{"id":95400,"date":"2019-11-19T17:34:04","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T00:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=95400"},"modified":"2019-11-19T17:34:04","modified_gmt":"2019-11-20T00:34:04","slug":"unfolding-what-we-received-and-what-we-perceived-rajapaksa-has-to-ensure-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/11\/19\/unfolding-what-we-received-and-what-we-perceived-rajapaksa-has-to-ensure-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Unfolding what we received and what we perceived: Rajapaksa has to ensure more"},"content":{"rendered":"

S. M. D. P. Harsha Senanayake Researcher- Social Scientists\u2019 Association M.A. International Relations (New Delhi), B.A (Hons.) International Relations (Colombo)<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

The\nelection had taken place to elect the 7th<\/sup> executive president of Sri\nLanka was concluded by marking a decisive victory by Gotabaya Rajapaksa; former\ndefence secretary and brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sri\nLanka\u2019s former wartime defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has claimed victory\nin Presidential election, with over 50 per cent of the votes precisely 52.25%\nwith the total votes of 6, 924, 255. The results manifest as the highest number\nof votes conceived by a presidential candidate since 1994. Even former\nPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa who reappeared for the election in 2009 with immense\nSinhala Buddhist sustenance and with the consecration of wast majority of the\ncitizen as the president who terminated the three decades prolong war between\nLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the government of Sri Lanka could not able\nto assertion votes like his brother Gotabaya did in 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly,\nthe presiding party candidate Minister Sajith Premadasa represent National\nDemocratic Party conceded the presidential election and congratulated his rival\nRajapaksa on his election as the seventh president of Sri Lanka beforehand\nofficial confirmations of the victor of the election. However, Sajith Premadasa\nassertions 41.99% percentage while acquiring 5,564,239 votes in total. In his\nletter Premadasa thanks all the citizens that vote for him as well as those who\nworked tirelessly on his campaign. Premadasa noted that this was the most\npeaceful presidential election in the history of the country, adding that this\nwas the straight result of the democratic improvements and institutional\nreforms that took place over the past five years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Premadasa\nmentioned further and requests Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take the democratic process\nforward while strengthening and protecting the democratic institutions and\nvalues that enabled this peaceful election. He also called on the president-elect\nto ensure that the post-election environment is peaceful and that no citizen is\npersecuted for supporting him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile,\nRajapaksa who earned a majority votes of the South said his victory should be\nrejoicing peacefully as Sri Lankans. As we usher in a new journey for Sri\nLanka, we must remember that all Sri Lankans are part of this journey. Let us\nrejoice peacefully, with dignity and discipline in the same manner in which we\ncampaigned, the President-elect said. However, with the lessons drew from the\nelection results stress that Gotabaya has to ensure further to unite the nation\nand position as a Sri Lankan since more than 90 per cent of votes from North,\nNorth East, Digamadulla and Nuwara Eliya entail by wast majority of Tamils and\nMuslims and other minorities of country voted in favour of Sajith Premadasa,\nand Rajapaksa was clever to triumph bearly 5- 6% from these respective areas.\nThis sound strange, however, the long-time political turbulences and the\npolitical campaigned commanded by Rajapaksa family embrace the Sinhala Buddhist\nsentiments and spread discontent and anxiety within the mentalities of individuals\nwho are not adequate into the conventional socio-economic-political culture and\nreligious outfit. The two political fronts Podujana Eksath Peramuna and\nNational Democratic Front represented two ideological camps and conceded\nvarieties of supporters epitomize diverse and competitive political ideologies.