Open questionnaire for joint Opposition:
Citizens’ responsibilities in post-Presidential election
Dr Sudath GUNASEKARA
Ranil Wickremesinhe received 4,706,336 votes in 2005. This comprised
mainly the UNP block vote in the other parts of the country and the
estate votes. This time too, UNF got majority of estate votes.
Then how did it come down to 400,000 at this election. Is it the
strength of the UNP defectors who are now with the Government? Or didn’t
all the UNPers vote? Or is there any other hidden reason behind this
massive erosion?
Last time (2005) MR’s 4,887,152 included nearly 450,000 JVP votes.
Had they voted with the Opposition this time MR would have got only
4,437,000 and Opposition should have gone up to at least 5,156,000.
With the North and East this figure would have gone up to 5,156,000+.
Why did it not happen? Votes of all minority dominated areas in the
North, East Centre and the urban centres have gone to them as clearly
shown by the election results.
In this backdrop how did MR go up to 6,000,000.
Did the JVPers also vote with MR this time. Then what happen to the
floating and new votes. Why did the UNF failed to attract at least some
of them. Was it because MR was more appealing or the strategy of the
Opposition was wrong.
Voting pattern
Can you explain all this with the usual allegation of rigging? Even
if there was, then why was this phenomenon apparently dominant in the
South only? Why didn’t that happen in the Tamil areas where the voter
response was weak and where such manipulations would have been much
easier? Also it would have enhanced the image of the Government in the
outside world as well.
The voting pattern in both areas, Sinhala dominant and Tamil
dominant, in my opinion, clearly indicated that both communities have
cast their vote voluntarily according to their inner conscience. If some
one can tally the data in the returns sent by the District Returning
officers and the final results of the Election Commissioner then, the
riddle ends there.
Is it real voter response, manipulation or magic? The onerous is now
with the joint Opposition. Does the swansong of the Commissioner of
Elections and the widespread rumours can provide some clue to clarify
this riddle? This is the onerous responsibility of the joint Opposition
before the next Parliamentary Elections.
Their future political fortunes will largely depend on how they
perform in this political gamble and re-adjust their future political
strategy in keeping with the aspirations of the majority. Their failure
to do so and be realistic in Sri Lankan politics at least now, will
definitely mark their political doom in this country.
LTTE outfit
The overall results of this election have clearly brought out few
highlights. Firstly the polarization of Opposite Forces round their own
axes has once again taken place, perhaps more strongly than in 2005, as
I have pointed out in September that year.
At the same time one can also note that clearly the Tamil and Muslim
communalism and separatism are not yet dead as I have said in an article
immediately after the defeat of the Nandikadal episode, the physical
defeat of the LTTE outfit, is only the positive beginning of a long and
difficult journey; although it was definitely the correct beginning.
The map of Lanka depicting the behaviour of the electorate has
clearly established this minority mindset without any doubt. One can see
this very clearly how it has dotted around the North and the East and
minority dominant areas at the centre and the major urban centres of the
island.
They are dormant but still actively simmering like ember under the
ashes. It is like a sleeping volcano. No one can predict as to when it
will erupt in to high heavens.
But at the same time people of this country have defeated these ugly
forces for the second time within a short time span of seven months. The
first being the physical defeat of Prabhakaran and his local outfit at
Nandikadal by the Sri Lankan Forces and the second by the people at this
election.
Presidential elections
When the Government defeated the LTTE in last May it fulfilled its
duty by the people as promised them at the 2005 Presidential elections.
In response to that political action on the part of the Government, this
time the people of this country have endorsed and consolidated the
inalienable sovereignty of the majority and the political reality of
this country. This I think is their inalienable right which the colonial
administration has been able to suppress temporally.
So in the wake of this backdrop the most important issue at hand with
the Government, I think is to defeat this cancerous minority superiority
complex that was implanted by the colonial rulers prior to 1948,
recently fuelled by India and natured and nourished by party politics
ever since independence, or at least since 1957, so that it will never
raise its ugly head on the soils of this island.
That will make the present day rulers immortal as those who restored
the political reality that was there for millennia in this island
nation.
The anti-Sri Lankan Forces both at home and abroad and the
pseudo-intellectuals, some who have become victims of dollars and others
who have become prisoners of imported ideologies will repeatedly cry for
a political solution. Of cause it has to be a political solution.
There is no argument or the slightest doubt on that; but certainly it
should not be at the expense of the 2,500 year old dominant heritage of
the majority in this country, the pith and substance of which is
Sinhalathwaya as Nalin Silva has very correctly and repeatedly pointed
out.
Separate kingdoms
I hope the Tamils and Muslims must understand the reality at least
now, give up their divisive and communal mindsets and learn to integrate
with the major community and live with them amicably without quarrelling
for separate kingdoms and special privileges no minority group any where
else in the world enjoys. Why can’t they accept that this was the land
of the Sinhalese throughout history and they have never wronged the
minority groups?
Domestic affairs
Another pestering problem the Sri Lankan Government has to solve is
the never ending Indian interference with our domestic affairs. If India
is so concerned about Tamils in this country why can’t she take them all
there and look after as their relations by putting them on the lap of
luxury. Why don’t they concede that they are no longer Indians any more?
I think it is high time that India puts an end to this ugly meddling in
the affairs of other countries.
I wish and hope the Government will pursue for a 2/3rd majority in
Parliament at the coming General Election and then go for Constitutional
changes and make this an epic opportunity to restore all what we have
lost to the Magha invasion in the 12th Century and re-create a new Sri
Lanka as one country and one nation that will be once again the pearl of
the Indian Ocean.
It is high time the Opposition also put the country before the party
at least now and stops allegations and counter-allegations, ends their
vituperative politics and resolves to be proud partners of this historic
change and go down in history as patriots of the 21st Century who
actively participated in the process of history making.
I think those who did not vote MR at the Presidential Election can
make this national dream a reality at the forthcoming General Election.
That will definitely dawn an era of wisdom for Opposition politics in
this country.
The writer is President, Senior Citizens Movement Mahanuwara |