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by Ranga Jayasuriya

A hard fought election campaign is over and a new Parliament is in place. Now, with the dust settling on the election ground - though the calmness of the day is still disturbed by post- election violence - it is important to look back at the five weeks of election campaign and, of course, the period after the elections.

As all statistical data has made it clear, the last elections were the bloodiest in Sri Lankan history. As the final report of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) reveals 2,734 incidents of election related violence - among them 1,561 are classified as major incidents including 47 murders- had been reported during the election campaign.

The statistics themselves underline the quantitative and qualitative increase of acts of violence in comparison with the October 2000 General Elections where the total number of incidents committed during the 39 days of the campaign was 2044. The overall increase of acts of violence is 33.7% with a 39.3% rise of major incidents.

The PA was held responsible for the majority of incidents, followed by the UNP and a few complaints were made against the JVP. Though the number of murders recorded (47), this time seems to be a decline in comparison with the 1999 Presidential Election (66), it is important to note that over 40 deaths during the latter was a result of two suicide attacks by the Tamil Tigers. This time the Tigers maintained their silence, but the clashes between the two main political parties resulted in a marked increase in the death toll.

One positive feature, however was that the nomination days were relatively orderly and free of disturbances, but soon after the commencement of the campaign, there was a rapid escalation of violence. A Police curfew was imposed in Nattandiya following a mini battle between PA and UNP supporters.

According to the reports of PAFFREL/MFFE and the CMEV, the districts which were identified as high risk areas for election violence and for which additional security was requested from the IGP -Kurunegala, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Puttalam, Kegalle and Hambantota - witnessed a high intensity of violence.

The disenfranchisement of 97,000 voters in the Vanni and Batticoloa due to the closure of check points at the entrance to the government controlled area remains questionable politically, constitutionally and ethically.

The misuse of state resources for the propaganda campaign of the ruling PA was a cause for rigid criticism by the members of civil organisations, human rights bodies and public. Complaints relating to such misuse of state property were reported from Matara, Hambantota, Puttalam, Monaragala and Colombo and have been documented with details by the Program for Protection of Public Property run by the Institute of Human Rights.

The deployment of the officers of the Presidential Security Division and the Army in the election campaign of the then ruling party and their alleged involvement in a number of violent activities was one disturbing feature.

A nine member team including three officers of the Presidential Security Division and two army officers was arrested with a rocket propelled grenade on suspicion of attempting to kill one time President's confidante turned her main opponent S. B. Dissanayake.

Five army officials including a lieutenant accused of the massacre of 10 Muslim youth in Udathalawinna surrendered to the Police last week and a Magisterial order was made to arrest two sons of former Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte.

Violence reached its peak on the polling day, with 24 murders committed on the election day itself and Hiriyala, Patha Dumbara, Nawalapitiya, Gampola, Laggala, Matale and Katana electorates were subjected to a high volume of violence and vote rigging which according to the PAFFERAL and MFFE made it difficult to ensure free and fair elections in those electorates. According to the PAFFERAL, such violence was of sufficient seriousness to merit a re-poll.The massacre of 10 Muslim youths in Udathalawinna was the most grievous of all.

Post election violence

With the rhetoric of the PA fading away with the emergence of the UNP as victors, there emerged a vicious cycle of violence against the supporters of the defeated party.

According to the statistics of the PAFFERAL/MFFE, 11 murders and 300 major incidents, a large majority of which were committed against the members of the PA were reported. Claiming that some elements within the Police Department had done nothing to curb post- election violence, the Free Media Movement last week in a press release urged the Interior Minister to take immediate action to halt the course of post election violence.

Despite the call for a new political culture by the political leadership of the UNP, some provincial leaders and their supporters have obviously used the change of power to settle political grudges.

The change of the wind brought about some positive changes: action has been taken against the perpetrators of serious crimes and the Police have been advised to hunt down illegal arms which were used in abundance during the campaign. A mini armoury in the house of former Deputy Minister D.M. Dasanayake was found and he was taken into custody.

A considerable degree of attention was drawn to arrest the alleged perpetrators of the Udathalawinna massacre. But, one may be worried to find that no arrests of UNPers were made or that no surprise raid to finds arms were made at the houses of the UNPers, although it was crystal clear during the campaign that the some UNPers were no better than their PA counterparts. Impartiality of the Police at all times should be ensured.

What all these acts of murder, arson, grievous injury, looting and, of course, mud slinging during and after the election campaign underlined was the need for a change of the existing political culture and, indeed, the attitudes of the public. What the country needs is a highly opinionated civil society which will not be misled by the cheap propaganda campaigns of politicians.

Only that would serve to prevent them from submitting themselves to the violence unleashed against them by whoever may be in power or in the opposition.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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