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Letters to the Editor
21st March 1999 |
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Elections: Grace or disgrace?For many years it is with much pride that I have hoisted our National Flag. But this year was different. The reason for it being different was disappointment and sadness due to the disgraceful and violent elections that were conducted in the Wayamba area. The six weeks of violence that could not be brought under control by the respective political parties or the law enforcing officers, and then reports of intimidation of citizens who visited the polling booth to cast their vote, the stuffing of ballot boxes, the physical assault of opponents etc. made me feel ashamed of this beautiful land of ours. The 4th of February this year, to me should have been declared a 'national day of mourning!', for democracy was put to death in Sri Lanka on election day. A fundamental right of every citizen which is the freedom to vote was robbed by politicians and their supporters who were power hungry. The Bible says that politicians (of all parties) are 'Servants of God' (Rom.13 vs.4). We are called as citizens to respect and honour our national leaders. The Bible calls us to obey them and to pray for them. (And certainly we need to continue to do so). But the biggest question I have in my mind is what example have our present leaders set for our younger generation? How can the major political parties ask to the youth of the JVP and the LTTE to shun violence and seek peace? Through their actions on election day are our leaders saying to the youth of this country cheating is OK in order to win? If this is the message passed down to the next generation we may have many cases of copying and cheating at examinations, leaking and lifting of examination papers before the due date and even entrance of students with T56 guns into the centres where papers are being corrected and ordering result sheets to be altered. God forbid that this should take place! How can we make Sri Lanka a paradise once again! How can we restore democracy in this land again? May it begin from the 'top in society', our politicians. I hope and pray that the elections to be held in the next five provinces will be held gracefully unlike in Wayamba. I hope that we Sri Lankans will not have to live in fear, but live enjoying freedom. I trust that next year when we hoist the National flag we will display it with pride because of the freedom we enjoy as citizens of Lanka. I sincerely hope that the committee appointed by the President to look into violence and malpractices at the Wayamaba elections will expose the culprits who were responsible for such behaviour. May God bless our land with both ethnic and political peace in order to make Sri lanka, a paradise once again. Revd. Roshan Mendis Minister Dutch Reformed Church. A true sense of belongingThere is no doubt– each and every one of our cricketers is a legend. I am a sixteen-year-old Sri Lankan girl born in Australia. I have always been filled with pride to declare that I am Sri Lankan but I know that living in Australia can tend to dilute my culture. But when our beloved cricket team arrived in Australia, I quickly learnt an unforgettable and valuable lesson. It was the lesson of what it is to be Sri Lankan, handed down by my childhood heroes. The most powerful experience came at Sri Lanka's final game at the MCG. I have never seen so many Sri Lankans, all united at the prospect of our world class cricketers doing battle. The place was a sea of vivid flags and the air was awash with vociferous chants and songs. A true sense of belonging was quickly established and the pride we all felt reached atomic proportions as our eleven warriors marched out onto the field. Our heroes . Decibels I had never known ripped from my throat as we cheered our men on. This was the true meaning of pride. The blood pressure of every single Sri Lankan escalated with the intensity of our vocal support. This was more than cricket, for I suddenly felt as though I had spent too much time in this country. For that was the day I fully returned to my roots. It was the day that my childhood heroes showed me what it was to have this flag, these people and this blood on my side. I did not know that One-Day Cricket could do something like that. Never have I been so proud to feel the blood charge through every capillary, vein and artery. Our singing, chanting and music have always been a valuable part of our culture and always will be, as long as we serve beneath the multi-coloured flag of the lion. And I have been brandishing a Sri Lankan flag from the time I learnt how to shake a skinny pole at the television and scream in the way only a toddler can. This lesson will stay with me forever and I for one will take my own children to see Sri Lanka battle when they return, so great is my devotion. All I can say to each and every Sri Lankan cricketer who graced the Australian soil this summer is thank you. You may not know it but you hold considerable power and prowess, so much so, you were all able to teach me a lasting, priceless lesson. Shanika Hewa Geeganage. Victoria, Australia Wayamba O WayambaI hold no brief for the UNP. I was once an ardent supporter of the UNP and the first time I did not vote for the UNP was when the sister of a prominent politico in Negombo rang me up and requested me not to vote for the UNP, as she had been bundled into a police jeep, in her night-dress in the middle of the night and released only the next morning - for a political reason. I was satisfied that she had nothing to do with the offence attributed to her, and as I felt it was a repugnant act, I acquiesced. That was in May 1993. Now with the outrageous happenings at Wayamba, I am constrained to make a few comments. What promised to be an interesting election, ended up as the most disgusting, bizarre, and tragic election ever. Crimes and election malpractices had been perpetrated with impunity and unprecedented violence. Even nuns were not spared. Their polling cards had been plundered by the goons, and it is no wonder Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who was "on the site" called for fresh elections. Both the Bishop of Chilaw and the Archbishop who usually make sedate statements on issues, on this occasion must have been thoroughly vexed to unequivocally condemn the happenings at Wayamba in the strongest terms. Of the numerous instances of violence, the most despicable act was when a middle-aged woman was stripped and marched through the streets at the point of a gun in the presence of children and despite apppeals of even PA supporters. The PA is fortunate that the UNP lacks a speaker of President Premadasa's mould. He would have "gone to town"on this issue. The attempt by the Ministers and MPs involved in the election offences at Wayamba to absolve themselves from blame and say there were no malpractices in Wayamba would be frivolous and futile. The damage has been done. K. Wijayasinghe Negombo. |
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