|
Eastern
election – to bestow wider devolution of powers to provinces
Saturday’s
Eastern Provincial Council elections, will leave an enduring
imprint on the constitutional framework of our country. It
will result in wider devolution of powers to the provinces,
and heighten the Muslim demand for an autonomous unit, in
South East Sri Lanka.
It will enable wider devolution of powers to the provincial
councils, through the implementation of the 13th Amendment,
to the Constitution. At present, the provincial councils do
not enjoy important powers, concerning police and land, and
even some of the devolved powers had been curtailed.
Aspirants to the Chief Minister post are promising the electors
that, full implementation of the 13th Amendment, would be
their primary task. Pillaiyan (Sivanesadurai Chandrakanthan),
leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (Tamil People’s
Liberation Tigers), told the Tamil media on Saturday, “If
we capture power in the East, we can get the government to
implement the 13th Amendment to the constitution in full”
He told a public meeting last week that, full implementation
of the 13th Amendment was one of the three promises, the government
had given him. The others were: Chief Minister post if TMVP
emerges, as the largest group and funds for economic development.
Pillaiyan’s TMVP, is contesting in alliance with the
United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), on the betel
symbol.
M.L.M. Hizbullah, another government- backed candidate for
Chief Minister, has also given a similar message to the electorate.
He has said that, the government had assured 13th Amendment’s
full implementation.
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the Eastern province based
Muslim party, which is contesting in alliance with the United
National Party, under the elephant symbol, is also giving
a similar promise. SLMC leader, the other chief ministerial
candidate, Rauff Hakeem is telling the people that, he was
also for full implementation of the 13th Amendment. “Meaningful
devolution could take place, only if the government and its
extremist bandwagon recognise the right of the Tamil- speaking
people, to internal self-determination, as envisaged in the
Oslo declaration,” he said.
Hakeem deftly widened the scope of the Oslo declaration, to
include the Muslims. The Muslim demand for a separate unit,
the South East Provincial Council, is a major topic of the
election campaign of the SLMC. He is drumming into the minds
of Muslim voters that, Eastern Province is the traditional
homeland of the Tamil-speaking people, and it was their duty
to safeguard it.
SLMC propagandists are also asking the voters, to consider
Saturday’s election, as a referendum, to signify their
consent for the demand of a separate Muslim Provincial Council.
They are telling the public that, the proposed Muslim Provincial
Council, would comprise the Muslim majority electorates of
Sammanthurai, Pottuvil and Kalmunai in the Ampara district
and the Muslim majority areas of the Batticaloa and Trincomalee
districts.
SLMC General Secretary Hassan Ali who is heading the SLMC-
UNP list of candidates for the Ampara district said that,
laying the foundation for the creation of the Muslim unit,
would be one of the main action programme of the SLMC, once
it captures power. “That’s what we were working
for,” he said and added that, his party joined the UNP
because, its leadership had promised the post of Chief Minster
to the SLMC, and because it supported wider devolution of
power.
The work- programmes of Pillaiyan and Hakeem have the following
common elements- establishment of peace, implementation of
development projects, promotion of communal amity and the
resettlement of the displaced people. In the matter of resettlement,
they are at odds, because it involves the crucial issue of
land.
Land is the main cause of dispute among the three communities,
living in the Eastern province. The State aided Sinhala colonisation
schemes and the annexation of vast extents of Muslim and Tamil
owned farmland, to Sinhala villages and settlements, pushed
the Muslims and the Tamils, to coastal areas. Their areas
are now densely populated and they are contesting, between
themselves, for the available land.
The Tamils fear that, if the Eastern Provincial Council falls
into the hands of the Muslims, they would use the state authority,
to deprive them of their lands. Muslims also entertain a similar
fear. They say that the LTTE, had settled Tamil refugees,
in their lands, in the days, following the February 2002,
ceasefire agreement. Tamils say that, the Muslims had occupied
their land during the war, with the help of the army. Muslims
fear that, the Pillaiyan group would continue, what the LTTE
did, if they capture power.
Besides the land issue, each community is suspicious of domination,
by the other. Though they seem to coexist, due to the language
affinity, they regard each other, as rivals. Tamils fear Muslim
domination, if the provincial council administration falls
into their hands and Muslims also, entertain a similar fear.
Dr.K. Navaratnarajah,TMVP candidate for Digamadulla, summed
up the Tamil position thus, “Tamils have been neglected
during the past 18 years of war. If Muslims capture power,
the neglect will continue.”
The basic element of Saturday’s contest is, the Tamil-Muslim
rivalry. It is influencing the voting patters. Muslims cannot
enter Tamil villages, even to paste posters. Similarly, Tamils
cannot enter Muslim villages.
TMVP and SLMC are busy organising the members of their community,
to vote in strength. Iniya Bharathi, one of the TMVP strongman
said, “We want to make every Tamil vote.” SLMC is
striving for a similar feat.
The Sinhalese are trying to increase their representation,
so that, they could be a major factor in deciding the Chief
Minister, but they are divided and committed. UNP representatives
will have to support Hakeem and the UPFA representatives would
most probably support Pillaiyan.
Two things are certain: high voter turnout and voting on communal
basis.
|
