Jaffna, Vavuniya results show that govt. has long way to go in winning over Tamils
By: Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
I had serious reservations about the decision to hold local government elections in Jaffna and Vavuniya cities, within months of the LTTE being defeated and before the tragedy involving 300,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) was resolved. I considered these elections premature and expected them to produce results, which would not reflect the will of the majority of Tamils in these locations.
[Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon of Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) with during the JMC electon time in TNA MP Suresh Premachandran in Jaffna]
Although touted as attempts to sow the seeds of democracy in the two main cities in the Northern Province , I was convinced the outcome will be both confounding and misleading. These elections were apparently held at the behest of one ex-militant group aligned with the government, which wanted to establish its grip on the Tamil polity as an alternative to the LTTE. The perceived need to appease international opinion may have also played a secondary role.
The results of these elections in Jaffna and Vavuniya are summarized below:
It is obvious almost 78 % of the Jaffna voters chose not to exercise their franchise and this naturally negates any attempt to portray these election results as democratic. Those who abstained were either dissatisfied with the political groupings contesting these elections, registering their protest at the lack of progress on the IDP and political solutions front or were yet not ready to participate in the elections, within months of the LTTE being defeated. The Tamils in the north and east are yet confused as to the their future in Sri Lanka, as the government has yet refrained from offering concrete and clearly defined alternatives to the vision peddled by the LTTE for almost thirty years. The Tamil political leaders who participated in these elections were also perceived as the left-over from the type of politics that had led the Tamils to their present plight. They are largely distrusted by the Tamils and generally viewed with disdain. In the absence of a new vision being presented to the Tamils within the context of present Sri Lankan realities by a new crop of Tamil leaders, unstained by a questionable past, most Tamil voters may have also decided to express their protest by not voting.
The UPFA coalition including the EPDP has not been able to convince a large number of Tamils in Jaffna city to vote, despite the efforts of Minister Douglas Devananda, over several years. The fact the groups opposed to the UPFA secured 52.4 % of the votes cast, indicates that even among those voting, a greater number were against the UPFA. The TNA having secured 35.9 % of the votes cast has demonstrated there are yet some Tamils who identify with the Tamil politics of old. This should be taken seriously by the government. The government should not prevaricate any longer in enunciating what its proposals are for the so-called Tamil problem.
The Vavuniya results have to be understood in terms of the fact that the area has a sizeable Sinhala and Muslim population. It appears that a large number of Tamils may have refrained from voting. The fact that the TNA and the PLOTE –led group have secured the largest segment of votes, with the UPFA coming third, points to the fact that a large number of Tamils who voted have backed either the TNA or the PLOTE-led group. The concerns of the Tamils in Vavuniya regarding the lack of clarity with regard to political solutions and the plight of the IDPs in their midst, may be contributing factors. These results once again point to the TNA yet remaining popular among the Tamils voting. Having been an LTTE- proxy seems to have not hurt the TNA fortunes in Vavuniya. This is unfortunate and may be a foreboding omen. The government has yet a long way to go in winning the hearts and minds of the Tamils in Vavuniya, the real capital of the Vanni region- the citadel of the LTTE.
The results of these elections only confirm the following facts:
* Recognize the Tamils have not yet recovered from the effects and after effects of the bitterly fought civil war.
* There is void in the Tamil mind after the defeat of the LTTE that has not been filled with an alternative vision.
* There is much to do to win the hearts and minds of the Tamils.
* It was premature to hold the elections.
* The need to present a clear and well conceived political solution to the Tamils in definitive terms.
* Provide time for an alternative leadership and vision to emerge among Tamils.
* Resolve the problems of the IDPs, as soon as possible.
* Provide the conditions for the Tamils to emerge from their misery and participate in national life.
9 Comments
The writer in recent times has chosen to identify with the Rajapakse GoSL – the latter bent on creating a Tamil alternative leadership more attuned to their manouverings.
Despite several visits here with different Tamil diaspora delegations, he now concedes these sham elections are “premature.” That is what many of us – reflecting the popular view – have been suggesting ever since the government came out with this election gundu.
Contrary to what the writer says the aim of the Rajapakses was primarily was to fool the world to the effect they have created conditions for the return of democracy weeks after the demise of the LTTE – and, therefore, the aid flow and the largesse of the donors should begin in earnest.
These resources are badly needed to cushion the massive burdens GoSL will be forced to place soon on the people to meet stringent IMF conditions that resulted in the $2.6 billion loan. Much of this loan will flow back overseas to meet the governments obligations to meet existing loan commitments.
Note the language accompanying the IMF loan “GoSL to stay current in its external obligations” The acid test for the government will be the inevitable increase in electricity, petrol and transport charges by which time the Sinhala mass is likely to awake from its enforced stupor on a large diet of “the Sinhala victory over the Tamils.”
