Batticaloa Poll

Today marks a red letter day for Batticaloa where its people will be electing their Local Government representatives after a lapse of nearly 15 years.

The liberation of the East from the grip of the LTTE has now provided the necessary backdrop for the re-establishment of all the democratic structures in the province.

Today’s local poll is to be followed by Provincial Council Elections in the near future and the Government should be commended for speeding up the restoration of democracy in these areas where the people for long had only been exposed to the gun culture.

Elections are after all the lifeblood of democracy and should be pursued with whatever the odds. Many elections have been held in the backdrop of anarchy but they were justified as a fait accompli by noted observers if the system was to survive. The will of the people was deemed paramount over anything else.

Today’s election too is test of the will of a people who not so long ago had no say in the course of their destinies and the affairs of their lives.

Hence when they step out en masse to elect their first Local Government bodies in over one and half decades they would in effect be taking their first step to be active partners in administering their own affairs - a novelty which no doubt they will savour after living under the jackboot of the LTTE all these years and having their fate decided for themselves by a ruthless band of terrorists.

Apart from providing a fresh breath of freedom to the people of Batticaloa to assert themselves over their destinies today’s elections will also provide the catalyst for resurgence of the people and ensure their gradual induction into the democratic process.

Therefore it is incumbent on the Government to ensure that the momentum continues even after the poll and the fruits of democracy are enjoyed by these people to the fullest if the whole exercise is to have any relevance.

In this respect the Government should be commended for losing no time in moving to restore democratic institutions in the East no sooner the Province was liberated from the LTTE.

By thus filling in the breach sans delay, it has on the one hand, while moving quickly to heal the scars of the people from lengthy oppression has also ensured that no vacuum exists that could be exploited by interested parties to sow the seeds of discord and negate the gains of military achievements.

True, there are bound to be hiccups in the nascent adminstration of these councils and it will be some time before the new dispensation will be able to fit into the democratic structures especially considering that the some of the parties in the fray are ex-armed groups who may take time to assimilate into the new set up.

It is therefore necessary that critics act with circumspection without rushing into pounce on any shortcomings or drawbacks while the Government too should leave no stone unturned to provide these local bodies with the necessary resources and wherewithal to enable their smooth functioning.

Funds should be disbursed speedily to ensure that peoples’ needs which have been left unattended for such a long period are met without delay, since the local bodies will have difficulties generating their own funds due to the peculiar conditions in the region.

The Government should also through its largesse try to win over the confidence of these people and get them integrated with the national polity.

Today’s election will also mark the foray into democratic mainstream of the TMVP an offshoot of the Karuna faction. Whatever the critics may say the Government had pulled off a real coup by roping in this group, widely considered to be the linchpin in the LTTE’s fighting machinery, to enter electoral politics alongside other ex-armed groups who are also contesting. This, while eliminating a huge battle field threat to the Forces also augers well for further isolating the LTTE.

The party has put forward its manifesto which has underlined problems that are unique to the Eastern population such as lack proper education facilities and common amenities.

Short of compromising security, the Government should take steps to speedily address this issues in alliance with the elected representatives so that the people would gradually shed their sense of isolation and in turn facilitate integration.

It is assumed that the mega infrastructure development projects such as road construction and restoration of civic amenities that were launched under the Eastern Reawakening programme in the immediate aftermath of the Eastern liberation would provide the ideal launching pad for the newly elected bodies to build on and meet the requirements of the people.

It is hoped that the newly elected local bodies will meet up to the gigantic challenges before them in transforming the chequered existence of a population and emerge as model local Government institutions that could be emulated by the rest in the country.