\nMajor Tamil and Muslim political parties including All Ceylon Makkal Congress,\nJathika Hela Urumaya, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Tamil Progressive Alliance,\nDemocratic People\u2019s Front, National Union of Workers, Uo- Country aggregate\nunder the superior umbrella of NDF and TNA- decided to support NDF candidate\nSajith Premadasa during the presidential election. Since 2005 Mahinda Rajapaksa\nregime embraces the inkling of Sinhala Buddhist Nationalism and cited Sri Lanka\nas a Sinhala Buddhist country, predominantly those who congregated with Mahinda\nRajapaksa regime after 2009 systematically spread the idea of Sinhala Buddhist nationalism\nover the country while producing faultlines between majority and minority\ngroups. Organisations emerge during post-civil war Sri Lanka comprising Bodu\nBala Sena (BBS) and Sinhala Rawaya touch the nerves of Sinhala Buddhist mentality\nto acknowledge and adoration Rajapaksa as the prime saviour of the Sinhala\nBuddhist Nationalism since all major Tamil and Muslim political parties\ngathered with NDF. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\npolitical front constructed around the pivotal point of Rajapaksa family consists\nof Ceylon Workers\u2019 Congress, Eelam People\u2019s Democratic Party, Jathika Nidahas\nPeramuna, National Congress, Mahajana Nidahas Peramua, Socialist Alliance,\nCommunist Party of Sri Lanka, Democratic Left Front, Desha Vimukthi Janatha\nPakshaya, Lanka Sama Samaja Pakshaya, Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya and Tamil\nMakkal Viduthalai Pulikal while Sri Lanka Freedom Party decided to hold hands\nwith Gotabaya Rajapaksa during the presidential election. The political map and\nthe voters’ behaviour in the election indicate this diverse and the ethnic\ndivisions custom on the nationalism and religionism. Particularly, Nothern and\nNorth East voted for the Premadasa to secure multiculturalism and embrace\nequality and justice since the Rajapaksa family and its supporters exercise\nSinhala Buddhist sentiments to eradicate voices of minorities and exclude them\nfrom the national political debate. The Yapahalana<\/em> (Good Governance)\nregime has done and endeavoured to complete a notable amount of exertion to\npromote reconciliation and national unity while addressing the concerns of\npost-civil war Sri Lanka despite the method choose and the success. In\ncontrast, Rajapaksa campaign brought the Sinhala Buddhist sentiments to the\nnational political campaigned to win around 70 per cent of Sinhala voters\naround the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Result of the Presidential Election 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According\nto the illustration, it is very vibrant that Nothern Sri Lanka has willingly\nvoted for Sajith Premadasa who promised to preserve uncluttered policy without racial,\nethnic or religious appearances. Mainly people who voted for Premadasa believe\nthat Sajith Premadasa and United National Front led National Democratic Front\nconsider the voices of Tamils and Muslims since United National Front led\ngovernment was sensitive on the issues related to civil war including missing\npeople, reparations, transnational justice and decentalisation of power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nPoliticisation of Fear and Radical Others <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversely,\nthe election results have exposed other side of the coin which was the fear\namong Sinhala Buddhist majority and mostly fear within the Christian community\nafter the Easter attack. Followed by the Easter attack national security discourse\nand catastrophes of Yahapalana <\/em>(good governance) government to deliver\nnational security converted a vital concern of the country. The political tug\nand war between President Maithreepala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickramasinghe discovered\nthat Yapahalana<\/em> (good governance) government was not competent to foil the\nEaster attack even the government received warnings from local and\ninternational security and intelligence agencies. The disappointment over the\ngovernment amplified with certain statements delivered by government ministers\nand administrative officers over the Easter attack. The neglection of the\nsecurity and vivid political statements have questioned the legitimacy of the Yahapalana<\/em>\n(good governance) government and their capacity to afford national security and\nshield citizens of Sri Lanka. Majority of citizens and the victims of the\nEaster attack considered that Yahapalana<\/em> (good governance) government\ndid least to convey justice and mostly the presidential committee was appointed\nby President Maithree had seen as a major political drama by utmost organizations\nof civil society, religious leaders and public since government not provide\nstrong indicts and evidence against people and high officials who responsible\nfor the Easter attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mahinda\nRajapaksa and his camp underlined and stressed national security and national\nsecurity concerns as a fundamental threshold of his campaign since 2005 and\nmainly after military victory against LTTE in 2009. During his election\ncampaign, Rajapaksa politicised varies types of fears and insecurities within\nthe mentalities of majoritarian society and therefore Mahinda vehicled national\nand international political behaviour as the underpinning of the construction\nof fear and anxiety. For instance, with the immediate effect of the US-led\nresolution against Sri Lanka on human right violations, Rajapaksa regime constructed\nand politicized fear and insecurity within the convictions of Sinhala Buddhist\nmajority by emphasizing international engagements could downplay the national\nsovereignty and those engagements can drive soldiers toward the death penalty.