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Stamping out pre-poll violence

The government will be taking an important step towards keeping the democratic process ticking by holding the local government elections islandwide in mid-March. This move has its detractors but none could dispute the usefulness of conducting the poll. After all, what is at stake is the continued activation of local government institutions which make people's participation in decision-making possible.

It is patently useful and important, therefore, to go ahead with the poll. But it is of paramount importance that this democratic exercise is not vitiated by violence in all stages of its implementation. An election marred by violence, besides lacking legitimacy would also subvert the popular will. Such an outcome would be in no-one's favour. On the contrary, it would only generate sweeping discontent and disillusionment with the democratic process.

The lessons of the past have to be learnt and relearnt. We have seen how the democratic will of the people were considerably subverted in several elections over the past seven years. These anti-democratic acts culminated in the pre-election violence of the December 5th poll which even degenerated into murder and mayhem, particularly on the outskirts of Kandy town. Violence of this magnitude and scale resolved none of our problems. In fact, it may have had the effect of deepening political divisions and polarities.

The Government has done well to take the necessary measures to probe and remedy problems arising from the violence which was witnessed before and after the December 5th election. This it has done in the interests of democracy and fairplay and it is to be hoped that the State will be guided by the same considerations when dealing with the sporadic violence which has cropped-up in the run up to the local government poll.

Some political parties have alleged that their activists have been at the receiving end of violence unleashed by armed groups in particularly Southern Sri Lanka. We request that these allegations be probed in full and remedial action taken, if necessary.

In the interests of democracy, justice and peace, the State is obliged to enforce the law both stringently and fairly in these circumstances. If this is not done, the chances are that we would be having more and more violence in the days ahead, leading to, perhaps, a spiral of violence which would mar the poll. This would have the effect of delegitimising the democratic process.

Probing and remedying old forms of violence, whatever their sources of origin, is, therefore, the ideal. It is one of the foundations of social peace. 

• Editorial of  The Observer - 01.01.2002:
  Extended ceasefire
  

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