s observation was to enhance public confidence in electoral and democratic processes.

“We will issue a preliminary statement a few days after election day in Sri Lanka, assessing the electoral process up to that point. The mission’s overall conclusions will be presented by EUEOM Chief Observer Marisa Matias, a Member of the European Parliament from Portugal, in a final report only after the end of the electoral process, usually about two months later. The final report will also offer recommendations to improve future electoral processes.”

The ACMC has pledged its support to presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa of the UNP-led alliance the New Democratic Front.