Catholic priests and Caritas workers helping to monitor local elections in the country’s war-ravaged areas say the polls, although mainly peaceful, were not free or fair in some areas.

The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance won 45 local councils out of a total of 65, while the Tamil National Alliance swept 20 councils out of 25 it contested at the weekend.

However, according to Caritas officials and the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections in monitoring the polls, there were several reports of intimidation and vote-buying.

“This election was peaceful on the whole, but [was] marred by practices that were not entirely free and fair,” said Niru Sabanayagam, a poll monitor.

He said he had heard reports from other areas of individuals distributing free food parcels and forcing voters to vote for the ruling coalition, but these claims were later denied by police.

Ahead of the elections, Caritas officials had sought to try to educate villagers on what to watch out for on polling day in order to make the vote as clean as possible.

“Sixty-two Caritas workers and civic rights activists went from village to village to organize meetings about voters’ rights before the elections,” said Father Bernard Regno, Caritas’ chief coordinator.

However, he said he was told that the ruling party was violating election regulations by campaigning the day before polling took place and that ruling party supporters were provided vehicles to transport voters to polling booths.

Several party officials also complained to monitors that they were threatened by supporters of other parties, he added.

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