Democracy on trial (11)

We are being greatly optimistic when we hope for a peaceful poll to be held today. It has been reported that troops too have been moved to the war-torn North Western Province. As we said in our editorial comments on Saturday, democracy will be on trial today.

Whatever the outcome of the polls, the ugly incidents of violence that took place since nomination day cannot be forgotten. The danger is that this pattern of violence will be repeated at the other provincial councils polls to be held shortly unless political leaders make a determined effort to rein in their political goondas. This can happen only if the political leaders can reach some kind of agreement. While there has been a gradual escalation of violence with each election, the 1994 polls showed that this violence can be limited. As the article on this page points out, elections under President D. B. Wijetunga were not only a free and fair poll but as peaceful as well. While maintaining peace is the duty of all participants, it has to be stressed over and over again that the responsibility lies with President Kumaratunga and her government. Even though the president speaks out against violence, she has those who have been found guilty of violating fundamental rights holding high office in her government. This will invariably send wrong messages to those in the lower rungs of government.

What happens to the perpetrators of the incidents of violence during the election campaign? Over 600 incidents have been reported including that of two murders. One of the most disgraceful incidents reported has been of the stripping off the clothes of a woman by a local government politician who had held her at the point of an automatic weapon. This should be of particular concern to our woman president. Reports indicate that there are eye witnesses to this incident. Already a women’s organisation is reported to have taken up this incident. This is a case for all women’s organisations in this country to take up and see that justice is done.

President Kumaratunga is fond of recalling the ‘Reign of Terror’ during UNP rule. There is certainly no doubt that terror reigned in the NWP since nomination day. With elections to other provincial councils to be held soon, President Kumaratunga should take action to see that this kind of violence and terror is not repeated. She has to seek the cooperation of the UNP and other political parties and forget petty political rivalry.

Let all those involved in today’s poll remember that Sri Lankan democracy is on trial today and do their utmost to save it.

Lankan Lion roars again
The Sri Lankan Lion has come alive again. After eight consecutive defeats in one-day international cricket games, even our loyal and enthusiastic cricket commentators had stopped repeating the manthram, ‘We are world champs’. But with the two recent victories over Australia and England, the Sri Lankan Lion is roaring. At the time of writing, Arjuna’s boys are battling it out at Adelaide with the Aussies and if we win then the roar will assume deafening proportions.

While we congratulate our cricketers for the two victories, we also have to thank Aussie umpires for putting fire into the Sri Lankan bellies and make them play like world champions. First it was Darrel Hair, the Aussie umpire who no-balled Muralitheran during the last Australian tour that got the Sri Lankan blood pressure up by saying in his book that he would no-ball our prized off spinner again. Then umpire Ross Emerson did it again on Saturday when he no-balled Muralitheran. That obviously sent the Sri Lankan adrenaline flowing furiously and we had our cricketers performing impossible feats.

The Sri Lankan nation will undoubtedly be solidly behind Arjuna Ranatunga for his protest by withdrawing with his team to a corner of the field and stopping play for sometime. Cricket nationalism sometimes goes to the head.Whether Arjuna Ranatunga did the correct thing will be debated for a long time.

Those who were taught the game long years ago were told that the ‘umpire’s word is law’. Apparently the game has changed quite a bit over the years since the introduction of Pajama cricket. With satellite TV, everyone has become a pundit of the game. Then there are things such as ‘naturally bent arms’, neutral umpires, match referees, third umpires etc. The victim of all these innovations is the umpire. His instantaneous decisions are questioned with TV replays for the entire world. It is perhaps as hard for a surgeon to perform an operation with TV cameras on.

Meanwhile let us hope that the rejuvenated Sri Lankan Lion will once again be roaring with vigour.