\nThe construction of fear and insecurity assisted to manifest divisions within\nthe society, particularly patriots and betrayers of the Sinhala Buddhist state\ncame to picture while Rajapaksa regime who constructed fear and insecurity has\naccepted by the majority of Sinhala population as the sole representation and\nthe custodian of the Sinhala Buddhist society and the state while UNP and its\ncoalition which consist Tamil and Muslim political parties painted as the\npuppets of the western world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonetheless,\nwith the Easter attack, the construction of fear and insecurity played a superior\nprotagonist and predominantly Rajapaksa regime utilises enduring political\ntension between President Maithreepala and PM Wickramasinghe to triumph the\nsupport of Sinhala Buddhists and Christians by promoting Gotabaya Rajapaksa;\nthe former secretary of defence as the superlative candidate to promote and\nsecure the national security. Notably, Sinhala Buddhists and wast majority of\nthe Christian community voted in favour of Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the reason\nbehind this political turn was to fetch a strong leader who prioritises\nnational security. The protracted process of politicization of fear and anxiety\nmade people consider Gotabaya as the superlative candidate for do so. For\ninstance, traditional political fortresses of UNP led NDF including Badulla,\nKandy, Colombo, Puttalam districts, were won by Gotabaya Rajapaksa while Sajith\nPremadasa secured the lowest percentage of votes which was recorded in those\nareas since 1994. Specially Katana electoral division was beaten by the Easter\nattack won by Gotabaya Rajapaksa while altering its traditional prejudice towards\nUNP. The following election results illustrate the winning portfolio of two\ncandidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electoral District Results <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Construction\nof fear and insecurity cannot be grasped as the solitary reason for polling\nbehaviour of the Sinhala Buddhist society and the voters of South. Old-style\nUNP devotees and followers highly comprise of districts such as Colombo, Kandy,\nMatale and extensive of them did not cast the vote in the recent presidential\nelection in favour of Sajith Premadasa to express disappointment on Ranil\nWickramasinghe since traditional devotees reliance Ranil Wickramasinghe should\nbe stepped down from the party and let new face to lead the party forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However,\nwhat imperative to understand is that; political behaviour of voters in North\nand why did North cast their votes in favour of Sajith Premadasa. Mostly Tamils\nand Muslims neglected by the political campaign of Rajapaksa with its resilient\npropaganda of Sinhala Buddhist nationalism and minority communities might comfortable\nto functioned with Yahapalana<\/em> (good governance) government effortless\nthan Rajapaksa regime. However, what people cannot perceive is the polarization\nof North and South of the island. In 2015 election wast majority of people in\nNorth and North East voted for the former president of Maithreepala Sirisena\nand remarkably those who voted for Sirisena voted Sajith with a higher\npercentage. Particularly Sajith was talented to secure 10 per cent supplementary\nvotes from Jaffna and 7 per cent from Vanni districts compared to Sirisena.\nEven though Sajith Premadasa was competent to secure the majority votes from\nDigamadulla and Batticaloa, the percentage slightly lower than the votes\nsecured by NDF\u2019s candidate in 2015 election while the percentage of Trincolamee\nincreased by 4 per cent. What essential to cognise here is that the decrease of\nvotes in favour of Sajith Premadasa from the rest of the country and\nsignificantly in South. Despite all other reasons, what crucial to highlight\nwould be the failure of Yahapalana<\/em> regime to promote reconciliation and\nnational unity in a successful means followed by the polarization of the\nsociety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why\nSajith secured less percentage of votes in South and the riposte would be the political\ndissatisfaction