PC polls: ‘Congratulations Mr. President, Well done’

The political dust has now settled in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) recorded a resounding victory taking all twenty seven seats made available for contest.

Analytically, it was a victory for President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sensing it could be a close battle, the President stepped out of the Palace to embark upon the political stage to canvass for his party despite security threats.

It was President Rajapaksa who gave vigour to the contestants of his party in the fray when many of them were engaged in a preferential vote’ battle putting the interests of the party behind.

The charismatic Mahinda Rajapaksa, whom I’ve known and observed for over three decades, is an astute politician who could market any product to the people in a convincing manner. The presence of President Rajapaksa convinced the people on the true side of the ongoing effort to crush terrorism. With malice towards none, truly it was a personal victory for the President a veteran political campaigner.

Campaign

President Rajapaksa in his campaign did not use poetic phrases to declare his commitment. Instead, he drove home the inclusive understanding to the people that he was a leader who loved the country and the people.

He posed incisive questions to the people to muster support to regain the lost land of this nation for the people to understand in conjunction with the belief they were all Sri Lankans. The point he stressed from the platform was to uphold the diversity of our people to create an atmosphere for all to accept, believe and define that they were one people of one country. He also made a firm assertion that Sri Lanka belonged to all who live in it.

Those assembled at the meetings addressed by the President, believed that they saw a leader who would free them from fear and defend them and the nation at the risk of his life. The masses were convinced by the President Rajapaksa’s concrete expressions on his commitment towards the people and the nation.

In appreciation, they on August 23 decided to share those sentiments by using the ballot to give the President a resounding victory in all 27 electorates in the contest. Their ballot meant - Congratulations Mr. President, Well Done. That was how they summed up their appreciation.

SLFP leader, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in conducting this election proved the strength and capacity of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party as a single entity that it could win any election in a handsome manner.

The former Government ally, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna(JVP) was reduced to near ashes at the recently concluded elections. Now, it could be fearlessly assumed that the JVP gained thirty nine seats in Parliament because it built up an alliance with the SLFP.

The voting pattern in the two provinces clearly showed that the voting momentum even by the youth towards the JVP looked lost in every sense. Now the story stands that the winners have won. no losers as the Runners Up too have gained entry into the two Councils in a considerable manner to make up a strong Opposition, a vibrant feature to strengthen democracy.

While a few minority parties were wiped out, the JVP managed to creep in, in a very small way and they could also now contribute to the few thousands who voted for them.

The Winners, Runner-up and the ‘distant’ Third must now forget the violent time during the hectic election campaign. Violence is nothing new at times of elections in this country. The present preferential voting system added more miseryas it led to in-house battles to gain entry to public office. Now its no time for revenge or vengeance.

The voters have given the opportunity for all elected members to serve them irrespective of their status be they in the Government or Opposition. Those elected must not forget what they told and promised the people from the campaign platform. These elected members to the grass root level office of the two provinces should also realise that the country is at a crisis point fighting terrorism to unite the people and the nation.

We all could see ill cyclonic winds blowing across this nation with intermittent thunder, as tensions run high due to heightened terrorist activity. With the nation standing at a critical juncture, we see politicians stand divided battling for power. The need of the hour is to put the country first before party politics. The valiant troops are engaged in a struggle to liberate the people and unite the country.

Therefore, politics must not be used as a vehicle to divide the people at this crucial juncture. If we contract such petty attitudes, could we ever dream of a Sri Lankan Renaissance? It will only make our neighbours and the world laugh that Sri Lankan politicians are the best comedians in the world. The political centre stage in the country, irrespective of party politics, must realise to build up a better understanding, trust and confidence to move the nation towards prosperity.

Politicians, Members of Parliament and elected Members to Provincial and other local bodies in this country need no education on the yawning problems faced by the people and the nation. Many development efforts are stifled because of terrorism which has demarcated an unacceptable terrorist controlled area.

All such areas were created by our politicians due to short sighted political strategies to remain in power under the guise of a so called peace. Did that dream of peace ever realise? No as a result the innocent people have become human shields in the current effort to free the people and the nation from terrorism. And those who were responsible for such short sighted acts yet scream to embrace the enemy for the sake of peace.

Responsibility

While the troops are engaged in a battle to free the nation and the people trapped within enemy territory, elected Peoples Representatives be they in the Government or Opposition must accept the corollary that they represent the disadvantaged in this pluralistic society.

Hence, the responsibility of these Members should be to mobilise their constituencies, to understand and accept the legitimacy and justice of the demands of the deprived segment.

Its time that all elected Members, irrespective of their political status, work as a unit, to walk towards the achievement of all goals that benefit the people, through which the present sad situation could be changed. Otherwise, the helpless people will continue to be imprisoned by a status quo, a perpetuation that could only lead to further disaster.

