I have been following what is happening in Sri Lanka from thousands of miles away. It is rather disturbing to see Sri Lankans killing Sri Lankans because of elections. When will we grow up?

All elections in the recent past have been marred by violence. I am not sure whether the real will of the people has been reflected in the outcome of the polls due to violence and mass rigging. Unfortunately this time too, we went to the polls without the necessary safeguards like the four independent commissions under the 17 th Amendment. We should get these commissions set up immediately.

In this age of globalisation, Sri Lanka is under close scrutiny. It is no longer an island: it is part of what is called the global village. Human rights violations, polls rigging etc. that take place in Sri Lanka are reported within minutes in all parts of the world unlike in the past. Sri Lankans must be mindful of this fact if they don’t want to be branded a colony of cannibals by the rest of the world. Dozens of corpses that the recently concluded election left behind alone is sufficient proof for how savage we have grown over the past few decades.

What has happened to that peaceful country. Fifty years or so ago, when I was a schoolboy, we never heard of such heinous crimes during elections. Elections were faught very peacefully and supporters of the losing party stomached defeat and the winning party only teased their rivals by parading on roads. No bombs, no firearms.

We cannot blame everything on the war. If it is the war that is the root cause of this kind of violence, then it requires much more serous attention that it receives at present. The causes of the war must be eliminated the wary Uncle Sam is doing in Afghanistan. Then there should be a political solution.

About elections, it is essential that the winning party - the UNP - restrain itself. It must not get its priorities mixed up.

We must put an end to election related violence and join hands and abstain from falling prey to the vultures soaring in the northern skies. My Canadian friends here ask me how Sri Lanka can fight two wars - one in the north and the other in the south. They are right. We have to stop the war we are fighting among political parties to win the war against terrorism.

This election can be made the beginning of a new political era for all parties to desist from violence and to co-operate with each other to lay the foundation for a strong economy and a peaceful polity.
Dr. S. J. V. Karunaratne
Canada