The UNP expects the European Union to take action against the LTTE for preventing the Tamils from exercising their franchise at the recently concluded presidential polls. Party sources said that that UK Presidency of the EU and EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner regretted the LTTE action.

The EU is among the Sri Lankan peace co-chairs with others being the Norway, Japan and the US. Japan expressed concern over "very low voter turnouts in some parts of the northern and eastern provinces and reported cases of violation of election laws." The Japanese Foreign Ministry statement did not refer to the LTTE.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Norwegian International Development Minister Erik Solheim were silent on the issue.

"Now, we expect the EU to take some tangible action," a party official said. The EU should take notice of the fact that the


UNP seeks EU action


LTTE crippled the polls in the backdrop of the EU decision to place a visit ban on LTTE delegates to member states in late September. This followed the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar early August. The EU statements are primarily based on the observations of the EU Electoral Observation Mission.

The Oslo-led Scandinavian truce monitoring mission, too, accused the LTTE of violating the Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) with regard to the presidential polls. The mission comprising truce monitors from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden criticised the LTTE, another official said, expressing the belief that the LTTE would not take any notice of statements. The US and foreign-funded PAFFREL and CMEV which monitored the polls, too, blamed the LTTE. The UNP has accused the LTTE of engineering Rajapakse's victory.

The UK presidency of the EU, while congratulating Rajapakse said, "We note the public statement of the EU Election Observation Mission and condemn the violent incidents which marred what was otherwise a peaceful campaign. We also deeply regret reports that people in the north and east of Sri Lanka were prevented from exercising their democratic right to vote by the actions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam."

The EU also reiterated its call to the parties to the conflict to demonstrate their commitment to peace by maintaining the ceasefire and working together towards a peaceful settlement of the ethnic issue that meets the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka.

The former Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner while regretting the LTTE's action on the presidential polls day said, "This is in complete contradiction with our repeated calls that they should allow for greater pluralism and democracy in the North and East of Sri Lanka. She pointed out that the LTTE actions contradict with their repeated calls that they should allow for greater pluralism and democracy in the North and East of Sri Lanka."

Observers said that the international community reiterated its oft repeated call for a negotiated settlement in the backdrop of the latest atrocity. Similar statements were issued immediately after the assassination of Kadirgamar.

Canada expressed disappointment in the boycott that was called by the LTTE and the use of violence and intimidation to prevent the participation of Sri Lankans, particularly Tamils and Muslims, in areas controlled by the LTTE.