July 19, 2013, 9:46 pm


By Shamindra Ferdinando

Polls Chief Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday scotched claims that the Elections Secretariat wouldn’t invite polls monitors from the European Union and Commonwealth countries due to opposition by some political parties.

In a brief interview with The Island, Deshapriya emphasised that the EU and Commonwealth countries, along with two Asian monitoring group, had deployed personnel in Sri Lanka during parliamentary polls on many occasions. Monitors for the late September polls would be picked from among them, he said, adding that his responsibility was to act sensibly in the best interest of the electorate.

Asked whether some political parties had strongly opposed the deployment of monitors from those countries, which voted against Sri Lanka at the last sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Deshapriya said that the final decision on foreign polls monitors would be taken by him.

Deshapriya said: "Let me tell you, there is absolutely no basis for claims that I have already decided to exclude European monitors on the basis that some EU and Commonwealth countries voted against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC. The decision on foreign monitors will not be based on the Geneva vote."

Responding to a query, Deshapriya said that those opposing Commonwealth monitors at the September elections shouldn’t ignore the fact that Sri Lanka was taking over the leadership of the grouping in November. The outspoken official pointed out that at a time when the government was seeking the Commonwealth leadership in spite of heavy lobbying over alleged accountability issues, it would be nothing but foolish to shun Commonwealth monitors purely on the basis of them being European.

Commenting on criticism directed at the EU, Deshapriya recalled an extremely strongly worded statement issued by the EU at the conclusion of Dec 2001 parliamentary polls regarding the conduct of the TNA as well as the LTTE. Deshapriya said that those concerned about the impartiality of the EU should examine a copy of the comprehensive EU report on the Dec. 2001 parliamentary polls. The then head of the EU polls monitoring delegation went to the extent of alleging the TNA being a beneficiary of violence unleashed by the LTTE. Deshapriya pointed out that particular EU report dispelled allegations that the mission was biased towards the LTTE.

Deshapriya acknowledged that a credible election monitoring mechanism should be in place soon in the run-up to the polls. Election monitoring was meant not only to ensure a level playing field but prevent interested parties questioning the outcome, Deshapriya said. The official stressed that it would be of pivotal importance to prevent any untoward incident and also thwart possible attempts to undermine the electoral process. Deployment of credible overseas monitors would in fact prevent interested parties from making wild allegations at the conclusion of the polls, Deshapriya said.

Responding to another query, Deshapriya said that his department was ready to work with local monitors too, to ensure a free and fair election. Deshapriya said that he was in the process of consulting those local organizations with an expertise to monitor polls.

Commenting on the 2008 Eastern Provincial Council elections, Deshapriya said that some Asian election monitors had been involved in the monitoring along with local monitors.

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