Senseless violence

Poya days are not immune to tragedies. A shooting at a United National Party (UNP) election rally left one woman dead and more than a dozen others injured, an escalation that should spark worry at the highest seats of power.   

Another victim of the shooting succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, raising the death toll from the first major incident of election violence ahead of the 17 August parliamentary election to two.

Unidentified gunmen sprayed bullets into the crowd at the UNP rally, held in support of Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake in Kotahena. The attack killed 42-year-old Siththy Nasima, a resident of Madampapitiya in Kotahena and injured 13 others, three of them critically.

Police meanwhile, in the ensuing search, found a hybrid motor vehicle which is believed to have been used by the suspects. A cache of T-56 ammunition was also found in the car parked near the Bloemendhal apartments. Police investigators are probing the suspected involvement of an underworld gang in the shooting. However, no arrests have been made so far, Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara has said.

In an election where the President himself has set a precedent for Sri Lanka by distancing himself from campaign activities, and one where state resources are not being abused mercilessly, the Sri Lankan people may be on course for the most ‘fair’ elections in their history. At least that was the feeling at the start of the race in June.  

Yet the ghosts of politics past loom in the rear-view mirror. Election monitors have pointed out over 600 violations have taken place, 85 of them serious, and despite arrests of 60 people the issue is in danger of growing as the days tick down to polls.

Ironically, most candidates, including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, are campaigning on a platform of good governance but this can never be achieved with the sort of politics seen on Friday. Furthermore, all the main parties fought for weeks to introduce reforms to the election process before Parliament was dissolved but seem to have overlooked poll violence and its heavy costs.  

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has the unenviable task of pulling off the same trick he did in January but on an even larger scale. Having consulted with the Attorney General, Deshapriya is already moving to expedite prosecutions of election law violations and it hoped that he will succeed.

At the very least main political parties have to cease and desist using those whose lives were sacrificed in vain for their own mileage. Genuine help to the bereaved families will always be appreciated but it cannot be turned into a part of the traditional political circus. If politicians are serious about respecting their voters that would be a good place to start.  

But the true path to a peaceful election lies in the hands of Sri Lanka’s politicians and more importantly with the people themselves. The Sri Lankan people must demand clean politics and reject those ‘leaders’ that are only just intelligent enough to advance their interests with violence. If Sri Lankans can unite in demanding a better class of governance, then perhaps they could also break old habits.