The elections were marred by a shocking wave of violence, reminding many people of the dark days when the right wing UNP was in power. The nongovernmental Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) documented that there were 675 reported incidents of violence including two killings and the stripping and parading naked of women election workers in the 45 day campaign in this small country of 18 million people.
The main culprit in this wave of violence was the PA. But the UNP certainly don't have clean hands either.
New Left Front leaders Patrick Fernando and Vickramabahu Karunarathna, General Secretary of the NSSP, were hospitalised after an attack by PA thugs wielding iron bars. The assailants are still at liberty, despite being clearly identified by their victims.
'Bahu' Karunarathna is the NLF's candidate for Chief Minister of the Western Province, which includes the capital, Colombo. According to an NSSP statement, "the racist chauvinists select-
Wave of violence Despite a wave of violence from the ruling People's Alliance, the left won over 5% of votes in the country's first provincial elections. P. Sandanam* The ruling People's Alliance (PA) has won provincial elections in the North Western (Wayamba) Province, a former stronghold of the right-wing United National Party (UNP).
The election campaign saw a marked increase in accusations of violence in this Sinhala dominated part of Sri Lanka.
The left-wing Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP — Peoples Liberation Front) won over 4% of the vote. A further 1.2% of votes went to the New Left Front.
The JVP originally opposed the provincial councils, claiming that devolution would play into the hands of Tamil separatists. But under new leadership the JVP have made a sharp turn to the left (see separate article. As well as participation in the provincial elections, they are closely allied with the New Left Front in all types of struggles against the onslaught of neo-liberalism in Sri Lanka.
It is encouraging that as many as 5% of voters have supported the left. After all, the present People's Alliance government came into power in 1994 as a coalition with the support of the Communist Party and the ex-Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP).
The formation of the People's
22 International Viewpoint #309 March 1999
Alliance was a defeat for the Sri Lankan left. The Trotskyist NSSP lost their most popular leader, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, who split away with a group and joined the coalition to "create a left from within the forces of PA". Peace, when?
In this election 'Vasu' made a personal statement asking the voters to vote for candidates who are campaigning for the progressive ideas that the PA supposedly stood for. Asked by the media whether he saw anyone in the PA who fitted his criteria, he was forced to answer no. He said only that "the Left" should be
According to NSSP leader Vickramabahu Karunarathna, the election result has actually strengthened those leftists who have tried to build their forces from elements who are disillusioned with the PA, rather than "from within."
In 1994 the PA claimed that they would be able to reach a just settlement of the Tamil question. They have failed. At the time, the NSSP explained that the bourgeoisie would not be able to deliver peace with their market orientated policy.
Many liberals, journalists and activists in the NGO milieu have found it hard to break from the PA, despite the party's record since 1994.
They preferred to call for a blank vote, or a vote against "those who employ violence," rather than support the anti-neoliberal candidates of the JVP and
NEF, who represent the only "third force" outside the PA and UNP.
ively targeted him for his forthright stand to recognise the right of self-determination of the Tamil nation of the north & east of the island." Protest
Two days after the results were announced, 4 000 people, mainly workers, attended a protest in C. ombo. Their demand was that the election result should be declared null and void, given the massive violence and ballot rigging. The demonstration was called by the JVP, the NLF and the radical Muslim United Liberation Front. The CMEV and the UNP have made similar demands.
According to Karunarathna, "the left within the PA coalition, which planned to wag the dog by its tail, has failed utterly. They remained tight lipped while all these atrocities were committed." Voters failed to reward the left components in the PA government — neither the LSSP nor the CP attracted preference votes
"The ruling coalition showing its complete inability to deliver [on its promises] and resorting to violent means of gathering votes clearly exposes its oppressive character. Both the major parties pumped a massive amount of money into the election. The PA victory in this traditional UNP stronghold will reinforce the decline of the right-wing party."
Elections in five other provinces were postponed by the government on supposed "security reasons". The deputy defence minister, who is part of the chauvinist block, said that elections will be held once the war against the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) is won. But the war is at a stalemate, and the Supreme Court recently ruled against the Government's postponement of those elections.
There is a working class majority in some of the other provinces, particularly
in the Western province. Once these elections are held, leaders of the New Left Front expect to gather momentum, and win a far more significant number of votes. According to Karunarathna, "the forces of dissent gaining a 5% vote in this election marred with violence, ballot rigging and state terror clearly shows that the Left wing forces in Sri Lanka are making their way to the forefront."* Notes * Additional material by our staff-writers. 1. The New Left Front (NLF) includes the Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) affiliated to the 4* International, the United Socialist Party (USP), affiliated to the CWL, the New Democratic Front (NDF) and the Diyesa Study Circle. The NLF scored 12,817 votes in these elections.