Issues
Local election results prove Sri Lanka now deeply divided along ethnic lines
If you prick us do we not bleed?
If you tickle us do we not laugh?
If you poison us do we not die?
And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?
– Shylock, Merchant of Venice
Will the Rajapakses learn a lesson? Will the Sinhalese majority learn a lesson? The local government elections concluded on July 23,
Shylock: More a victim of the sins of others than a sinner himself?
2011, exactly twenty-four years after the infamous ambush of thirteen armed soldiers at Tirunelveli, Jaffna and the riots that it emanated in the South of Sri Lanka, the Tamils of Jaffna once again passed a crushing verdict on the absurdity of chauvinism openly practiced by the first family of Sri Lanka.
Campaign Satakaya
King Mahinda entered the peninsula, all clad in national dress and wrapped in the bright red shawl (satakaya) to show the
A gigantic cut out of President Mahinda Rajapakse at a popular park in the heart of Colombo during an election campaign in 2010
world in general and Tamil Nadu in particular, that the majority of Sri Lankan Tamils are with his government.
He started the campaign by unleashing the brute power of his Yuva Raja (deputy-at-arms) Gotabhaya’s soldiers; attended many rituals at many Hindu kovils, invoking the gods for election victory, took babies into his arms to show his boundless compassion for kids, promised no less than a sports stadium of international class for Kilinochchi; traveled from Kytes to Jaffna to Kilinochchi to Mulativu in a frenzied program of electioneering, installed his heir apparent Prince Namal in Kilinochchi; provided staff for his campaign program at state expense and boasted that holding elections alone should be good enough for the Northern voters.
Not deceived
A people battered for more than a quarter century by unspeakable sufferings, left in the lurch by their own Colombo elites and derided by the Southern brethren of Mahawansa mindset, held fast; this time they decided to be the deceivers and dealt the King and the Prince a devastating blow. The sale that the Rajapakses tried to consummate did not materialize, not because of buyer’s remorse, but that the buyer in fact turned out to be the seller, a seller of a different kind of merchandise to the international community.
Buyer beware
They showed the value of the age old cliché-“buyer beware”, Northern voter was different. The feelings and utter scorn pent up for three decades were given vent to and out of 23 local bodies 20 in the North turned towards the leading Tamil party as their overwhelming choice. Only 3 were secured by the UPFA, ironically all three local bodies are not part of mainland Jaffna-islands of Kytes, Delft and Velanai (in Kytes), adding fuel to the rumor that the votes were manipulated while in transit via helicopters. So much for free and fair elections!
Local elections tell the tale
In Vavunia UPFA lost 35% -55%, in Mannar, 39% – 59%, in Kilinochchi where Prince Namal was resident for weeks, UPFA lost 30% – 68% while in Jaffna the government lost 26% – 71% and in Mulativu they were clobbered 17% – 82% (statistics taken from Ada Derana).
The great “humanitarian operation with zero civilian casualties” myth broke asunder. This is the theatre where the Channel 4 drama was enacted during the last stages of the war. Amidst many hardships, harassments, murder and unspeakably vicious government propaganda, the Northern voter stood fast, unafraid and unbowed. The carrot would have been too tempting if it was offered in the South. With power well entrenched in the centre, in the hands of the King and his royal family, with no hope or clear vision in the horizon they defied all odds.
A betting man would have placed his life earnings at least on a close fight. From agricultural equipment to tractors to free rides to fun fair activities to international playgrounds including the kitchen sinks were rejected on a wholesale basis. They extracted their Shakespearian revenge from the King and his family. The return by the King might be too gruesome to witness. They might come in the form of white vans, dogs’ heads, sudden disappearances, or plain murder, for they are obsessed with their own self-righteousness. The defeat of the LTTE gave them that sense of self-righteousness. That went into their blood and marrow. Every high-handed act was justified in the name of that self-righteousness, reminding one of the repugnant demeanour of Goebbels, Sukarno, Suharto, Marcos, Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein.
Not the sinners
The Tamil population of the North might suffer the repercussions of their conscience in the short-term. But such a daring
and clear display of courage (or stupidity as one pundit already said) might reap benefits in the mid to long-term fight. As with Shylock, the Merchant of Venice, Tamils too have been more sinned against than having sinned themselves.
How long can they defy the odds is yet to be determined. Nevertheless, the campaign carried out by the Tamil National Alliance and its leaders have reaped the harvest. This will certainly strengthen their position amongst Tamils further.
it will also galvanize the Diaspora to a very great extent who will no doubt use the Channel 4 presentation as a great recruiting tool for their cause, but will it soften the hearts and minds of the ‘King’ and his ‘royal’ family? In the midst of a clean sweep in the South by the UFPA against a pathetic non-campaign by the UNP, a clear polarization along ethnic lines is taking place. The UNP suffered another loss, and according to Ada Derana statistics, securing barely 32% of the vote.
The fate of the opposition
The fate that the SLFP suffered in 1977 has befallen the United National Party. The leader has gone on another foreign jaunt, this time to the UK the day after the elections. The rudderless boat is drifting in the muddy waters of unpredictable Sri Lankan politics.
It may well be that the rank and file of the UNP will rise against its leader, taking an example from their brethren in the North. It may well be before there is a general uprising against the King and his henchmen there will be an uprising against his weak protagonist in politics – Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe. Will history give another chance to the UNP? Only time will tell.
4 Comments to “Local election results prove Sri Lanka now deeply divided along ethnic lines”
July 29, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Dear Vishnuguptha
” Tamils too have been more sinned against than having sinned themselves.”
Please forgive them and have compassion towards them as they do not
seem to understand the meaning of tolerance and compassion shown by the Sinhalese….
July 31, 2011 at 8:45 am
I happened to be in Jaffna during the elections quite accidentally rather than by intent. I saw the whole tamasha with the Rajapakse brothers and their Tamil henchman in the form of Thonda and Douglas roaming the land in such haste with all the attending fanfare.
The battered and bruised jaffna population went about their affairs attending to their Daily chores taking little notice of anything but maintaining their dignity in measured silence. As an observer who had not been to the north for over twenty five years I was totally deceived by all this and even felt that the people have lost their will to resist and have even lost their feelings. But the results of the elections has shocked me and confirmed the deep anger and hurt buried within this population.
I hope the King will read these signs and move towards genuine reconciliation.
July 27, 2011 at 12:08 am
I don’t understand whaqt vishnugupta is trying to say unless he is saying tamils are not going to buy the crap served to them by sinhala politicians anymore. If that is the case has the tamil politician ever given the tamils what they want rather than try to amass politcal power also. The tamil politicians ave always wanted spearation they do not want to see a united lanka they hanker after power too
July 27, 2011 at 12:05 am
Yes this is true and you are right it is going to be another 1977. But one thing is sure Rajapakse is no JRJ and the bells will toll quickly for the family