By Rathindra Kuruwita

Political party leaders must educate their candidates and their supporters on how the counting process works, National Coordinator of the Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV,) Manjula Gajanayake told The Island yesterday commenting on unrest at the Jaffna Central College on Thursday night between supporters of ITAK candidates Mavai Senathirajah and Sasikala Raviraj.

Supporters of Raviraj accused Senathirajah and Jaffna District MP elect M. A. Sumanthiran of rigging the preferential votes and depriving her of a seat in parliament.

“From midday our observers had noted that a large number of supporters were gathering at the counting centre. Later there was a delay in issuing preferential vote count and when the results were announced, Raviraj had not won. However, Raviraj thought she had come in second and that was also what her supporters expected. Then there were social media posts by Raviraj’s daughter and other supporters that something fishy was going on and her supporters were angry.”

At that point Sumanthiran arrived with his security and supporters of Raviraj expressed their displeasure at his presence and supporters of various candidates clashed, according to Gajanayake. The police and STF officers had come in unarmed. They had left their weapons inside their vehicles because they didn’t want to make matters worse and it became hard to control the situation.

“Finally, the Police and STF officers had to use force to disperse the clashing rival supporters and some people sustained injuries. Sons of both Senathirajah and Raviraj were among those who sustained injuries.”

Gajanayake said that the incident was due lack of understanding of the counting process among candidates and their supporters. Their ignorance and social media were a dangerous combination, the CMEV National Coordinator said.

“The counting process is documented throughout. Our monitors at the counting centre checked the documents and things seemed to be in order. It is very difficult to say that a person has got enough preferential votes to get in, until the very end of the counting process. The ITAK is an alliance of many parties and there are lots of internal issues and this also contributed to the incident.”

Gajanayake added that Raviraj could move courts if she was convinced that she had been wrongfully denied a seat in parliament.

Yesterday morning, Raviraj’s daughter, Praviinaa Raviraj on Facebook blamed Sumanthiran and TNA leader R. Sampanthan for having deprived her mother a seat in parliament. She also blamed Sumanthiran for mobilizing the STF to assault her supporters.

“We aren’t sour losers, but can one win and then lose? To all those in Colombo and away congratulating us and are unaware of the turnaround that happened last night. The final verdict brought my mum down from 2nd to 4th within TNA Jaffna and Kilinochchi District. Personally, I felt the results were delayed to wait for Sumanthiran. And turmoil was created to hide the rigged voting that had happened in two counting booths. Sumanthiran’s STF attacked peaceful protesters with stones and etc.

“So I want to “thank” Sumanthiran and his STF for attacking, wounding not just friends and family but also supporters of other competing parties. I want to “thank” TNA for letting a snake grow in their own garden.”

 Sasikala is the widow of assassinated TNA parliamentarian Nadaraja Raviraj. He was gunned down in Colombo with his police bodyguard in 2006.