As to “the behest of the militant group” referred by the writer this surely comes way down in the order for even the Rajapakse brothers and their motley group of “political advisors” know all too well Devananda will not stand a ghost of a chance winning Jaffna Tamil votes even in half a democratic election. As we have all too often pointed out, the TNA (the former TULF) continues to enjoy the confidence of the Tamil people.
Though they were kept under the heel of the intimidation of the LTTE at its apogee, it is only the politically naïve would accuse them of being a proxy, an expression which the Sinhala media in the South enjoyed apportioning to the TNA that was returned convincingly again by the Tamil people in the last General Elections.
It is this fear of the rise of the old Tamil democratic medium the government fears and therefore even today encourages a personal vilification campaign against its senior leader R. Sampanthan – an exercise in which Devananda and his cohorts are suspect. The latter is now getting a bitter taste of his political bosses who find fault with him “for not delivering” That he is losing his clout is clear because he could not even prevail upon the big chief to allow him to contest under his own Veena symbol.
He was forced to contest in Tamil Jaffna under the Sinhala UPFA label. The votes he was able to deliver to the Rajapakses were more a result of coercion, intimidation and impersonation than willing Tamil votes ready to co-exist with the Rajapakse kind of politics. Besides the fact 80% of the Tamil voters keeping away is a loud, clear and powerful message the government and the world outside cannot ignore.Tamils in Jaffna have clearly demonstrated they want to map out their own destiny.
If the Writer has any influence left with the Rajapakses let him first help to cause the return of the IDPs (less the hardcore militant suspects) to homes and places of their choice;the return of the HPZ lands; begin forthwith the building/re-building up of necessary infra-structure (roads, bridges, irrigation facilities) increased agricultural and fishing opportunities, hospitals, schools, rail-bus transport to the South, creation of employment opportunities in the Jaffna Province including factories and other to be run by Tamils of the region in the main etc., President Rajapakse openly promised these on many high-profile occasions but failed to act upon them.
If the “Awakening the North” programme is to be objective the Govt should change the concept from Micro-Finance to rebuild where Rs3 billion is being spoken with a paltry Rs.200,000 per borrower. It is difficult even to start a Poultry Farm with this money in today’s terms. The Project should be renamed Macro with an outlay of a minimum Rs.10 billion - a minimum of Rs500,000 should be lent for a period of 5 years at about 5% annual interest – to win the confidence of the Tamil people. At least 90% of the loans applied for should be granted transparently without too much of bureaucratic obstacles.
In spite of my constructive criticism of the writer’s political moves in the recent past, I feel he is eminently placed to play a role in a future unified Tamil political formation in which there should also be a role to Mr. V. Anandasangaree in a spirit of forgetting the past to build a future to Lankan Tamils. The need of the hour is for as many politically diverse entities to join forces discarding their parochial differences and speak with one voice.
ISS
TNA has done fairly well in the election as well as the govt has managed to garner only 10% of the vote in Jaffna with 77% abstaining. This indicates the lack of support for the government policies among the Tamil popuation. Hence it is a good begining for Tamils as they have shown that they are not cowed down by Government strong arm tactics.
Government should take this message and review its policies towrds the Tamil people.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran, I have mixed feelings on your report.
I agree with the folowing "It is obvious almost 78 % of the Jaffna voters chose not to exercise their franchise and this naturally negates any attempt to portray these election results as democratic"
I am not sure on your following ststement though. "The Tamil political leaders who participated in these elections were also perceived as the left-over from the type of politics that had led the Tamils to their present plight". - I can only see 4% of the people who did chose the small parties / independents (Not govt or TNA) may fall into this category, but not the rest.
- Majority of Tamils and even the Tamil political leaders do not think this is the right time to conduct the elections in the NE. Only the Govt thought this is the best time.- Therefore, the voters who came out to vote (22%) fall in to two sections. The first section, which agrees with the Govt that it is the right time for elections, and voted for the govt coalition. The second section with an anti- govt view (but tamil nationalistic view) feared that if they do not come out and vote the Govt will win. But this second section lost any way, because the third section of the 78% maority boycotted the election. - I think this third section of 78% majority Jaffna Tamils wanted to show their position in the traditional Tamil (LTTE) way of boycotting elections, as elections do not do any good for Tamils since the Tamils do not have the right to govern themselves and their destiny is controlled by the Sinhalese.
If we remember the good old days of Jaffna general elections in the 1970's, approximately 90% of the votes were casted for the old TULF, which was for a separate state for Tamils. Today, that ratio did not change much in the JMC elections. The 78% boycotted + 8% for TNA + 4% for independents/ small parties = 90%.
- I wonder whom we are going to blame this election boycott on? LTTE?
But, I am sure some others believe reconciliation is possible without punishing the war criminals.
The Rajapkse regime will no doubt do everything possible for maintain equality among the various groupings in Sri Lanka. Those who sought anything in excess of this will have to seek them elsewhere. The Tamils are never again going to be a privileged lot in Sri Lanka as they were under the British.
