Magnanimity in winning and losing the better way

By Jehan Perera

(February 02, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The result of the Presidential election that was held last week has a potential of further dividing the country on both political and ethnic lines unless the spirit of magnanimity prevails. One of the important challenges for President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be to address the sense of alienation of the ethnic minorities and provide a political solution for their problems and grievances by way of devolution of power. The President said he called for early Presidential Elections because he wanted a mandate from the people of the North and East who were unable to vote at previous elections due to intimidation by the LTTE. During most of the election campaign both major candidates gave considerable attention to the issue of inter-ethnic harmony and reconciliation.

Unfortunately during the latter stages, the allegation that the opposition candidate had a secret agreement with the major Tamil party that could divide the country led to the rousing of communal sentiments. In addition, the failure of the ethnic minority population of Tamils and Muslims to vote in large numbers for the President has led to influential opinion makers making assertions that the minorities have not been grateful to the President. This will make them uneasy about their future. While President Rajapaksa himself has spoken conciliatorily to the ethnic minorities, this has not been the case with regard to other ruling party politicians whose campaigning during the elections was supercharged with communalism and continue to express themselves in the same vein.

President Rajapaksa is likely to face formidable challenges in the days ahead. The opposition parties and General Fonseka himself have threatened to challenge the election result in courts of law and through political confrontation beginning with a mass rally in Colombo on February 3. The utilization of the state machinery to bolster the chances of victory of the incumbent President has created an impression of a government that was determined to win the elections by all means at its disposal. The abuse of state resources that took place prior to the election to secure the President’s victory has been documented by election monitoring organisations. In these circumstances it is likely that in the days ahead the opposition will endeavour to project the President’s victory as an illegitimate one that was won by illegitimate means.

The opposition’s campaign against the election verdict is likely to grow in strength due to the prospect of Parliament being dissolved soon to pave the way for General Elections. There are reports that the President is contemplating dissolving Parliament on February 5 after taking his oaths for his second term on February 4 to coincide with Independence Day. The government may be planning to capitalize on the President’s victory and obtain a large Parliamentary majority on its strength. But this in turn will give the opposition an added incentive not to give up on alleging election rigging of one sort or the other at the Presidential Elections. President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s unexpectedly overwhelming triumph at the Presidential elections has led to opposition claims that the results are not authentic.

Increased confrontation

Adding to concerns about the overall free and fair nature of the elections was the drama that took place with regard to General Fonseka and other opposition leaders even while the counting of ballots was taking place. In the early hours of January 27, as counting was taking place, hundreds of army troops surrounded the luxury Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel where the opposition candidate had set up a temporary election office. In addition army troops took up position outside the Election Commissioner’s office and independent media stations. These moves added to the rumours of possible irregularities in the election and encouraged speculation as to what was going on during the counting of votes.

Government spokespersons have given various explanations why army troops surrounded the hotel where the joint opposition candidate and most of the opposition leaders backing him had set up temporary office. Some said that the hundreds of soldiers who surrounded the hotel were for the protection of the opposition leaders while others have said that it was to prevent a possible coup against the government on the night of the elections. It is difficult to imagine why a victorious candidate should stage a coup, and in the event of facing defeat how even a former army commander could have summoned up troops in defiance of their present commanding officers. It goes without saying that the Sri Lankan military has always shown itself to be professional when it comes to politics and obeying orders of the democratically elected political leadership.

There was much in the election campaign itself that suggested a high degree of personal animosity between the two main contenders for the presidency. There were accusations of personal treachery, corruption, nepotism and threats of punitive actions against the other in case of victory. Unfortunately the hostile actions taken by the government against the defeated opposition candidate are suggestive of a vendetta that has yet to end. After the election General Fonseka complained about the humiliation suffered by the security personnel who were protecting him. Some of those who were guarding him during the election campaign had to come out of the hotel and kneel on the ground at the behest of military officers representing the government before being led away.

In these circumstances the media reports that most of General Fonseka’s security has been withdrawn and he himself is to be arrested is very much a cause for public concern. Leading members of the religious clergy have requested the government to continue to provide General Fonseka with security. The fact is that he is the person who led the Sri Lankan army to military victory over the LTTE when previous army commanders had said it was not possible. All those who are grateful that the government finally got rid of the LTTE, and the war and terror that accompanied it, need to be also grateful to General Fonseka whose military strategy overcame the LTTE on the ground through deeds.

Opposition attitude

However, it is not only the government leadership who need to be magnanimous to General Fonseka, the undefeated commander of the army, who is now a defeated politician. The rest of the country also needs to appreciate him. There is no question at all that it was General Fonseka’s entry into politics that turned around the oppositions political fortunes. His candidacy revived their effectiveness and party machineries that were dormant and dispirited. The challenge he posed compelled the government to adopt people-friendly actions to prevent erosion of its electoral support, including the reduction of the price of petrol and other essential commodities.

After the unexpectedly severe election loss by General Fonseka there are reports emerging about many mistakes he made in his election campaign. His style of speech was sometimes harsh, and threats to government members he accused of wrongdoings may have alarmed those in the government and turned away prospective voters. As a newcomer to politics who did not have his own political party, he also appears to have relied heavily on the advice of his former military colleagues who were unsophisticated in the ways of politics. Those who are defeated tend to blame others and to break relationships. There is a possibility that in the face of defeat, the advantages that General Fonseka brought to the opposition will be put aside, just as much as the other political alliances break up.

The very basis of the opposition alliance itself is now being questioned. It is being argued that the alliance with the Tamil National Alliance permitted the government to go on a propaganda blitz about a secret pact to divide the country. The alliance with the JVP alienated traditional UNP voters who got concerned that the conservative UNP would lose out to the Marxist JVP. There are lessons to be obtained from these experiments so that mistakes made are not repeated. From the viewpoint of the opposition’s interests, it is better to be united than divided. From the perspective of the country’s interests it is important that the spirit of magnanimity be demonstrated all round.

Over two millennia ago the Buddha gave expression to the human experience that those who are defeated and harshly treated will await their time to retaliate in a never ending cycle of hatred. This is why one of the great models of kingship is that of the Emperor Asoka in ancient India, who after subduing his enemies sought a non violent and benevolent way to govern his empire inspired by the teachings of the Buddha. This Buddhist ethos found its noble expression in ancient Sri Lanka in the war between the great kings Elara and Dutugemunu, and the latter’s decree that the remains of his fallen foe will forever be treated with the utmost respect.

Even today this value of magnanimity of victor towards the defeated is one that will resonate deep within the Sri Lankan psyche.