So what has this election achieved?

What then has this election achieved politically for the nation? Will it also confirm that Sri Lankan elections do not solve any political problems and only help some people further their own personal agendas?
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By Citizen Somapala

(January 27, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) As the election count goes on, some issues that may surface are some of the most basic issues raised in this election: these are abolition of the executive presidential system, ending corruption, restoring respect for human rights particularly in relation to freedom of expression and the minority rights.

The opposition forcefully raised the issue of abolition of the executive presidency and ending of corruption. By the end, the government accepted the same proposals and quite strongly voiced that the executive presidency would be reduced to a namesake institution and that elimination of corruption will become the priority of the agenda of President Rajapaksha. Besides stating this in the manifesto, the president stated this quite loudly and telecast that message over and over again. Thus, if anything was achieved in this election as far as political objectives are concerned, it is that consensus was achieved and articulated on these two issues. Therefore, voters on both sides are entitled to ask when action will be tabled before parliament to abolish the executive presidency and to bring stronger measures to eliminate corruption.

If no action is taken immediately on these two issues, then this election too will be a waste of time.

The next issue is about human rights and, in particular, the respect for freedom of expression. Verbally, government agreed on this issue also. However, the entire conduct of the election was a further reinforcement of the image of the Rajapaksha government as an abuser of human rights. Four persons being killed and the record of abuses of electoral laws in an unprecedented scale as reported by the monitoring organisations has left an impression of total unwillingness on the part of the government to alter its record on human rights.

The attacks on the media, which have led to many journalists leaving the country, were resumed during the election, particularly before the counting took place when a senior journalist of e-news, Prageeth Eknaligoda, went missing. Several well-known web publications were closed down. Added to this are the speculations on the possible arrest of the opposition candidate, Gen. (Ret.) Sarath Fonseka and further retaliation against opponents of the government. In the hours to come, if these fears are confirmed, then the human rights image of the government will be further tarnished. Perhaps, once again, the saddest aspect of this election would be the distancing of the government from the minorities. Clearly, the government is trying to recreate the “Tiger Scare” in order to gain the sympathy of Sinhala voters. This manipulative strategy, which has been used for many decades now, will once again create a divide between the country’s two major communities. The manner in which the government handled this election campaign does not show any will on its part to deal with this vital political issue in any intelligible manner.

What then has this election achieved politically for the nation? Will it also confirm that Sri Lankan elections do not solve any political problems and only help some people further their own personal agendas?