1994 PAs 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 Schools 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 supporters 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.
