2004 Annual Report, NPDS Project.pdf - IDP SriLanka

4.3. ENSURING THE VOTING RIGHTS OF THE IDPsThe right to vote and to participate in governmental and public affairs, including theright to have access to the means necessary to exercise their rightPrinciple 22 (d)Guiding Principles on Internal DisplacementEvery citizen is entitle to the freedom of speech and expressionArticle 14 (1) (a)The Constitution of the Socialist Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri LankaIntroductionPeople displaced by the war either leave their habitual resident and move in toanother area within the district or move in to another district, or move out of thecountry. Some stay with their relatives and friends and many stay behind in welfarecenters.During the year 2003 The Project received a number of complaints on violation of civiland political rights of the IDPs. Most of them are regarding the issue of voting rights.Although equal rights are been mentioned in documents, the IDPs are beendiscriminated when exercising their right to vote. They were discriminated due to thestatus of displacement and some IDPs were discriminated among the IDPs. Many whoare living in the WCs are eligible to vote from the district, which they lived before,displaced. The Parliaments Election Act, No of 1981, Section 127 (B) states that theycan apply for voting from the area where the welfare center is located. But there arecertain details that they have to submit and the IDPs complained that they areunable to find these and they were not given reasonable information time period andinformation.The youth had problems with registering to vote as the Election legislations did notrecognize a welfare center as an “ ordinary” resident although that many of themhave been living in the welfare centers for years.The IDPs living in the unclear areas were faced with the difficulty of traveling to theclear areas and to cast their vote. So many votes were at stake.The Parliamentary Elections were due on the month of April so in March the Projectfocused its attention to the registration of the voting of the IDPs.Activities1. Study on unregistered VotersSteps were taken by the Project to estimate the number of IDPs who are above theage of 18, and who have not registered for voting. But it was informed by the regionalofficers that the task it self is impossible as there are nearly 363,000 IDPs living in 302welfare centers in the six regions.2. Awareness ProgrammesGrama NiladhariAnnual Report 2004National Protection and Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons ProjectHuman Rights Commission of Sri Lanka24