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Youths abandoning political misfits and deplorable politics
Sri Lanka’s youths are distancing themselves from untrustworthy, uneducated, corrupt, politicians and crony politics through which politicians ingratiate themselves to a life of luxury from the public purse.
Chamodi Kaushika Sewuandi
The number of young people registering to vote is declining. The young are denouncing bankrupt economic ideas and a tainted political system dominated by clans and two main parties. They say politics is the new business of making money.
In the hope of making the youth see the value of the vote and rebuilding trust in elections, the Commission of Elections will launch a campaign in schools and higher educational institutions. There are indications that the young are losing interest in politics and the electoral system.
Elections Commission chairman, Mahinda Deshapiriya, told the Sunday Times that officers will visit educational institutions.
Preliminary reports indicate that registration of new voters for the current year is declining. Final statistics are set to be compiled by next month.
Mr. Deshapiriya said the Commission will get the help of the Motor Traffic Department and the Registrar of Persons Office to create awareness.
He said trust in the electoral system is declining among the youth.
A commission proposal to have 30% of young candidates had not been accepted when the recent amendments were passed. “As the commission we hope to make representations on this matter.’’
A cross section of youth interviewed by the Sunday Times reveals that more youth have lost faith because politicians are seeking power and privileges for themselves.
A University of Colombo student, Chamodi Kaushika Sewuandi, said most decisions are taken by rulers to secure their powers, or to increase political advantages as well as to increase their financial benefits.
She said the youths reject the political system which had not evolved with the times.
“The politicians are not as educated as the youth and do not listen to new ideas, so development has slowed down. As a result, frustrated youth refrain from taking part in the electoral system,’’ she said.
Amal Sandaratne
Mohamad Zafran, 21, said that politics has become a business for prominent politicians to rob the country.
“The new politicians who lobby for anti-corruption are not allowed to carry on constructive activities, while the experienced and the corrupt try to remain in power by ignoring the ideas of the youths. This result in stagnation.’’
Zafran said that corruption among current ministers has earned the disgust of youths. Leading businessmen and ministers are benefiting, but the youths are jobless, he said.
D. M. Rukshan Maduwantha, a school boy who sat for the Advanced Level examination, said: “No one does good to the society, I do not see any leader who can lead the country to betterment and look into matters that affect the future generations.’’
A Moratuwa University student, Ayesha Sandamali, deplored the uneducated, uncivil politicians. Even some parties that speak for the rights of the youth now neglect the young, she said. “Some parties give ideas about empowering youth, but sometimes they are impractical. And due to their past deeds, people abstain from voting for them.’’
Container truck driver, Senanayake Kankanamararachchilage Ruwan Rajeewa Priyadharshana, 38, said it was natural that the young are losing interest.
D. M. Rukshan Maduwantha
“Very little constructive work is visible, but we can see students on the road protesting. How can they educate themselves and serve the country,” he asked.
Amal Sandaratne, who works at Frontier Research, said that in a lot of countries voter registration among the young is lower than that among older people.
He explained that the current situation in Sri Lanka could be the result of a global trend. “In general, no one is satisfied with politics, and even foreign politicians are the same.’’
Udara Deshanga Edirisinghe from Galle, said that the younger generation must be educated about politics because if they are not serious about elections, once again, unwanted characters will get elected.
“They must vote to get the leaders that serve their interests. They should not protest. They should use their vote to create their future,” he said.
Members of political parties have also felt that the youth are abandoning them.
Mohamad Zafran Pix by Athula Devapriya
Minister of Science, Technology and Research, Susil Premajayantha, said that the SLFP had noted that the young voters’ demands are not being met. He said the party will draft relevant policies. “We must convince the youth we haven’t forgotten them. New policies will be presented by President Maithripala Sirisena at the SLFP convention.’’
Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms, Gayantha Karunatileka, said the United National Party also believes that the youths have lost faith in the government.
“In future, we will provide 10,000 jobs and fulfil all the demands of the youth,” he promised.
Lawmaker Dullas Alahapperuma said the main reason the youth lost hope is that the government rejected a proposal to allow 30% of youth representatives in local elections.
Mr. Alahapperuma said trust in politicians has broken down because of corruption and the manipulation of law and order for more than 20 years.
He suggested a national level programme by all parties to regain the trust and interest of the youth.
Udara Deshanga Edirisinghe
“Educated young voters should be provided with educated leaders who can bridge the gap between old politicians and the first-timer voters,’’ he said.
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), lawmaker, Bimal Ratnayake, said that the youth used social media to overthrow the previous regime, but now, voter registration had declined.
The JVP, he said, had discussed with the elections commissioner and brought an adjournment motion to add the names of all 17-year-olds to voter lists and only allow them to vote when they reach 18. He said a Cabinet paper will have to be presented to make the amendment.
“The biggest issue is sometimes, the names of those who are 17 years and 11 months of age are not included in the list. They can not vote and wait to vote at 19 years of age,’’ he said.
Tamil National Alliance, parliamentarian, Dharmalingam Sidhdhartan, said youth in the North and East are as fed up as those in the south and the west.
He said that even elderly voters are frustrated, because their demands for lands to be released are not progressing fast enough and that the pace of development is slow.
| Delaying elections destroys hopes | |
| Election monitoring groups say that politicians are being disliked also as a result of delays in local elections. The executive director of Campaign for Free and Fair Elections, Ranjith Tennakoon, said the decline in voting began in 2014 after an amendment to reduce the number of youth representatives in parliament. “The youth have no new options other than voting for elderly politicians who do not represent them. So they do not register, nor do they vote,” he said. Executive director, Rohana Hettiarachchi, said the delay is undermining democracy. Corruption by politicians who lost elections but were brought in to the parliament had added to the rejection by youth, he said. “We are educating the public to vote and secure their rights,’’ he said. |