Ending polls violence

IGP Chandra Fernando's warning that all those engaging in polls-related offences would be brought to justice, we hope, would have the desired effect of preventing such criminal acts. While we urge all concerned to keep the peace and the law, we also call on the law enforcers to act without fear or favour in quelling polls-linked offensive behaviour.

Come election time and there develops a sense of foreboding in the public mind that violence and crime in the country would escalate to daunting proportions. Such widespread dread is based on past experiences of polls-related criminal behaviour and we hope this time round these fears would prove unfounded.

Much will depend on weather political leaders and their supporters would adhere to civilized conduct and on whether the law would be firmly and impartially enforced. We take heart from IGP Fernando's statement that the "police would not hesitate to take action against any person or persons violating election laws irrespective of their political or social positions." May this be so is our wish.

A complaint often heard against the law enforcers is that the law is not enforced equally by them. Very often, the powerful and the influential among those breaking the law are said to be leniently treated by law enforcers. In short, double standards are said to be applied. Some of those offenders with links to powerful politicians were seen to go scot free in the past with the police very often being accused of dispensing the law timorously.

We hope there would not be any repetitions of such faint-heartedness. Now that the problem has been sized-up by the IGP, we hope the relevant precautions would be taken to ensure that double-standards and other glaring drawbacks would not prevail in law enforcement. We wish to remind our law enforcers that nothing can prevail against those who are determined to do their duty in a spirit of righteousness. Only the weak-charactered would be overcome by those who are intent an subverting the course of the law.

Generally speaking, punishments for election-related offences should be rendered more and more prohibitive and stringent. The fearless implementation of these tough penalties against offenders would discourage potential offenders from committing the same crimes. Accordingly, we call for the steady enhancement of penalties.

It could not be emphasized enough that good examples in keeping the law should come from "the top". Political leaders and organisers should set the necessary sound examples to enable their good behaviour to be emulated by their following. Such key figures should ensure that their followers keep to the law very scrupulously.

We suggest that party leaders establish codes of ethical conduct for their followers to ensure preservation of law and order. Political leaders and chief activists should take it on themselves to discipline offenders in their ranks for the purpose of fostering observance of the law.

This is also the hour of civic action groups. Violence among supporters of rival parties is a recurring phenomenon in our country at election time. It is a time when political passions explode to the surface in civil society, causing large-scale devastation and bloodshed.

While all concerned need to do their duty conscientiously to prevent polls-related violence, civil society too needs to play an activist role in preventing criminal behaviour and violence of this kind. For instance, Peace Committees could be formed at every level of society to ensure that violence is not resorted to.

Political activists must also ensure that political campaigning is kept within the bounds of decency. This is essential because words and deeds of an offensive nature inflame political passions which in turn set the country on fire.