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The need for voter enlightenment

At a time when most political parties and their activists are displaying an obsessive concern with power and its privileges, President Kumaratunga has underscored the real basis of power - that is, the will of the people.

The exercise of their political preferences is a vital aspect of the people's sovereignty and this will come into play when they elect a new government. Likewise, the power of discrimination of the people and their active and enlightened opposition to injustices and wrong-doing is another vital aspect of their sovereign authority.

The President was invoking the latter aspect of the sovereignty of the people when she called on them recently to do everything in their power to ensure a fair and free poll. The corollary of this aspect of the people's sovereignty and authority is that they refrain from polls malpractices and violence. For her part, the President has assured that she will be tough on polls malpractices and we welcome this timely pledge.

Accordingly, as has been always known, the people are the final source of political power. They make or break governments and are the real Kingmakers. If they do not exercise their franchise judiciously and insightfully, the chances are that the future of the country would be irreversibly marred.

Unfortunately, not all sections of society act with foresight at election time. Very often, self-interest and an eye on short-term gain compel many to fall for the patronizing gestures of scheming politicians. Thus, a patron-client tie is shored-up between many a voter and the politician of his neighbourhood or region. These unsuspecting members of the public also fall for the lure of election-eve promises.

Consequently, corrupt practices take hold among some sections, resulting in a serious nullification of their sovereignty. When this happens the politician rides rough shod over the public and the latter virtually surrender their sovereignty to the politician.

On the other hand, an enlightened and perceptive public could keep the scheming politician at bay. They would also say no and rise against the corrupt politician, turning his murky dreams to ashes. It was such a public that the President had in mind, when she urged them to be alive to election malpractices.

The National Advisory Council on Combating Crime, which has come up with a Code of Conduct for all sections of the polity at election time, could provide the fillip to the emergence of an enlightened and duty-conscious public.

By interacting more closely with the public and raising public awareness on the dos and donts by the people at this juncture, a citizenry which is fully alert to the sovereign authority it is endowed with, could be brought into being.

We hope this will be a continuing process with civic education receiving top priority.

Saving the jumbos

They walk gently and majestically in Peraheras. They are also used as beasts of burden. And now, they play polo - elephant polo. But local pachyderms would not be around to perform any of these tasks in a few decades if we do not pay enough attention to saving them.

The polo tournament held recently in Galle may be a new diversion for local elephants, but time is running out for domesticated and wild varieties of the species here.

There are less than 200 domestic and 5,000 wild elephants in Sri Lanka and their numbers are dwindling. Only 40,000 of the beasts are believed to be roaming in the wild in 13 Asian countries.

The biggest problem facing the local elephants is human encroachment of their habitats for logging and settlements. This has resulted in elephants raiding villages and crop fields for food. The consequent human-elephant conflict has led to hundreds of deaths on both sides.

Poaching (for tusks) is another serious threat to the local elephant population. Around 300 wild elephants have also been displaced in the North-East conflict. Elephants also leave their home ranges because of overpopulation, seasonal migration in search of food and the break-up of forests by roads and farms.

The undiminished demand for elephants in processions puts pressure on the dwindling number of elephants, especially the tuskers, of which only 18 are left. Plans have even been mooted to import tuskers to fulfil this demand. But far from being an impediment to elephant conservation, cultural and religious practices could actually promote peaceful coexistence between people and elephants.

Pinnawela, the elephant orphanage, offers a ray of hope amid this gloomy scenario. It has one of the world's most successful elephant breeding programmes, with 22 captive births since 1983. Two births are expected this year. Its 63 elephants are the only link between the wild and captive elephants. More proceeds from Pinnawela should be channelled towards conservation efforts. Elephant conservation needs new approaches and technologies.

Advanced GPS-guided radio tracking, inclusive of motion detectors, must be used to learn more about elephant movements and behaviour. Asian Governments, in consultation with elephant conservation groups and affected communities, must draw up clear policies and plans to save the jumbos from extinction.

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