People power

Tuesday, 18 August 2015 00:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Parliamentary elections have been hailed by monitors and officials as the most peaceful in history, handing a victory to people who have demanded their representatives respect the law.

Change is hard to come by in any country. But in Sri Lanka it has proved to be a long road with successive decades entrenched in an environment of impunity and double dealing. Officials appointed to run polling were often favourites of powerful politicians and were not allowed to use the full power bequeathed to them. Still others were happy to toe the line if it meant the chance of a future promotion or chance of being part of the political hierarchy. Police were clamped down upon and often had to kowtow to the party in power. This sad state of affairs had lasted for so long that many began to think of it as normal.

Just five years ago during the 2010 parliamentary election monitors recorded 524 incidents of election violations, of these 117 were deemed to be serious in nature and four involved firearms. The preceding presidential election was even worse with 10 incidents of armed intimidation during the vote even though the overall number of violations was reduced to 285.

At the start of the year, polls that ousted former President Mahinda Rajapaksa were also tenuous with 222 election law violations on polling day along with one involving a firearm. Estimates provided by the Centre for Monitoring Election Violations (CMEV) indicate that the tally was higher this time with 316 overall instances of wrongdoing with 109 of a serious nature. But for the first time in years no firearms were used.

Others including the Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya have been quick to praise their officials, pointing out that at no time since the 1980s has the environment been created for such a peaceful polls campaign and voting day solidarity. He has insisted the bulk of the 226 complaints handed over to the commission are mild and no roving gangs or voter intimidation was reported. He is allowed his time in the limelight and Deshapriya himself has done much to be more accessible to the people, so much so it has earned him the affectionate nickname ‘MaCo’. Still others point to President Maithripala Sirisena, who has deliberately kept himself on the sidelines to facilitate a free and fair election.

However, the unsung heroes are the people themselves, those who demanded a change in January and dedicated themselves to be vigilant about it so that it could continue to flourish even seven months later.

Admittedly there have been a few hiccups along the way but political parties are now wary of the wrath of the people. Benchmarks have certainly been raised, just the freedom of the police displayed on voting day is evidence of this.

Faced with a deteriorating situation where democratic institutions were being undermined at an alarming rate and nepotism seemingly entrenched in the governance system the people took a chance and came together for the sake of the country. The momentum created in January for good governance has been dented but nonetheless survives. It is an imperfect victory but a victory nonetheless.