Saturday, April 25, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
POLITICS-SRI LANKA: Cynicism, Violence Mark Poll Campaign
Feizal Samath
- Uruwarige Wanniaththo, the chief of Sri Lanka’s indigenous Veddah community, has a simple message for his country’s politicians currently campaigning for votes ahead of the December general election: “Leave us alone.”
Wanniaththo is not impressed with the record of this island nation’s political class. He is determined to stay away from them, a fact highlighted by how Wanniatho and the 2,500-odd Veddahs under his wing retreated into a jungle in north-eastern Sri Lanka this month to avoid being the subject of the “empty” promises of politicians.
“It is better to cultivate the land without wasting time listening to false promises,” he told a group of reporters who met the Veddha chief recently. “Politicians are interested in only getting our votes. They will make all types of promises like parents who offer sweets to crying children to pacify them.”
While Wanniaththo’s disenchantment with Sri Lankan politicians is shared by others, it is one of many views emerging in the countdown to the country’s second general election in a year, scheduled for Dec. 5.
Close to 50 political parties and independent groups are vying for the 225 seats in parliament. Unlike the December 2000 election, where the ruling People’s Alliance (PA) had the edge, the current campaign is evenly poised or slightly in favour of the main opposition United National Party (UNP). But either side may find it difficult to form a majority government.
For their part, the country’s peace activists perceive the election quite unlike Wanniaththo. They are imploring voters to support candidates who are for peace and want an end to the ongoing ethnic conflict, in which more than 60,000 people have been killed since 1983.
“We need to bring the peace issue back on track as this matter has been sidetracked at the elections,” a spokeswoman for SriLankaFirst, a peace group promoted by the business community, said. “Peace is the biggest problem this country is facing, Unfortunately this is not the main issue at the elections.”
What is more, the rights of women have also emerged as a pivotal issue in the campaign. This marks a far cry from the provincial election in early 2000m when some women were stripped naked in public by ruling party supporters, an incident that horrified the public but drew little reaction from government leaders including President Chandrika Kumaratunga, a woman.
UNP candidate Milinda Moragoda, who is running a modest campaign without posters or public rallies, says he is concerned about “our mothers, wives and sisters”. He added: “Politics is the strongest force that can change their lot.”
He has promised to find solutions to a range of issues like violence, participation of women in all levels of politics, laws against sexual harassment, alcoholism and drug abuse among family members, the provision of day care facilities for children of working mothers and other common problems facing women.
“I don’t believe that we have to move heaven and earth to help our women. Most of the laws and regulations needed to better their lives are in place. All what we need is the political will and commitment to enforce them,” he said in a newspaper advertisement.
The election campaign, however, has been bloodied with violent incidents. Candidates are going for the jugular of their opponents instead of discussing the problems and needs of voters and the economic crisis, say political analysts.
The local media has to share the blame, they add, given the election coverage that highlights violence and political rage instead of the party policies and views on pressing national issues.
Since the polls campaign began, there have been four election- related deaths and close to 800 other elections-related acts of violence. This undermines the promises made by the government and contesting political parties to run non-violent campaigns.
A week ago, shots were fired at the home of UNP candidate Sajit Premadasa, son of slain President Ranasinghe Premadasa, in a south- eastern province, He was not in at the time, but his wife narrowly escaped being shot and ducked for cover, helped by bodyguards.
Apart from police inaction over the incident, the region’s ruling party leader has publicly denied that any sort of shooting took place. “It is a joke,” said Mahinda Rajapakse, a senior government minister.
According to political analysts, the public has little choice other than choosing between the UNP and the ruling PA to rule this country. The Marxist JVP, or People’s Liberation Front, is still years away from emerging as a potent third force, they add, since the JVP has a violent record — it launched two bloody revolts against the government during the past 30 years.
The JVP’s dislike for capitalism and globalisation and its support of Marxist ideals is also a deterrent to the party winning enough parliamentary seats to form a government, say analysts.
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POLITICS-SRI LANKA: Cynicism, Violence Mark Poll Campaign
Feizal Samath
- Uruwarige Wanniaththo, the chief of Sri Lanka’s indigenous Veddah community, has a simple message for his country’s politicians currently campaigning for votes ahead of the December general election: “Leave us alone.”
(more…)
Print
|
POLITICS-SRI LANKA: Cynicism, Violence Mark Poll Campaign
Feizal Samath
- Uruwarige Wanniaththo, the chief of Sri Lanka’s indigenous Veddah community, has a simple message for his country’s politicians currently campaigning for votes ahead of the December general election: “Leave us alone.”
(more…)
Print
|
POLITICS-SRI LANKA: Cynicism, Violence Mark Poll Campaign
Feizal Samath
- Uruwarige Wanniaththo, the chief of Sri Lanka’s indigenous Veddah community, has a simple message for his country’s politicians currently campaigning for votes ahead of the December general election: “Leave us alone.”
(more…)
Print
|
