Presidential stakes 1988:

1989 election amidst JVP terror

by W.T.A. Leslie Fernando

A significant event in the first half of 1980s was the formation of the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party led by Vijaya Kumaratunga on January 24, 1984. At the 1982 Presidential election Vijaya Kumaratunga wholeheartedly supported Hector Kobbekaduwa amidst a conspiracy by some front-rankers of the SLFP itself to defeat him. Later Maithripala Senanayaka faction, which had, at the Presidential election and Referendum supported J.R. Jayawardena was taken back to the SLFP. Soon there were conflicts in the SLFP and a fraction led by Vijaya Kumaratunga, T.B. Illangaratne and V.W. Kularatne left the party and formed the SLMP.

R. Premadasa	S. Thondaman	T.B. Illangaratne	Vijaya Kumaratunga	V.W. Kularatne

The Sri Lanka Mahajana Party posed a threat to the SLFP at the by elections held for Minneriya and Udunuwara held in 1984. Although Vijaya Kumaratunga became a Buddhist, after marrying Chandrika Bandaranaike, yet as the leader of the SLMP he maintained a close connection with the Catholic Church.

Vijaya developed a cordiality with the LTTE too and when he visited Jaffna he was given a hero's welcome by the LTTE. In this situation both T. B. Illangaratne and V.W. Kularatne left the SLMP - after a while. The JVP accused Vijaya Kumaratunga as "A loyal crony of J.R. Jayawardene who embraced Eelam terrorist murderers."

Curfew

When the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord was signed, opposition erupted against it from all directions. Gamani Jayasuriya, the Minister of Health in the UNP government resigned from the portfolio in protest. It was vehemently opposed by the SLFP, MEP and the JVP and the Maha Sangha.

People took to streets against it and although the government imposed a curfew, it could not quell the riotous atmosphere.

The government was forced to summon the Forces engaged in North and East to bring the situation under control. Under these circumstances on the request of J. R. Jayawardene, the Indian Peace Keeping Force was deployed in North and the East in accordance with the Indo-Lanka Accord.

Before long the LTTE began to violate the Indo-Lanka Accord. It did not endorse the Accord from the beginning, and Prabhakaran issued a statement later that it had to give into the Accord due to pressure from India. After violating the Accord, the LTTE became an enemy of the Indian Central government.

Now the war between the Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE turned out to be a battle between the IPKF and the LTTE.

Although there were protests all over the country against the 1987 Indo-Lanka Peace Accord, it also resulted in some significant changes in the political environment in Sri Lanka.

The armed groups like PLOTE, TELO, EPRLF and EROS gave up their terrorist activities and entered the democratic stream. The Leftist parties, the LSSP, CP, NLSSP and the SLMP extended their full support to the government to implement the Indo- Lanka Accord.

Accord

On the other hand in the background of the popular opposition to the Accord, the JVP began to expand its armed activities. They interpreted the Accord as a step in the direction of the Indian expansion they have been always emphasising.

On August 18, 1987, the JVP directed a bomb attack at a meeting of the government members presided by J. R. Jayawardene in the Parliament building. The MP for Deniyaya, Keerthi Abeywickrema died in the attack and Lalith Athulathmudali was seriously wounded.

Thereafter, government politicians, provincial leaders, activists of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, high officials in media institutions and corporations and activists of the Conventional Leftist parties became the target of the JVP and were assassinated. The students were mobilised under the slogan "First the motherland and second the education" and there were boycott of classes and so many demonstrations.

The Universities could not function for three years and the schools too were closed for a long time.

At this time the SLMP led by Vijaya Kumaratunga turned towards the traditional Leftist parties like the LSSP, CP (Moscow Wing) and the NLSSP. When they were to form a united front, Vijaya Kumaratunga was assassinated on February 15, 1988. However they formed the United Socialist Alliance before his dead body.

The SLFP and the MEP protested against the provincial councils formed under the Indo-Lanka Accord and did not contest the provincial council elections held in 1988. The United Socialist Alliance contested all the provincial councils except the North-East and the USA became the main opposition in them. The EPRLF won the North-East in the elections held in November 1988.

Hartal

The JVP terror further increased by the middle of 1988. For the first anniversary of the Indo-Lanka Accord, the JVP declared a protest and organised a Hartal for July 29 and 30. Heavy penalties were imposed on those who did not participate in it.

The Hartal was somewhat a success and thereafter such Hartals were imposed now and then. They were informed just on a piece of paper and all the activities came to a stand still the moment the orders were put out.

