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| Sunday, 27 November 2005 |
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Mahinda's ballot vs LTTE's bullet ! by Anura Maitipe Predictions of and addiction to the election is over. The SLFP Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse has been elected as the President of this country. As far as election results are concerned, it reaffirms that the franchise is the most important weapon in the democratic system. But the voters in the uncleared areas could not use their franchise due to the LTTE-enforced boycott. It has been proved the LTTE is not for democracy but fights for survival. It has also been proved that The LTTE still believes that they can defeat the ballot by the bullet. In the meantime, certain mainstream political parties desperately seek the help of such a movement. Such parties must decide whether they stand for democracy or whether they condone with terrorism. In this context, it has been proved that the majority of voters in the country have raised their voice for the democratic rights of the people. Some will argue that the UNP has gained more votes than it polled in the previous election. But in the meantime, they should also think as to why the UNP was defeated during the recently held Presidential election.The truth is that they could not get the expected votes of the Tamil people in uncleared areas controlled by the LTTE. The LTTE never helped any party or any leader twice. For instance during the period of J. R. Jayewardene, the LTTE and the Government of India, agreed upon a Provincial Council system and the Government of India as a facilitator involved itself in this matter. But what was the reaction of the LTTE: first they agreed and then they violated the very agreement. As a result of that the Indian Government was compelled to deploy their army to bring them to a compromise position. But unfortunately at that time certain UNP politicians and some Left-oriented parties helped the LTTE knowingly or unknowingly and they played into the hands of the LTTE. As a result of that the Indian forces (IPKF) were withdrawn from the country. The Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi himself sacrificed his life for democratic rights of the people. Then, during the R. Premadasa regime the LTTE took him for a ride and created hatred about the involvement of India in this matter. And finally, President R. Premadasa also played into the hands of the LTTE. Again in 1994 President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga also tried her best to find a solution for this problem, but the LTTE behaved in the same manner. She had a narrow escape by losing one eye. All the parties must understand that if they are truly for democracy they should not try to condone with terrorism. This is the lesson the majority of voters have hinted at during the previous Presidential election. |
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