What have our elected members achieved so far by the people? Let us take the role of Members of Parliament over the past three decades without digging into a history of six decades after Independence. As a ritual, they have raised, questioned and debated in that Chamber from Colombo Fort to Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte on issues pertaining to Language, Ethnicity, Differences and even on New Draft Constitutions.

What have we achieved so far? Those are areas that need to be handled with due sensitivity, to ensure, that they do not exacerbate tensions that prepare the ground for renewed conflict among all sections of our people. If we evaluate the achievements of the past, one cannot be happy, as most of our elected Members have contributed in a manner, quite contrary to those tasks. When one proposes, the other opposes. And, that had been the sad Hymn sung all the time.

Do our elected representatives really know what the people expect from them? The people have elected them to office with the hope that they would fulfil a wider and enduring national objective of resolving issues that have caused racial, ethnic and other social inequalities. And the need to foster national unity and reconciliation among sections irrespective of race religion or political belief.

Only a viable process with political unity could introduce a transformation to herald those hopes of the people. An opposition must not be greedy to come to power early. Instead, it should build up partnership with the ruling party as elected Members, to fulfil the obligation by the voters who voted them into all Chambers. Politicians cannot tell lies, all the time to all people to claim and rejoice in easy victories. They must realise that in this South Asian Region, Sri Lanka today has a higher literacy rate and her people cannot be fooled all the while and all the time.

Sri Lanka is the dear heritage of all people. The Peoples Representatives are therefore bound by the Constitution to protect this nation from threats to its territorial integrity and sovereignty. In that exercise, the Peoples Representatives cannot evade responsibility by hiding behind political flagships. Their motto should be- Nation first and Politics next.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon the Opposition of a democracy to join hands with the administration to help curb, or eliminate tension that would result in the division of the society and the unitary character of the country. Politicians must also realize that national issues should not be mixed with political agendas, as they are quite national in nature. What we have witnessed to date is that most of our politicians have yet failed to identify or recognize the difference between national issues and political issues.

Wish of the people

The wish of the people is to live in a Sri Lanka devoid of racial conflict, terrorism and corruption. Therefore, all political parties must unite in finding a resolution to the ethnic problem that is acceptable to all people. It should also suit the Sri Lankan society. Introduction of alien models would prove futile as the people need a resolution that has an indigenous face.

The people dream of a better life in a peaceful democracy. For that, the country needs the spirit of national reconciliation. To achieve that, all elected Members from the local bodies, provinces to Parliament should take the lead towards the reality of that noble dream of the people.

Should we have elected or nominated Members who are bad or of no meaning? The answer would be a stern -NO- from the people. And, should we have elected Members who could only display their eloquence in the Chamber? Also, others who have the agility to debate and skills to outsmart their opponents? Even those two segments would not satisfy the needs and the aspirations of the people. To the people most of such criteria are irrevelant. The fact is the people judge their elected representatives on how they use their position and power to improve the quality of life of the people. How many of todays elected Members in those Chambers realize that fact is the question. The people also judge the integrity and honesty of elected Members from the manner they practice what they have preached. Therefore, the future of the people and the nation should not be sacrificed to the vanities of short term political advantage.

Political party leaders should not indulge in the belief that-If you wrong us, shall we not revenge-, as contained in William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. The only stumbling block to development is terrorism. It is incumbent upon all political leaders to set aside pettiness, petulance, selfishness and short sightedness if they are patriotic as they claim to be, to save the nation from the menace of terrorism. Politicians must unite in the effort to crush terrorism.

As President Rajapaksa has correctly defined, terrorism has no race, colour or religion. The Security Forces are capable of defeating the enemy in this land. But, the restoration of permanent peace is the responsibility of all political leaders as a Government alone cannot fulfil such a task by itself.

Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa addressing a passing out parade at Galkiriyagama in August last year made a firm pledge that he would leave no room for the terrorist war to be passed onto future generations. Accordingly, the Defence Secretary had ensured that the Eastern sector is now cleared and troops advancing much in the North with the enemy retreating into the jungles. However, there’s much more to do and many more miles to trek. For that, the political establishment of this country must unite to stand together and speak in one voice to the world on the menace of terrorism. Today, terrorism and the ethnic problem are clearly two different issues. To resolve the ethnic problem, terrorism ought to be crushed first to free the people. Because the people should first feel free to express their desires and call for aspirations to meet their basic needs.

True meaning

All opposition political parties need to learn a lesson from the recently concluded elections in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces. The masses demonstrated their patriotism towards the nation as it ought to be. Their vote was to free the country from terrorism. They also taught opposition politicians the true meaning of patriotism by the use of the ballot. That was why on August 23, a great sense of joy spilled over the two provinces based on hope and conviction to say it was time to look forward to a glorious future.

The newly elected Members to these two Councils, should live up to the expectations of their voters, to administer beyond narrow party lines and cross parochial boundaries to serve and address needs of the people in the two provinces. The manner they would execute such a noble task, is a matter for the future to record.