Church workers help to ensure fair elections

Catholic priests and Church workers have collaborated with a local election monitoring organization to ensure free and fair elections.

The priests and about 60 Church workers, who joined the People´s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFEREL), visited all major polling centers during provincial elections in North Western Province and Central Province on Feb. 14.

According to Father Niranjan Wijerathna, one of the priests, some Church workers acted as independent observers and Caritas, the Catholic Church´s social service agency, provided 25 vehicles to help with election monitoring.

Before the elections, Church workers went from village to village and spoke to people about voters´ rights, the candidates and the electoral process, Father Wijerathna said.

According to him, Church workers took part in promoting fair elections because they wanted to make democracy work. People respect and listen to Catholic priests, he pointed out especially since priests keep away from party politics.

PAFFEREL described the recent elections as mostly peaceful. Many observers had predicted that the elections would not be fair as various parties contested for power.

Anura Wijesiri, a 25-year-old Buddhist, said he welcomed the contribution of Catholic priests and Church workers during such times. “I think the Catholic Church has played its part to make sure the elections were conducted in the right manner,” he said.

Kingsley Rodrigo, the head of PAFFEREL, also welcomed the involvement of the Church in election-related activities. “For the past 20 years, the Catholic church has helped us during elections. This time is no exception,” he stated.

The apparently peaceful elections were a contrast to those in 2001, in which 2,332 people were injured and 46 killed in election-related violence in the two provinces, according to police reports.

“Just to caste a vote we had to go through check points, and endure violence, intimidation, and vote rigging,” recalled Samanthi Vandarlan of the 2001 elections, as she stood in a queue at a polling booth.

This year, however, no one was killed and less than 40 people injured, election monitoring groups say. Police have yet to confirm these figures.

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