Vedda deputy leader, family refuses to vote

By Ranjith Karunaweera

The deputy leader of the Vedda Community in Dambana, Gunbandiya Ettho and his family refrained from casting their votes and returned home after they were refused entry into the polling booth with the hand axe on their shoulders.

When he called over at the Dambana Junior School polling booth to cast his vote, the Senior Presiding Officer had refused him entry because he was carrying his hand axe on his shoulder, a custom of the Vedda community and a symbol of their culture.

However, when then Leader of the community, Uruvarigelage Vannila Ettho arrived later, with his hand axe on his shoulder, he was allowed to enter the polling booth and cast his vote.

Others in the clan followed him and were permitted entry into the polling booth, carrying the hand axe as usual, and cast their vote.

The deputy leader and his family did not return to cast their votes. 

Commenting on the issue Gunabandiya Ettho told the media, "We request the government not to deploy officers who are not conversant with the culture and the rights of the Vedda community for election duty in the Dambana area."

He pointed out that they had permission to go abroad and even to courts with the hand axe on their shoulder and that there should not be any obstacles to enter the polling booths as well.