Ossie Abeygunasekra	M. H. M. Ashraff	Gamani Jayasuriya	Keerthi Abeywickrema	Kumar Ponnambalam

By the end of 1988, the situation in the country took a dangerous turn and there was a complete breakdown in civil administration.

It was in this situation that the 1988 Presidential elections was held. R. Premadasa from the UNP, Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike of the SLFP and Ossie Abeygunasekera the USA nominee contested the Presidential stakes.

R. Premadasa got the support of the Workers' Congress led by S. Thondaman and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress led by M. H. M. Ashraff.

The MEP backed Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike and the presence of Kumar Ponnambalam the leader of the Tamil Congress too in her election platform was very significant.

As the Presidential election was approaching terrorism began to reign supreme in the country. In many places political activists were assassinated. At first this terror was unleashed at the UNP and the USA but later it was extended to the SLFP as well. In areas where there were political meetings an unofficial curfew wad imposed by the JVP.

The opening rally of the USA at Kosgas junction was attacked. There was a bomb attack at the USA meeting at Kadawatha and Deva Bandara a Vice-President of the USA was killed. Even the UNP meetings were devoid of crowds because of the threats of the JVP. Although the SLFP and the USA were adversely affected the UNP was placed in a better position as they could carry on their activities with the protection of the Police and the Army.

Atmosphere

The 1988 Presidential election was held in a very frightening atmosphere. The JVP threatened all those who would step out to vote, with death. On the day of the election there were bomb explosions in some polling booths, to instil fear among the voters. In some places election officers were assassinated. As a whole there was no background conducive to free exercise of vote. However, amidst all the threats 55.32% of voters in the country voted at the election.In this election R. Premadasa of the UNP polled 50.4% of the total votes polled and was elected the President.

Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike from the SLFP polled 44.9% of the votes. Ossie Abeygunasekra of the USA polled only 4.63%. The Presidential election was held after 11 years of the UNP rule and the government was not that popular. Mrs. Bandaranaike had a chance of winning. But the things had worked the other way.

As R. Premadasa got the support of the CWC and the SLMC, he got most of the minority votes. His pledges to alleviate poverty was very attractive. His opposition to the Indo-Lanka accord too was advantageous to him. Besides the UNP could turn the terror unleashed by the JVP to its benefit by making use of the State power.

Although the candidate of the USA got only 4.63% of the votes, it could eat into the votes of the SLFP. Besides the split in the anti - UNP forces was a drawback to the SLFP campaign. It was clear from this election too that the conventional left parties in Sri Lanka could not stand on their own.

President J. R. Jayewardena dissolved the Parliament on December 20 1988 and called for nominations.

Thereafter there was a lull in terrorist activities for a few weeks and the emergency too was lifted. There was a rumour that R. Premadasa had some understanding with the JVP. However when the 1989 election approached terrorist activities were resumed.There were some bomb attacks at political meetings, some candidates and their supporters were assassinated and those who disobeyed the orders of the JVP were killed.

Placards

Killings after the first two months of the Presidential election exceeded 600. When the election campaign began some offices of both the UNP and the SLFP, were destroyed by bomb attacks. 14 candidates were assassinated. Out of them 9 were from the SLFP, 4 USA and one belonged to the Tamil Congress. Strangely none of the UNP candidates was killed.

Couple of days before the election Deshapremi Sannaddha Balakaya banned it and declared an unofficial curfew. There were some dead bodies near some polling booths and in some others placards were displayed threatening with death to the first 5 who would exercise the vote. 84 were killed within 24 hours before election day. Nevertheless with all those threats the percentage that voted increased from 55.32 at the Presidential election to 63.60 at the general election.

There were also stories that some terrorist activities were done by the agents of governments under the cover of the JVP. There was a suspicion the terror directed to the SLFP were caused by Green Tigers. The latter revelation by the former DIG Premadasa Udugampola substantiated this suspicion. It was also confirmed by the report of the election commissioner.

Armed groups

In this general election held for the first time under the proportional representation system on February 15, 1989, the UNP polled 50.7% of the votes and returned to power with 125 members. The SLFP polled 31.9% of votes and won 67 seats.

At the Presidential election the SLFP got 44.9% of total votes polled and this time the percentage came down. Holding the election after the UNP victory at the Presidential election, meeting the terror of the JVP with the help of State power, government forces and other private armed groups is said to have led to the UNP victory.

The United Socialist Alliance polled only 2.9% of the vote and it could win only 02 seats - one from Kegalle and the other from Ratnapura Districts is Sabaragamuwa.

The MEP got only 1.6 % of votes and could win 02 seats from the Colombo district. The MEP contested alone but the USA was a combination of 04 parties the LSSP, CP, SLMP and the NLSSP.