Monitor the Monitors

Elections Commissioner Mr. Dayananda Dis-sanayake is reported to have authorised two non governmental organisations(NGOs) to monitor the forthcoming provincial councils elections to the North Western Provincial Council. Going by reports coming in from the province, whether those violating the election laws now in the province, give a damn to what these ladies and gentlemen of various persuasions will have to say after the elections, is indeed a matter of grave doubt.

Election monitors are a comparatively new phenomenon in our electoral process. Till the late seventies elections in this country, despite occasional blemishes were indeed considered free and fair. Governments were regularly changed by the ballot and we were held as an exemplary Third world democracy. The Elections Commissioner was the sole monitor and the holders of this office acquitted their responsibilities to the satisfaction of all concerned. They were not rewarded with other prestigious postings in government service on retirement as what happened after the seventies greatly diminishing the credibility of some Elections Commissioners.

Elections monitors began appearing in the electoral scene in the eighties when so called non governmental associations commenced fingering in affairs which are essentially governmental. They are not wanted in elections held in western democracies where it is presumed that the game is played in accordance with the rules in their book. It is generally considered that they are wanted in Third World countries, unacquainted with the niceties of democracy, where murder and mayhem break out when the peoples representatives are selected. Even though in the sophisticated west fisticuffs, abuse and murder are not in order during the hustings, the game is not quite played to the rules of their book. For example America's most popular president, Bill Clinton is being accused of having broken campaign rules in receiving funds from Chinese and Korean businessmen. In the sixties, immediately after the Vietnam War, the Democratic Party Convention in Chicago was no different to the usual Third World fisticuffs during hustings.

How election monitors are chosen is not very clear. They obviously have not only to be impartial but apolitical as well. But this does not appear to happen where Sri Lanka's election monitors are concerned. Most of these NGOs that come forward as election monitors are certainly not apolitical. They are well known propagandists of certain causes, if not political parties, whose future depends on the public accepting such proposals. It could be that there are honest and upright men whose politics will not affect their observations. and judgements. But those involved in such an exercise should be completely above board, like judicial officers. The much quoted saying: 'Justice should not only be done but must seem to be done', is apt in this context.

We have had very violent elections with election monitors present. For example, when Mr. Premadasa was elected president, there were instances such as voters who had lined up to cast their ballots being machine gunned in certain polling booths. Some polling booths had to be closed down. But did any organisation that monitored these elections come out and state the truth that the entire election was not free and fair? It took a person as daring as the former British High Commissioner, David Gladstone to walk into a polling booth in the South and point out that the 'indelible ink' rubbed on fingers of voters were being successfully removed. Popular politician, Mr. Rukman Senanayake, after the parliamentary election summoned a press conference and presented entire books of ballots, with counterfoils attached that had been introduced into ballot boxes. Evidently those who dumped the books in had no time to tear off the counterfoils! Neither election monitors nor the elections commissioner could do anything about it.

Election monitors have in certain instances pinpointed certain events. But that does not convey the true picture. They do not have the resources to monitor an election throughout an electorate from the time the boxes are sealed to the time the results are counted and announced. Foreign election monitors, who are selected for their supposed impartiality, have been found to be clueless wonders in local surroundings. Election monitoring today has become a kind of profession. Election monitors from one country pal up with those of other countries. At times, foreign monitors are from organisations that fund this monitoring effort for reasons best known to themselves.

In these circumstances it is well worth to monitor the monitors. The Elections Commissioner should ask himself: Have election monitoring in Sri Lanka helped in the conduct of free and fair elections ? Have the monitors been candid in their comments or been careful not to rock the boat because exposing the truth could lead to these organisations being regarded as destabilizing agents and thrown out of the business. Are they merely a cosmetic feature, as cosmetic as the 'indelible ink' that can be wiped off? A former Elections Commissioner admitted that 'indelible ink' was not indelible because it had to be diluted. The government could not afford to use the undiluted stuff!

If election monitors are really serious about free and fair elections, they should by now take note of such happenings such as: The sudden transfer of a large number of policemen and attempts to transfer of public officials which had been stopped; the sudden resignation of the Governor of the North Western Province, Mr. Hector Arrawawela. More important is how the state media, particularly the state controlled press, is being used to throw mud at those opposing the government in the hustings. There are supposed to be media monitors as well among the election monitors appointed by the Elections Commissioner. Nothing much could be expected from them because have already demonstrated their asinine qualities and partiality by attacking only journals critical of the government!

The Elections Commissioner should publish the names of all those who have been appointed to monitor the forthcoming elections and give their qualifications for the public to judge whether they are fit enough to perform the tasks expected of them. Mere consent of main parties will not be sufficient. He should also set up a unit to monitor the monitors for reasons given above.