Dokument #1258315
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
The two attached articles refer to violence
allegedly perpetrated by Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) supporters
against United National Party (UNP) supporters prior to the August
1994 elections that ended the UNP rule and brought a SLFP-led
coalition to power.
Reuters states, based on "party sources,"
that
[SLFP] supporters clashed with UNP members
in the southern Hambantota district on Sunday night after hearing a
local party office was attacked by the rival party. Both sides had
exchanged fire (21 Mar. 1994).
According to the report Sri Lankan police detained an SLFP MP and
an SLFP candidate in the March 1994 regional elections after a UNP
member was shot in the leg (ibid.).
Another Reuters report, from 13 July 1994,
states that the UNP and the SLFP accused each other of "being
behind pre-election violence earlier this week in which two people
were killed and at least 100 injured." According to Sri Lankan
police, two UNP members died "after their vehicles were attacked
with rocks by rival groups" (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of
sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Reuters. 13 July 1994. BC Cycle. "Sri
Lankan Parties Accuse Each Other of Violence." (NEXIS)
_____. 21 March 1994. BC Cycle. "Police
Detain Opposition Before Sri Lankan Poll." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 13 July 1994. BC Cycle. "Sri
Lankan Parties Accuse Each Other of Violence." (NEXIS)
_____. 21 March 1994. BC Cycle. "Police
Detain Opposition Before Sri Lankan Poll." (NEXIS)
DIRB Indexed Media Review.
1994-95.
Foreign Broadcast Information Service
(FBIS). 1994-95.
Keesing's Record of World Events.
1994-95.
The Sri Lanka Monitor [London].
1994-95.
On-line search of news articles.