The facade of neutrality Senguttuvan attempts to portray is exposed when he speaks of Sinhala and Tamil parties. National politics will, in future be contested by politicians catering to Sri Lankans and not to Tamils or any other group. Any person unwilling to take an oath of allegiance to the nation (ie Sri Lanka) has no business pretending to be a Sri Lankan, no be entitled to any of the privileges that go with it. The Valhalla Tamils that the Norwegians seem to revere, should seek thier Valhalla in Scandinavia.
I dont really understand how anybody can expect that the Government would have won the hearts of the majority of the Tamils! There is nothing surprising in these election results.
No one needs this election results to prove the fact that this Govt has long way to go in winning the hearts of the Tamils. Only those who simply beleived the Government propaganda would have thought about a possibility of the Govt winning the Tamil hearts. Even those who followed foreign independent media reports would have known well about the way the Govt conducted the war. I am sure for those people this election results would not have been suprising.
Douglas has not so far declared that he changed his concept of "Mathiyil Kootachchi and Maakaanathil Sujadchchi". He was only blackmailed by MR to go with his party's name. MR would not have got even 10votes if SLFP contested on its own in Jaffna. Election is an expression of free will for a limited number of candidates. Even the candidates had no free will here. That is MR's democracy. The votes for EPDP is masqueraded as that for UPFA, under duress. Political association is a social contract and it is null and void when the political association is under duress. In effect, 90% of the votes cast in Jaffna was either for Federal system or for self determination or for autonomy. Brutal power tried to hide this fact. I am copying below the currently declared vision of the EPDP as it is in the EPDP website. One may verify this at www.epdpnews.com
"Power sharing at the Centre for all, and autonomy for the Provinces"
K.Easwaran
Just to add a special note to my previous comment.
Douglas unilaterally and hurriedly appointed the Mayor and her deputy for the JMC. It should have been declared by MR being the head of the UPFA. It is a lefthand blow from Douglas to MR though not declared.
As I have been repeating over and over again: No on is going to go out of their way to Win over Tamils... they can all leave Sri Lanka for all we care. Either they have to decide to be a part of the country and embrace it... or else go seek employment in the JANITORIAL SERVICES or FAST FOOD INDUSTRIES in some Western Country.
Sri Lanka does not need Tamils who possess the Separatist and Communalist mentalities. We did not sacrifice so much blood in the past decades to then go begging behind Tamils Communalists to plead them and appease their Mentalities to stop supporting Terrorism and become a productive part of this country. If they still don't want to do so... and they still embrace the old TNA and LTTE attitudes then so be it... life will remain very difficult for them for Decades to come.. We shall see just how long they can hold fast to their Stubborn Communalist Pride for... Especially when there is no more LTTE Terrorism to use as a Bargaining Chip against the Sri Lankan government.
This is in response to the comments by Devinda Fernando. We the Tamils will not give up our home just because the likes of you keep repeating the mantra that we should leave. Why should we leave our motherland? You as a Sinhalese do not have to fight because you are ruled by your own kind. Judging by your name (pardon me if I am wrong) your forefathers gave up their Tamil identity and became Sinhalese to live peacefully. Is that what you expect all the Tamils to do? We fight because we want to be ruled by our own kind in our own motherland. The Sinhalese and Tamils fought to evict the English because we wanted to be ruled by ourselves. Not because we were better at building bridges and roads. The co-operation that existed in this common endeavour evaporated soon after not because of the Tamils willingness to co-exis but because of the Sinhala shortsightedness. The Sinhalese like you believe the Tamils should accept a status that is not in parity with the Sinhalese just because you belong to a group that is larger in number. Tamils agreed to a "monority" status in a unified island on condition that we are treated equally. This condition was breached by sucessive Sinhala leaderships. Hence the turmoil. If you are serious about addressing this issue preach to your own people the need to change their mind set. THE TAMIL PEOPLE WILL NOT LIE DOWN AND ACCEPT SECOND CLASS CITIZENSHIP IN THEIR OWN LAND JUST BECAUSE THEY BELONG TO A GROUP WITH FEWER NUMBERS.
You appear to belong to the group that believes by building new roads and more army barracks in the North and the East you can make the Tamils give up their struggle for a system of governance where they feel that they are a free people. One thing that I can assure you is this. We are not going to be wished away. Would the Sinhalese accept a government dominated by the Tamils where all the decisions are made with Total disregard for their interest? No. Do not expect anything different from the Tamils.
The will to be free is not a Sinhala monopoly. The Tamil people do not feel free under the current political framework. It is about time the Sinhala people realise this and work towards a framework where the Tamil people feel that they are not being ruled by the Sinhalese against their will. Until such time there will be no end to this struggle. Today 300,000 Tamils are held against their will. The people who try to get away from the havoc caused by the rain from these camps have been threatened with death. They are threatened that they will be shot dead if tried to leave. This is a measure of the ruled and the rulers. Are you seriously expacting the Tamils to accept this and submit? If you do, pardon me for wasting my time with a person who do not respect human dignity.
If you choose to label peoples will to be free as "communalism" every human being is a communalist.