of people towards the UNP led government based on various\nreasons. The lack of political and economic stability of the country, inability\nof the government to afford adequate security measures and the rise of\nterrorists and radical groups constructed fear and insecurities within the minds\nof the majoritarian society, however, Wickramasinghe government failed to capture\nthose concerns. What prerequisite to understanding here is why North and North\nEast has taken the side of Sajith Premadasa, not Gotabaya. The problems and political\nconcerns mentioned previously received similar attention from the people of\nNorth, conversely, failures of national peacebuilding process and\nreconciliation undertakings of the country could not fetch the people towards\nunilateral emotional attachment or towards a shared notion of survival. It has\npolarized two ethnicities further and particularly rather than collecting\npeople to solitary ambition good governance regime has given privilege and\nspace to provincial leaders to endorse own political agendas with the intention\nof collecting votes in favour of UNP led governments. This increased the\npolitical divisions of the country while North has voted against the majority\nof Sinhalese and South voted to eradicate voices of North. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Way\nforward<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newly\nelected President Gotabaya has to ensure further to form a shared Sri Lankan\nidentity by accumulating divided pieces of the puzzle while accepting and\nacknowledging diverse opinions and requirements of multiple ethnic, religious,\nracial groups. During the first presidential speech, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has\nmentioned that he was chosen as the president, not because of the votes of the\nminority communities but it solely grounded on the commitments and votes of\nSinhala Buddhist citizens of the country. However, by succeeding the teachings\nof Buddhist philosophy and as the president of Sri Lanka Gotabaya promised to performance\nas the president of each and every individual of the country despite the\ndifferences. Gotabaya\u2019s first priority should be incorporate North and North\nEast people and minority communities in Sri Lanka into the mainstream political\nprocess while constructing a unified identity as Sri Lankas by embracing the\ndiversity. This model should exclude two radical culminations which are infrastructure\ndevelopment without ideological development and let radical extremist political\nparties to implement narrow political agendas in North and South which can\npolarize the society. Already Gotabaya has shown that his vision and mission is\nnot going parallel with traditional political ideology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President\nRajapaksa\u2019s first pronouncements have been reassuring to the country at large.\nHe asked his supporters to celebrate the victory peacefully. Violence is not\nonly physical. There is currently a spate of very negative comments especially\non social media against the ethnic and religious minorities who did not vote\nfor him. This may be Gotabaya\u2019s overenthusiastic supporters. Some of these\ncomments fall into the category of hate speech and President Rajapaksa needs to\ncall for an end to this as one of his first steps in reassuring the ethnic and\nreligious minorities and in reuniting the divided polity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\naddition, Gotabaya as requested government officers to place only the seal of\nthe republic on the walls of their offices and not his photograph. This is a\nnovel tradition, followed by developed nations. But not in Sri Lanka till now. It gives a\nsymbolic indication of the modernizing the vision of the new president, which\nis to draw a distinction between the state and government. The challenge will\nbe to implement these rules-based and professional approach to all levels of\nthe polity.  However,\npolitical innovation and creativity should not be mixed with nepotism and corruption.\nIf Gotabaya failed to address the diversity and construct unity; North and\nNorth East people will choose bullet instead of ballet again. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

S. M. D. P. Harsha Senanayake Researcher- Social Scientists\u2019 Association M.A. International Relations (New Delhi), B.A (Hons.) International Relations (Colombo) The election had taken place to elect the 7th executive president of Sri Lanka was concluded by marking a decisive victory by Gotabaya Rajapaksa; former defence secretary and brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sri […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95400"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95400\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}