Editorial

26th December 1999

Heartfelt vote

The soothsayers were right after all. With the compliments of a botched attempt at murder by the LTTE, and the grace of the gods above, Chandrika Kumarnatunga rode her luck to be anointed President for a second term, on December 21st.

If the poll is measured on the emotional Richter, it would be quite evident that some people voted with a cardiac concern for the issues — which means in the quaint but commoner idiom that they voted with their hearts.

After all the breast beating of a long and vexatious election campaign, the people seemed to mellow before our eyes. In the end, they chose the politics of tears over the cold disembodied and impersonal politics of the issues.

Which voter cares now about not abolishing the Executive Presidency, of rising unemployment, or the burdens of cost of living index? Who cares also about computers and gold chains for youth and promises of a clean suit and a bulging pocket?

51.12 per cent ( which of course should probably include the correct percentage allowance for rigged votes ) of the people seem to want more of the same in terms of performance. If so, so be it.

It is encouraging that the President, in her inauguration, pledged to invite 49 per cent who did not vote with her to join the common cause in combating the LTTE .

The earlier ballyhooed Liam Fox agreement was also about consensus, but it was destined to end up in the dung heap or the dustbin of parochial politics that we as a polity are so used to in this bickering age.

It appears that paradoxically it has been the LTTE that has made Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga feel the need for consensus politics of National government. In the jungles of Mullativu or wherever he may be Vellupillai Prabhakaran the LTTE leader may be nursing his wounded pride.

His botched assassination attempt must surely be tasting even worse in the mouth, in the knowledge that he to some extent appears to have helped in the re election of Kumaratunga over the nearest rival candidate.

The column on the Presidency that appears elsewhere in this paper refers to the constitutional dangers that the nation came perilously close to after the assassination attempt which left the Commander in Chief incapacitated in a hospital ward.

While our army was waging war against the LTTE, it appeared that there was no C-in-C and no replacement either, as the Prime Minister was incapable of taking over command.

The lacuna at the top was looking better only in contrast to the incredible security lapse that resulted in the events of Saturday the 18th, the day of calumny that the President referred to repeatedly in her inaugural address. The men of the Presidential Security division, the creme de la creme of the security apparatus could not have been napping when the suicide bomber infiltrated. Maybe, they, as PSD men are wont to these days, were occupied elsewhere with other matters.

In conclusion, our congratulations go out to a President who had been duly elected irrespective of the circumstances of her election and appointment. But, we do not envy her having to spend another six years in "Prison'' in Temple trees, in that conspicuous hideout that she described in those terms . She will be knowing that Velupillai Prabhakaran will now be working overtime. We hope reason will prevail over insanity and peace will dawn on this country in Year 2000.

The Political Column

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