Tuesday, 24 September 2013 00:00
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WITH victory come promises of cooperation. Following the landslide victory of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the Government tried to eat humble pie with dignity insisting that it would support their rival as long as it was within a constitutional framework and unconvincingly taking the stance that the ‘Uthuri Wasanthaya’ program was not used to drum up votes.
Equally forthcoming was the TNA which accepted the olive branch but balanced it with the observation that working “with” the Government should not be confused with working “for” the Government. This has significant meaning as most of the key issues that the north is burdened with, including demilitarisation, land and Police powers and investigating disappearances, need the approval of the Central Government to be achieved meaningfully.
The TNA also needs to attract and prove itself to the moderate Sinhalese masses, most of whom are viewing election results with trepidation. They are also concerned about what it would mean for the tentative peace that was established in 2009. For most people living in the north and south, the relief of living without war, even in the absence of true peace, is a luxury that cannot be let go of. This means that people in the south, already burdened with negative perceptions of the diaspora and Tamil Nadu, who are key players in the TNA paradigm, will need strong reassurance from the TNA.
Statements made by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa also hint that the Government’s plans to roll back the 13th Amendment have not ended with the TNA win. He had emphasised to reporters that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) process would continue despite the vacuum created by the TNA and that the Government would take a decision based on its deliberations.
Such balancing acts bring forebodings of the future as many people also disapprove of the provincial council system. People of the south, fed by a steady dose of propaganda and historical failures, can also easily side with the Government, deepening the divide with the Tamil people. Addressing this insecurity while also pleasing the Tamil community will be the toughest challenge for the TNA.
With Indian elections also adding to the interplay of forces, the Sri Lankan Government will hold on to any laurels it has won from the international community for the provincial council elections. However, whether they can, at least at this point, win over the minorities remains to be seen. Since the development strategy did not come up trumps, the Government now has to concentrate on other policies such as the decision to appoint a commission to investigate disappearances and full implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report.
As the head of the Commonwealth Sri Lanka can still command significant leeway if it promotes integration as passionately as it backs infrastructure development. Moreover it is clearly what the people of the north crave. Yet the Government also has to work on its international reputation, deliver on promises of economic growth and retain voters who are fed up with its corruption and mismanagement.
How it deals with the TNA’s future actions while still retaining its Sinhalese vote base and commitment to overall development and unity will certainly be the greatest challenge that the Government has had to face in its post-war life.
