Gun shots were fired on 16 November at the office of MP Ravi Karunanayake, who crossed over to UNP from the PA. UNP offices in Borella, Mirihana and Welikada were attacked. Armed thugs descended on UNP head office, Sirikotha in Kotte, south-east of Colombo, on 30 November, causing damage.
Local agencies, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) and Movement for Free and Fair Elections (MFFE) are engaged in organising 8,000 election monitors throughout the island. The agencies and opposition parties demanded the presence of foreign observers at the elections.
The government initially opposed international election monitors but later relented following widespread protests. On 26 November, the Acting Elections Commissioner announced that foreign election observers would be allowed but laid down a condition that they could only observe and not monitor, denying a more active role for them in ensuring a free and fair poll.