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The Oldest English Newspaper in South Asia
Founded 4.2.1834
P. O. Box 1217,
35, D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha,
Colombo 10, Sri Lanka.
Telephone: Editor - 94-1-429226; Fax: 94-1-429230

Political credibility

When the people of this country cast their vote on December 5 they will make their choice of political party to govern on the basis of two things: the policies they favour and the credibility of the parties' election pledges. At the same time, the people's collective memory and experience of our society's political evolution will also help voters decide as to where they want this society to go from here.

The majority of voters will make their choice from the two main political formations that have alternated in Government since freedom from colonial domination in 1948, namely, the SLFP and its closely allied traditional Left parties and, the UNP, which, since the very first post-Independence election, has always included in its ranks the All Ceylon Muslim League.

As the basic declared policies of the two formations are now largely similar, the people must decide on the basis of whether these two groupings have actually practised what they preached from election platforms, especially in relation to the principal issues faced by the Sri Lankan nation.

Under which party's rule, for example, has democracy flourished? Under whom has the freedom of association blossomed; the mass media grown by leaps and bounds? Conversely, under which party has freedom been retarded and bloody repression been unleashed?

Under whom has the most radical effort been made towards negotiating an end to the ethnic war; the best formula for peace so far been prepared and placed on offer? Conversely, under which party has there been a failure to implement election promises for immediate solutions; the worst occurrence of racial attacks and racist oppression of minorities?

And finally, under which party has there been a balanced economic development strategy with benefits for both town and country, rich and poor? Conversely, under whom have the cities become bloated while the countryside suffered: the rich got richer and the poor poorer

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