Editorial

31st January 1999

47, W. A. D. Ramanayake Mawatha Colombo 2. P.O. Box: 1136, Colombo 2.
E-Mail:editor@suntimes.is.lk
Telex:21266 LAKEXPO CE
EDITORIAL OFFICE Tel: 326247,328889, 433272-3 Fax: 423258, 423922
ADVERTISING OFFICE Tel: 328074, 438037
CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 10, Hunupitiya Cross Road, Colombo 2. Tel 435454, 548322

Chandiyage Paalanaya

One Adult, One Vote" This was the noble inscription to the franchise that was granted in 1931 to the subjugated people of Sri Lanka.

Now, that the dust has almost settled in the province of Wayamba in the North West of the island, the victors have adorned themselves with a crown of prickly thorns in what has been a transparent exhibition of one of the worst, if not the most disgraceful elections ever held in Sri Lanka. It was on par, if not surpassing the notorious District Development Council elections held in Jaffna in 1981 and the Referendum in 1982. The SLFP-led People's Alliance Government headed by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga can wallow in its hollow victory.

The violation of the Fundamental Rights of the voter was so blatant that the Wayamba PC elections turned out to be a joke, if it was not so tragic. Even the President was constrained to concede, at least to some extent those acts and wrote to the Commissioner of Elections.

From what would have been a victory or defeat by a narrow margin on either side, we have an election that has lost credibility. In the process, the PA has also significantly helped the UNP to live down its pervious murky past on free and fair elections.

As far as we can comprehend Vijaya and Chandrika Kumaratunga did not espouse violence when they started their political careers. Having witnessed two assassinations, President Kumaratunga should abhor violence, whatever may be thought otherwise.

It may be necessary to draw the distinction between the perception she has today of politics (or has been given to her) and reality. The post of Executive President carries with it an inevitable isolation and it may be worthwhile to actually hear for herself what known moderates within her own ranks have to say.

The Inspector General of Police made a boast on election-eve that any impersonators would be taken to task by the police. But what happens when tables are turned and impersonators take the police to task for what happened in Wayamba on Monday?

What happens when officers under the command of the Elections Commissioner are made to be silent spectators of a spectacle that squandered not only Rs 20 million of the public money but also the self respect of the PA government.

Unpalatable it may be, but with more elections on the way at least the same disastrous mistake must not be made. Our democratic structure is far too fragile for such buffeting.

Hardly had the results from Wayamba's sham polls trickled in, a Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice delivered a damning indictment on the attitude of the President and the Elections Commissioner to the franchise of our people.

This came shortly after the amazing news that the President by her own admission had contacted some returning officers right in the middle of the election to find out how it was going. Her intention may have been bona fide but she had absolutely no business to do what she did.

We just gape in horror as to which Counsel of the President, or Minister, is giving her the advice she so desperately needs.

Last, but not least, the Government's own front-line actors in this tragi-comedy accuses the non-state controlled media of being responsible for a grossly exaggerated bogey of violence before and after the elections, and more importantly, that this was possible only because the freedom of the expression was "given by the government".

That is the arrogance of power and the audacity of those who say an inherent Democratic right has been given to us by the munificence of the PA .

So, will they take that inherent democratic right away, just like they did with the right to vote?

Political Column

Editorial/Opinion Contents