1994 PA’s Election Manifesto emphasized ....... “Dear Voter, you can rest
assured that once the PA wins, the life and property of not even a single citizen of this
country will be subjected to any risk. For in our view these rights are sacred and
inviolable under any circumstances and it is the bounded duty of the state to protect
them. It is also our responsibility to protect the life and property of every citizen and
to maintain law and order .”
Ratnapura - Sept, 1995 : Former UNP MP, Athula Attygalle was shot dead by armed
political opponents.
Ududumbara - 23rd Oct, 1995 : A UNP Central Provincial Councillor was assassinated. All
the accused are PA supporters.
Katunayake Airport - Nov, 1995 : PA thugs chased away all Taxi Drivers, affiliated to
UNP Trade Union, from Airport premises. Drivers filed Fundamental Rights violation case.
Court issued a ruling in favour of the Drivers and found Deputy Minister, J. Fernandopulle
guilty of instigating the attacks.
Yanthampalawa - 17th Jan, 1996 : A UNP supporter was abducted. His body on burning
types was found next morning.
Kuliyapitiya - 25th Feb, 1996 : PA thugs disrupted a public rally attended by UNP
leader. A bomb was discovered at the venue.
Kalawana - 9th March, 1996 : Pannala School’s Principal and his son were abducted
and assaulted by supporters of Deputy Minister, P Wanniarachi, allegedly for extending
support to a 17 year old girl to perform a fancy dress competition, during which the girl
supposed to have imitated the Minister.
Anamaduwa - April, 1996 : UNP Mayor of Kurunegala, a former UNP Deputy Minister and 14
others were shot at and critically injured by PA thugs in the process of disrupting a UNP
public rally. Mr. Dassanayake, PA MP, who led the thugs, even with 46 criminal and other
chargers against him is still at large.
Colombo - 27th July, 1996 : The Editor of ‘Satana’ and others were taken in
to custody for possessing anti-government posters.
Baddegama - July, 1996 : Preparations for a UNP public meeting was violently disrupted
by PA thugs, which prompted a clash between two parties. A PA supporter was killed and the
local UNP organizer was promptly arrested and remanded.
Colombo 7th August, 1996 : The publisher of ‘Siya Rata’ was brutally
assaulted.
Pannala - 14th August, 1996 : A UNP supporter was brutally killed by PA thugs for
obstructing the pasting of a PA poster with the picture of a ‘skull’ on the wall
of his house. The same thugs terrorized the entire village and pasted the same poster near
UNP supporter’s coffin by threatening his family members.
Matugama - 25th August, 1996 : A UNP public meeting was disrupted by an area PA MP and
his thugs with the help of Police. Stones were pelted and tear gas was fired in to the
meeting.
Kesbewa - August, 1996 : A UNP candidate for Co-operative Election was shot and killed
by PA thugs.
Anuradhapura - 28th August 1996 : A temple ceremony connected with 50th anniversary of
UNP was disrupted by gun wielding PA thugs, firing some shots in to the temple.
Negombo - 30th August 1996 : A church ceremony connected with 50th anniversary of UNP
was disrupted by armed PA thugs. A UNP and a PA supporter were killed. The thugs entered
church and threatened Rev. Priests and Nuns. A PA thug climbed on the Holy Cross and
abused the worshippers.
Colombo - 16th September, 1996 : ‘Lankadeeda Photographer’ was brutally
assaulted by PA thugs in the Fort Magistrate Court premises.
Negombo - 20th September, 1996 : Five UNP members were killed and several others
injured in cold blood with automatic weapons by PA thugs. Among the killed was the former
President of the UNP affiliated Taxi Drivers Union, who won the Fundamental Right case.
Families of the deceased were threatened and told not to hold the funerals at their
residences. Accordingly, a secret funeral had to be organized in Colombo for one of the
deceased.
Katana - 22nd September, 1996 : A UNP Municipal Council Member, who was a member of the
airport taxi Drivers Union was shot dead.
In the present circumstances, when democracy is under grave threat, the UNP in the
public interest, will be issuing periodical updates on the Human Rights situation in Sri
Lanka. “
