In our Report (which was released before the election) we stated that the largest number of complaints received by the Commission related to the removal of state vehicles by Ministers, Deputy Ministers and government supporters from government departments without the permission of the authorities, for use in the election. We were also informed that Ministers were using government vehicles after changing their number plates!

The Commission received information relating to a number of public buildings being used for election work. Another issue that occupied our attention was the use of government personnel for election work by candidates of the government Party. This practice was quite extensive. When members of Parliament secure government jobs for constituents they expect them to work for them at election time. But what is most unfortunate is that those detailed to do election work have no choice in the matter.

Though the Commission was principally concerned with the misuse of State resources, many other forms of wrong doing were also brought to our notice. Perhaps the most serious form of malpractice was the promotion of thousands of Public Servants with retrospective effect, immediately before the elections. Over 3,300 personnel of the Education Ministry received such promotions. All public servants and pensioners were given salary increases. In addition to what could be construed as election bribes intended to secure political support for the governing party, there were also hundreds of new appointments to state institutions. It appeared that almost every other person was made a Justice of the Peace. No government should be allowed to make such appointments or grant promotions or salary increases during the period of an election, as such actions are not only immoral but makes nonsense of a free and fair election. The President should accept responsibility for this sordid business. On meeting one of her former Ministers, who was retired by her with good reason – a most cultured man was he, — I stated that it was wrong for the government to indulge in cheap political bribes, at state expense at election time. His response: "You people protest when we do something for the poor"!

To revert to the subject of the Commission’s report, though it was not within our purview to probe election related violence, the instances brought to our attention made us believe that a free and fair election could not possibly result from what was happening. It is in fact quite amazing that the UNP won this election under the prevailing conditions. The law enforcement process appeared to have broken down. The legal process was a disappointment. The postponement of cases till after the elections where the issues were ones which affected the conduct of a free and fair election, eroded confidence in the Judiciary in the minds of many. It is imperative that the Rule of Law be re-established in the country if we are to hold free and fair elections. We were also of the view that if this does not happen in the near future not only Democracy and free and fair elections but all values we hold sacred will be in peril.

Considering the above mentioned circumstances there is no doubt that the UNP victory was greater than it was. The people were the real heroes. Whilst it is an unambiguous message from the people to the government that had failed the people and failed them miserably, had the margin been bigger, I would have conceded that the issue of the Interim Council without an international guarantee, was not an issue in the election. The President should now offer to co-operate in order to give this country a strong government which we so badly need.

The election has seen a significant shift away from the PA, reversing positions, after just one year. The UNP has received 603,000 votes more than on the last occasion. The PA received 570,000 votes less than in October last year. Their strength declined from 48.94% in 1994 to 45.10% in 2000 and to 39% in 2001. The UNP’s vote on the other hand has dropped from 44.04% in 1994 to 40.21% in 2000 and rose to 48% in 2001. Quite significant. It, of course, also represents the people’s hopes and expectations. The question is as to whether this increase was due to errors committed by the PA and the consequent disgust or because the UNP became the only alternative to a messy government. The results also indicate a growth in the JVP from 1.13% in 1994 to 6% in 2000 and to 12% in 2001. The JVP increased their score from 296,579 in 2000 to 815,353 votes in one year. This is perhaps the most significant ‘message’ sent by the electorate to the two major parties and the people at large. It is ominous. To ignore this ‘message’ and to carry on as before is perilous. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, lays claim to five seats in Parliament.

The UNP has fallen short of an outright majority by four seats. Of the twelve million plus voters over 48% have voted for the UNP and 39% have voted for the PA, therefore no less than 87% voted for the UNP and PA obtained 109 and 77 seats respectively, a total of 186 seats out of the 225 seats in Parliament.

As I stated in a recent article, the tragedy of the situation is that the two main political parties are both pledged to further a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, democratic political system. They both profess to pursuing ‘Free Market’ economic policies; their foreign policies are identical; their Social policies are the same; the approach to the ‘national problem’ — the insurgency in the north, is also identical — devolution of power. The olive branch in one hand and the gun in the other has been the two pronged approach pursued by both parties towards the LTTE. The commonalities far outweigh the differences between the parties, but because of personal animosities the two parties seem to be unable to come together in the national interest.

We need to usher in the age of co-operation and leave behind us the acrimonious politics of confrontation, which has done immeasurable harm to this country. The politician is at the bottom of this — we must pull back from the abyss. Our political parties must learn to co-exist and make political co-operation an art form.

There have been many in this country including Prime Minister designate Mr. Wickremesinghe who have called for a national government to meet the unprecedented challenges facing this country. There have been for many years (for over two decades) a broad consensus on national policy issues. In the circumstances forging a national consensus should not prove difficult. There are no irreconcilable differences other than perhaps personal animosities and personal ambitions. We must break with the past and the two major parties must come together in the national interest.

To conclude let me revert to the subject of the recently concluded election itself. It was a disgrace. The most urgent matter which the new government should address itself to is the criminalization and the brutalization of our society. The government must order the seizure of all unauthorized weapons. This country must be made safe for its citizens. The holding of free and fair elections must be also given priority. Milinda Moragoda proved that an election can be won without thuggery, without posters, without a mobile political circus; respecting the law (more particularly the Election Law) of the land. A new political culture was born, let us nurture it and make it grow. Let us hope that the Elections Commission (to be established under the 17th Amendment) will work closely with the independent Police Commission and the independent Public Service Commission (also to be established) to ensure us citizens of a free and fair election. It is our birth right.

The best guarantee of a free and fair election would of course be, one held with a non-party caretaker government in office. The government should also seriously consider reforming the present election law and doing away with the ‘Preference Vote’ system. Much violence resulted from the intra-party competition for preference votes. The German system certainly provides for a fair result and stable government. Corruption has become inherent to the system, because of the increasing costs involved. Stipulated election expenses should be met from government coffers as it is in many countries. Exceeding legally stipulated limits should once again be made an election offence. The non performance of statutory duties by government officials to ensure a free and fair election should be made a punishable offence. If the Presidency is to be retained, the terms of Parliament and the President should run concurrently. Parliament should not to be dissolved before its term expires. Elections are not only expensive but they tear our society apart. We can have coalitions succeed coalitions. Elections to Parliament and the Presidency should be held on the same day. We would then have a free and fair election as in the good old days.

We have woken to many a false dawn before, let us hope that this would be different. Let us hope for a new dawn. A huge responsibility has devolved on Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe – we need to support him and also to wish him well, for his sake and ours.