by ‘Tamil Guardian,’ London, August 18, 2015
Results from the Tamil-dominated North-East reveal an overwhelming victory for the Tamil National Alliance.
Receiving the greatest number of votes in Jaffna, Vanni and Batticaloa, the TNA has secured16 parliamentary seats, which places it as the third biggest party in Sri Lanka.
As the results of the preferential votes come through, in the Jaffna district, S Sritharan received 72,158 votes, Mavai Senathirajah 58,782 votes, M A Sumanthiran 58,043 votes, Siddarththan 53,743 votes and E Saravanabavan 43,719 votes.
Tamils cast their vote in the North-East. (Photograph Tamilwin).
In comparison to the 2010 parliamentary election results, initial results in the predominantly Tamil speaking regions indicate a rise in support for the TNA and Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), which both agreed on the necessity for an international accountability process into Sri Lanka’s mass atrocities.
See Tamil election pledges below:
TNA manifesto calls for constitutional change that accepts Tamil right to self-determination (25 Jul 2015)
TNPF calls for internationally mediated political solution acknowledging ‘two sovereign nations’ in one country (14 August 2015)
International investigation is essential agree Tamil political parties across North-East (02 August 2015)
Wigneswaran urges Tamils to vote for ‘justice, homeland and self-determination’ (14 August 2015)
In a letter to Tamil donors, the Tamil National Alliance spokesperson, Suresh Premachandran, thanked the diaspora for its support and said he would ensure a further “international investigation” into the findings of the UN investigation into Sri Lanka’s mass atrocities, whilst also raising awareness in the international community about the “Tamil genocide.”
Urging donors to speak to their friends and families in “our Tamil Eelam,” Mr Premachandran pledged further to stop “unpatriotic Tamil MPs who beg appeasement from the Sri Lankan Sinhala government.”
The run up to the elections saw the ruling UNF majority Sinhala coalition as well as the UPFA Sinhala majority opposition reject Tamil demands for fully devolved federalism, acknowledgement of the Tamil right to self-determination, de-militarisation of the North-East and international justice mechanisms.
Speaking on BBC World News, Tamil Guardian’s Sutharshan Sukumaran, said that as with previous elections, “the full spectrum of Sinhala majority parties have rejected Tamil demands in the run up to elections.”
The ruling UNP coalition managed to secure 106 seats, making it 7 seats short of an overall majority. The current parliamentary set up once again places the TNA as kingmakers in allowing a future UNP led parliament to carry out its proposed forms.
In the run up to the elections the TNA in the event of such an outcome, pledged to use its leverage in parliament to secure a political solution for the Tamil people in the North-East.
All island cumulative results
| 2015 | Seats | ||
| UNP | 5,098,927 | 45.66% | 106 |
| UPFA | 4,732,669 | 42.38% | 95 |
| ITAK | 543,944 | 4.62% | 16 |
| JVP | 515,963 | 4.62% | 6 |
| SLMC | 44,193 | 0.40% | 01 |
| EPDP | 33,481 | 0.30% | 01 |
| DP | 28,587 | 0.26% | 0 |
| OTHER | 169,227 | 1.52% | 0 |
See below for the electoral district voting results.
Parliamentary election results – Jaffna District
| 2015 | 2010 | ||||
| ITAK | 207,577 | 69.12% | 65,119 | 43.85% | |
| UPFA | 17,309 | 5.76% | 47,622 | 32.07% | |
| UNP | 20,025 | 6.67% | 12,624 | 8.50% | |
| AITC | 15,022 | 5.00% | 6,362 | 4.28% | |
| EPDP | 30,232 | 10.07% | (On UPFA ticket) | ||
| Voter turnout | 59.05% | 23.33% | |||
More details to follow.
