Back the Elections Commissioner to the hilt

Yesterday, our sister paper the Divaina had an uninvited visitor in the form of pint-sized People' Alliance organiser for Colombo Central, Mr. Mervyn de Silva, and five well built tough-looking men accompanying him. They had brushed aside security personnel at the entrance to the premises of Upali Newspapers and forcibly entered the editorial offices of the newspaper. He was in an angry mood and demanding from those present to identify the reporter Janitha Seneviratne. With a pointed forefinger he went around asking the editorial staff- ‘Are you Janitha Seneviratne’. But the reporter was not in office at that time. Mr. de Silva had abused journalists in vile language and threatened them with death. When the Editor, Mr. Upali Tennekoon, walked into his office and invited Mr. de Silva to be seated he had declined and said that reporter Seneviratne had written lies about him and walked out saying that in future he will be visiting their (journalists') homes.

The cause for this umbrage appeared to be a report that was published in the Divaina saying that the PA had refused to place Mr de Silva on their National List of MPs at the forthcoming elections.

The Island and the Divaina of Upali Newspapers have had a few irate personalities charging into our editorial offices, some of whom are now before courts. But this is the first occasion that such an intrusion was made during an election campaign. If such persons think that they could intimidate us with such puny histrionics, they should realise that much more powerful personalities with far greater resources have failed to intimidate us.

A complaint has been lodged with the Kotahena Police and we await the reaction of the police. What happened yesterday at the Divaina office was a direct threat made against a free and independent newspaper and a threat to the freedom of expression. A politician, a former MP and a Deputy Minister of the People's Alliance government made it. We need hardly stress its significance at this time when the General Election campaign is taking off. It is certainly an ominous sign.

Just ten days after the dissolution of parliament, there are indeed many more ominous signs on the horizon. Yesterday it was reported that within two weeks, 57 police officers had been transferred. While our report quoted police sources as saying that the transfers were politically motivated, IGP Mr.Lakdasa Kodituwakku was quoted as saying the officers were transferred to the Ministerial Security Division and the Elections Secretariat. While the Elections Secretariat will need policemen, the public will however be wondering why extra policemen are needed for the Ministerial Security Division in the context of the number of ministers being reduced from around 45 to 20. Former Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris was compelled to appeal to the Human Rights Commission when the number of security personnel was drastically reduced. Is it that some ex-ministers’ security is considered much more important than those of the likes of Prof. Peiris ?

Nonetheless, it is heartening to receive the report, as we pen these comments that the Commissioner of Elections, Mr. Dayananda Dissanayake, has asked the IGP to cancel the recent transfer orders made. He has informed Mr Karu Jayasuriya and Prof. G.L. Peiris of this development following the protests made by them against the transfer of policemen. Mr. Dissanayake has been acting on the powers vested on him under the 17th Amendment where he can exercise the powers of the Elections Commission until the Elections Commission is constituted.

The new powers vested in him indeed casts a very heavy responsibility on him. Some opposition parties have already protested against the gross distortions in reporting by the state media. This is a matter that needs immediate attention of the Elections Commissioner who is now empowered to deal with the media. Previously, the state media was blessed with the impunity in slinging mud freely at opposition candidates without adducing any evidence to support the allegations made. The new legislation empowers the Commissioner of Elections to move in such instances against all-offending parties and candidates.

It is now apparent that the future of Sri Lankan democracy will very much depend on Mr. Dissanayake, the quiet bureaucrat, who has kept very much to the background unlike his previous effervescent predecessors. He has a historic role to play and all those who want to keep democracy alive in this country should now rally round him.

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