Presidential election: Rajapaksa’s landslide victory splits the country
Two days after to vote, controversy continues to plague Sri Lanka’s presidential election, which saw the incumbent trounce his closest rival, former chief of the Defence Staff General Fonseka, by a margin of 17 percentage points. Mahinda Rajapaksa was re-elected with 6,015,934 votes or 57.88 per cent of the total. General Fonseka got instead 4.173,185 votes or 40.15 per cent.
In its statement commenting the vote, the President’s Office said, “President Mahinda Rajapaksa won a historic and resounding victory”. It was “the first free and fair election in which the entire country could participate in nearly three decades, and also the first such election since the defeat of terrorism in Sri Lanka in May last year.”
“The people of Sri Lanka have spoken and they have voted for an end to division, an end to terrorism, and for a new beginning of peace and prosperity. We are proud at this demonstration of the vitality of our democracy.”
The opposition is not so sure, claiming instead that the poll was rigged, and promising that it would challenge the result in court.
For opposition Sri Lanka Freedom Party leader Mangala Samaraweera, “the Government meticulously planned to rig this election in the most undemocratic manner”. in fact, “the Elections Secretariat was invaded by the president’s brother Basil Rajapaksa and his forces at around 3.00 am.” After taking over the secretariat, they began “to release election results according to a pre-planned mechanism.” Indeed, the Defence secretary had already said that he would announce the winner on state TV.
Ngo officials and Christian leaders have joined the chorus of critical voices. The latter said that they were not satisfied by the elections results, which were far from being the result of “divine will”.
Citing credible sources, others are openly saying the vote was rigged. “One thing is clear from the results of the election; by and large, Tamil people both in the north-east and the plantation sector have rejected President Mahinda,” Fr Maria Anthony S.J. said. “Free and fair elections” are impossible when “corruption and nepotism” rules.
Rev M. Sathivel, an Anglican clergyman in Colombo, said that he did not expect much “democracy and justice for the people”. In a not so veiled reference to the siege laid by government troops to the hotel where General Fonseka was staying with his staff, he said, “Who controls the army, runs the country”
The vote “is not going to solve Tamil and refugee problem,” said Priyankara Costa, an NGO coordinator.
“It is hard to accept this result as the will of the people,” said Geetha Lakmini, executive administrator for the National Fisheries Solidarity movement.
Never the less, some Sri Lankan Catholics are in favour of Rajapaksa’s victory, convinced that it would lead to “a better future.”
As for the president re-elect, he appears to be on the verge of dissolving parliament to call a new general election.
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