Parliamentary election results – Vanni District
| 2015 | 2010 | ||||
| ITAK | 89,886 | 54.55% | 41,673 | 38.96% | |
| UPFA | 20,965 | 12.72% | 37,522 | 35.07% | |
| UNP | 39,513 | 23.98% | 12,783 | 11.95% | |
| AITC | 1,174 | 12.72% | N/A | N/A | |
| EPDP | 2,120 | 1.29% | (On UPFA ticket) | ||
| SLMC | 5,716 | 3.47% | DPLF | 5,900 | 5.52% |
| Voter turnout | 71.89% | ||||
Parliamentary election results – Batticaloa District
| 2015 | 2010 | |||||
| ITAK | 127,185 | 53.25% | 66,235 | 36.67% | ||
| UPFA | 32,232 | 13.49% | 62,009 | 34.33% | ||
| UNP | 32,359 | 13.55% | 22,935 | 12.7% | ||
| AITC | 865 | 0.36% | N/A | N/A | ||
| TULF | 959 | 0.4% | 4,424 | 2.454% | ||
| SLMC | 38,477 | 16.11% | N/A | N/A | ||
| Other | TMVP | 16,886 | 9.35% | |||
| Voter turnout | 69.12% | |||||
Parliamentary election results – Trincomalee District
| 2015 | 2010 | ||||
| ITAK | 45,894 | 25.44% | 33,268 | 23.81% | |
| UPFA | 38,463 | 21.32% | 59,784 | 42.78% | |
| UNP | 83,638 | 46.36% | 39,691 | 28.4% | |
| AITC | 1,144 | 0.63% | N/A | N/A | |
| JVP | 2,556 | 1.4% | N/A | ||
| Voter turnout | 74.34% | ||||
Parliamentary election results – Digamadulla District
| 2015 | 2010 | ||||
| UNP | 151,013 | 46.3% | 90,757 | 35.32% | |
| UPFA | 89,334 | 27.39% | 132,096 | 51.41% | |
| ITAK | 45,421 | 13.92% | 26,895 | 10.47% | |
| ACMC | 33,102 | 10.15% | |||
| JVP | 5,391 | 1.65% | |||
| DNA | 2,917 | 1.14% | |||
| TMVP | 1,490 | 0.58% |
A full list of electoral district results across the entire island can be seen here.
Sinhala parties’ response to Tamil demands during the run up to elections:
Rajapaksa claims Tamil leaders are ‘dividing the country’ (15 August 2015)
Ranil rules out federalism for Sri Lanka (14 August 2015)
‘Separatist forces are destabilising the country’ claims Rajapaksa(14 August 2015)
‘No room for LTTE regrouping’ warns government minister (14 August 2015)
Chief Buddhist monks from across the world slam UNP for ‘Eelam poster’ (13 August 2015)
Ranil says torture report will be addressed after OISL report is released (13 August 2015)
Sinhala organisations demand Ranil clarifies rejection of international war crimes probe (11 August 2015)
Ranil assures Sri Lankan traders that GSP+ will return (11 August 2015)
UNP has ‘re-established Sri Lanka’s tarnished reputation’ says minister (10 August 2015)
‘UNP will allow international war crimes probe’ warns Weerawansa(10 August 2015)
‘LTTE will never be allowed to regroup’ says Sri Lankan minister (09 August 2015)
UNP ‘will do utmost to preserve Buddhism’ – Ranil (08 August 2015)
UPFA accuses UNP of furthering interests of multinationals (08 August 2015)
‘Sirisena as defence minister would stop LTTE resurgence’ – Ranil(07 August 2015)
‘Federalism will never be given to North’ says government minister(06 August 2015)
‘Unitary status needs to be maintained’ says Sri Lankan president(06 August 2015)
Sri Lanka PM pledges domestic mechanism to deal with UN findings(05 August 2015)
UN cannot deal with North-East directly to provide assistance – Government (05 August 2015)
UNP will protect a united Sri Lanka – Minister (05 August 2015)
Sinhalese back Rajapaksa for PM as Tamils overwhelmingly reject him – CPA poll (04 August 2015)
Sinhala opposition mounts against federal solution (04 August 2015)
Mahinda vows to leave no room for separatism (03 August 2015)
TNA using ‘communal issues’ to get votes – JVP (02 August 2015)
UPFA rejects any autonomy to Tamil regions beyond 13th amendment (01 August 2015)
Sri Lanka’s cabinet rejects Tamil demands for federal state power sharing solution (31 Jul 2015)
Sri Lankan election commissioner says candidates must affirm commitment to unitary state (30 Jul 2015)
UNP coalition partner calls for on Tamils to ‘integrate’ with Sinhalese (30 Jul 2015)
Sinhala nationalist organisations rally against federalism (30 Jul 2015)
UNP reiterates rejection of federal solution (29 Jul 2015)
JVP slams TNA manifesto and opposes federalism (29 Jul 2015)
UPFA election manifesto limits political solution to ethnic conflict to 13A (28 Jul 2015)
Sri Lankan MP says TNA manifesto threatens country’s sovereignty(26 July 2015)
United National Front rejects claims of working with TNA to grant further autonomy (25 Jul 2015)
Sri Lanka’s army chief reiterates commitment to maintaining and strengthening military camps (24 Jul 2015)
Buddhism given foremost place in UNP election manifesto (23 Jul 2015)
UNP rules out federalism (22 Jul 2015)
Sri Lanka’s foreign minister reiterates rejection of OISL report (22 Jul 2015)
Rajapaksa accuses new government of allowing ‘chaos’ in ‘North’ of Sri Lanka (12 Jul 2015)