Dear Editor,
Further to a commentary I penned (SN, Aug 9) comparing aspects of politics in Sri Lanka and Guyana, the former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa has failed in his attempt to make a political comeback. He led his party’s campaign as the candidate for prime minister (PM) but was defeated by the opposition alliance of the incumbent PM Ranil Wickrenesinghe. This was the second time the opposition defeated Rajapaksa, which is not dissimilar to Guyana where the ruling party was defeated twice – in 2011 and 2015. The election and the politics of the nation hold important lessons for Guyana; politics of unity in an ethnically divided nation are being pursued and tested for support in Lanka, an idea sadly missing in our own nation that is ethnically divided. In addition, the election was free and fair and there were no controversies about rigging or who won. There was no foreign intervention.
Rajapaksa, who amended the constitution term limit of two terms to seek another term, and is viewed as greedy for more political power, was defeated last January by his own cabinet Health Minister, Maithripala Sirisena who was put up as a candidate by the united opposition led by then Opposition Leader Wickrenesinghe.
Coincidentally, former President Bharrat Jagdeo led a Commonwealth Observer Mission to Sri Lanka for its presidential election last January; that election was free and fair.
Sirisena, who was still a member of Rajapaksa’s ruling party (United Peoples Freedom Alliance), contrary to political norms, appointed the Opposition Leader PM as a thank-you gesture for his victory.
This is unprecedented in the political history of any nation in which an opposition leader (without a majority of seats) was appointed PM by a President. The UPFA did not favour the appointment and opposed several measures in parliament against Sirisena. The President opted to dissolve parliament and hold early elections.
In the parliamentary election on Monday, Sirisena did not campaign publicly but privately suggested the defeat of his colleague and prime ministerial candidate.
Wickremesinghe and a majority of voters were angry with Sirisena for not denying Rajapaksa a seat and for not campaigning against Rajapaksa who has been accused of atrocities against minorities during the ethnic civil war. He may yet face war crime charges as investigations of human rights abuses are ongoing by the United Nations Commission. Rajapaksa loyalists compelled an unwilling Sirisena to nominate him for the election, but Sirisena hinted he would not appoint Rajapaksa prime minister even if he won a majority. That is no longer an issue.
Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) won 106 seats in the 225-member legislature. He needs 113 to form the government. The minority parties have committed to providing outside support. The UPFA garnered only 96 seats, down from the two-thirds majority of four years ago. The Tamil party won 16 seats. The Muslim Party won one seat. The militant chauvinist Sinhalese party won six seats.
Although Rajapakasa has won a seat, it is unlikely he will want to sit as Opposition Leader though sometimes politicians simply do not want to accept that voters have rejected them.
There are reports that several MPs elected on the UPFA ticket will cross over and join the UNP, unlike in Guyana where crossing the floor was outlawed by the combined PNC and PPP in 2007.
Wickremesinghe campaigned on the theme of the devolution of power to the various regions and autonomy for minorities. Rajapaksa was opposed to constitutional reform, autonomy for ethnic minorities and devolution of powers.
Similar to the Guyana Burnham constitution, the prime minister acts for the president when he is absent and replaces him if he is impeached, incapacitated or dies. The president has wide executive powers. The prime minister heads lawmaking and has some governance powers.
Politicians in Guyana need to take note of what happened in Sri Lanka. Clearly, people support consensual and cooperative politics. In Guyana, they also want consensual politics and an end to racial rivalry. Give the people power to manage affairs in their own districts and limit the power of politicians who can never be trusted with power.
As Lord Acton stated, power corrupts. Thus, the population must never trust politicians and must demand constitutional reform including term limits and the decentralization of governance.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
