Statement: Presidential Election Result

Liberal Party of Sri Lanka statement on the Presidential election result

The Liberal Party of Sri Lanka warmly congratulates HE Mahinda Rajapakse on his election to the Presidency of Sri Lanka. We are also delighted at the grace and inclusiveness he manifested so warmly after his election. This amply justifies the view of the Liberal Party that pluralism and democracy would be best served in our country by his leadership.

This is vital since the election results may encourage disruptive and separatist forces to foment unrest. In this regard we are encouraged by the failure of fundamentalist forces to promote religious polarization. The healthy vote for Mr Rajapakse in the western part of the Gampaha District and in minority areas in the Eastern Province makes clear that he represents hope for a wide cross-section of our citizens.

At the same time the results make it clear that he must move quickly to restore the confidence of those of our citizens who feel deprived of a voice in their own government. Basic constitutional reforms that can be achieved through consensus should be targeted immediately to ensure that all segments of the population receive the benefits and understand the value of democratic representative government.

In this regard we are saddened, though not surprised, at the failure of the main opposition party to respect the will of the people as expressed at this election. One newspaper reports that the defeated candidate claims that no one had obtained '50 per cent of the valid votes cast'. This is nonsense, and contradicted by a party spokesman who, according to the same news item, asks for a repoll on the grounds that the margin was narrow – 'namely 28,632 votes more than the constitutionally required 50 per cent of the total valid votes cast'.

Though the margin is narrow, it is substantially more than that received by HE Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1988. He received only 21,810 votes more than the required 50%, in a context in which the poll was only 55%. This means he was elected by under 28% of the people, whereas, with the poll on this occasion being over 73%, Mr Rajapakse clearly has the support of nearly 37%. It will be noted that, despite all the machinations of the UNP government in the 1982 referendum, it was with under 38% of popular support that citizens were deprived of the right to elect parliamentarians for a further 6 years.

The UNP also regrets the boycott of the poll in the North, and there are claims that, had citizens there exercised their franchise, the opposition candidate would have won. This is far from clear when, at the last Presidential election, just over 110,000 voted, a majority of them against Mr Wickremesinghe even though the murderous attack on President Kumaratunga had made clear the wishes of the LTTE. Given that Mr Rajapakse's majority over Mr Wickremesinghe was over 180,000, it is unlikely that, unless the LTTE had enforced a total commitment to Mr Wickremesinghe (which is what some sections of the UNP had anticipated), Mr Rajapaske would have been definitely defeated as those opposed to him now claim.

It is also forgotten that the death of democracy in the North began with the Jaffna DDC elections of 1981. And, though the selective amnesia of some sections of the United National Party regarding the history of this country is a political reality, citizens should be apprised of the facts. They should also note that the boycott in part of the country on this occasion was not as severe as the boycott enforced in some areas of the south in 1988. That boycott was welcomed by the UNP, because it was in electorates that favoured Mrs Bandaranaike that voting was lowest. Then too there were allegations of malpractice as well as unfair deprivation of the franchise, but the Supreme Court, dominated by a Chief Justice promoted over the head of the most senior judge at the time, decided that the case brought against the election result at that time was not urgent. It was finally decided some years later.

Under the circumstances it is sad that the UNP seems to wish to encourage disruption by not acknowleding and accepting the verdict of the people. Mr Rajapakse, in thanking Mr Wickremesinghe by name despite his unfortunate absence at the declaration of results, has made clear his determination to work towards unity. It would be tragic if, once again, personal ambition and churlishness prevented the development of a national consensus.

Rajiva Wijesinha
President, Liberal Party

October 2005