The new Parliament :

Much unfinished business

by Dr. Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu

Elections are the basic mechanism for choice and change in a functioning democracy. In Sri Lanka, getting out to vote is more than just a standard operating procedure - voting has a ritualistic even festive dimension to it, even though this has, too often, also been accompanied by nastiness and violence.

Pic: AFP

Tomorrow, August 17, millions of Sri Lankans will vote for the second time in eight months in what has been called a decisive and historic election.

This appellation has been accorded to earlier elections and that it continues to be employed illustrates the nature of our flawed, yet formal democracy and the constant hope that at every election democracy will be consolidated and the fears and doubts about its resilience banished forever. We will know, one way or another, on August 18.

Citizens

A feature of the election in January was that the electorate was treated primarily as citizens and not in terms of any of the other multiple identities they profess to. That election was about the architecture of democracy and governance, transparency and accountability and these issues in turn were built on a platform of a certain amount of economic disaffection.

Arguably the major challenge facing the country, of deep and enduring national unity and reconciliation, a political and constitutional settlement of the ethnic issue, moving, in short, from post-war to post-conflict, was placed on the back burner.

This was, ostensibly, on the grounds that first and foremost an enabling environment of democratic governance was necessary to address this challenge.

That things did not work out entirely as premised and promised, leaves us with unfinished business on August 17. Hence, the particular importance of this general election. A consequence of the treatment of the electorate as citizens is attested to by a greater sense of empowerment on their part and faith and trust in the integrity of the electoral process.

Freedom

A survey conducted islandwide by Social Indicator, the polling arm of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), in the last two weeks of July found that 67 per cent of the electorate believe that the election will be free and fair - in January this figure was 40.3 per cent, with another 21.3 per cent believing that it 'could be free and fair'.

In January some 13 per cent of people surveyed by Social Indicator were of the belief that the election 'definitely' would not be free and fair.

A second opinion survey at the end of July found that only 4 per cent still held that view. In January 87 per cent believed their vote would make a difference, with 48 per cent strongly of this belief.

There is a general consensus amongst monitoring organizations that the environment in which this election is being conducted is freer and fairer than recent elections and in particular that there is a greater willingness on the part of the citizenry to express their political opinion and the freedom to do so.

Whilst there have been incidents of violence, three murders in particular and reports about the involvement of the underworld and drug mafia in politics, by and large the nature and intensity of incidents recorded are lower than in previous elections.

New era

This holds too for the misuse and abuse of state resources. The Elections Commissioner and the Police have the space to do their job as intended and have availed themselves of it in respect of adherence to election laws.

Therefore, despite the life or death nature, literally and metaphorically in some cases, of the political contests, they have so far been contained within bounds of lower levels of violence than before.

Does this mean that the country is on the cusp of a new era of politics, political culture, governance and government? Perhaps.

The point to remember though, whatever the result of August 17 is that all of this is part of a process from which there is no break.

All of this is always in a state of becoming rather than one of being. The price of democracy is the perpetual vigilance of citizens - no let up is the best insurance for no let down.

Next Parliament

Certainly, it is the case that the next parliament will have to deal with a raft of challenges - from accountability in terms of financial corruption to debt and a bloated public service; from demands for accountability that will ensue from the Geneva report to a political and constitutional settlement of the ethnic conflict.

The durability and resilience of any governance framework will be sorely tested.

All of this will require skillful, sensitive political management and a sound working relationship between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe - a political partnership not merely in name.

It does not have to be back to the future or another lost opportunity. And we have the power to decide.... .