News
Democratic Party predicts weakened minority representation in next Parliament
Chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) Dr. Arosha Fernando said that representation of minority groups in Parliament was likely to be further reduced in the forthcoming parliamentary election.Major political parties had gradually and, perhaps, deliberately reduced minority representation over the years and that development posed quite a threat to a balanced Parliament, he said.
The DP contests the Puttalam, Batticaloa and Digamadulla electoral districts. “We intend to contest the next Provincial Council countrywide,” Fernando said.
Asked whether ex-MPs contested on the DP ticket, under the ‘Flaming Torch’ symbol, Fernando said that there weren’t any former parliamentarians on their lists. “Perhaps as many as 99% of contestants are newcomers,” he said.
When The Island pointed out that the DP that had been formed in 2013 ahead of the 2015 general election belonged to the then former war-winning Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka, Fernando disclosed that in the wake of the Field Marshal’s decision to contest the recently concluded presidential poll as an independent candidate the DP’s control was passed to Senaka de Silva, an ex-aide to Fonseka.
Referring to NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s victory at the 21 Sept. presidential election, Fernando said that political parties sought to reach consensus with minority parties regarding submission of nominations.
At the last parliamentary election, conducted in August 2020, the SLPP refrained from nominating a single candidate from a minority community in Colombo and other parties also had minimal representation from minority groups, the DP Chairman said. “The SLPP overall had a reduced number of minority candidates in their nomination list compared to UNP and SJB,” he said.
Responding to another query Fernando pointed out that a study, funded by the European Commission, had recently highlighted what he called the deterioration of minority representation in Parliament.
Research by Oxford Brookes University as part of the ‘minority empowerment for democracy and pluralism programme’ had revealed that major national parties have successively reduced the space within their parties for minorities to participate and raise their issues, Dr. Fernando said. The study also stressed that minority ethnic parties are also divided and their campaigning is shaped by the majority agenda rather than the needs and rights of their communities.
According to the study: “The main national parties in Sri Lanka have had a history of nominating representatives from minority communities who have gone on to take leadership positions. This is changing now with minority politicians in these parties often feeling isolated and finding fewer opportunities to raise minority rights issues further identified by the conducted research.”
Fernando said that the research also stressed the failure on the part of political parties to nominate women from minority communities.
The main parties need to nominate more women from minority communities, and they need to offer them funds and support to be able to contest, the report added, pointing out no ethnic Tamil or Muslim woman had been elected or nominated to the last Parliament of Sri Lanka – 2020 to 2024.
Minority representation is in danger of splintering and weakening at the next Sri Lankan election, the new research revealed.
Major national parties, such as the UNP, SJB and SLPP, have successively reduced the space within their parties for minorities to participate and raise their issues while minority ethnic parties are divided and their campaigning is shaped by the majority agenda rather than the needs and rights of their communities, Fernando said referring to the study.
Minority MPs from the Muslim and Malaiyaga community preferred to be part of the government because they see it as an opportunity to do something for their community. This recent desperation to move with power has seriously affected their legitimacy and credibility, leaving voters from this community in despair, the report added.
Fernando said: “This is especially a concern in the Eastern province in this election where many new independent candidates are contesting and there are lots of splits in parties. This competition between parties and ethnic groups creates unnecessary tensions and increases the prospect of violence.
The NPP also has significant work to do to promote minority representation and rights within their party. In the last election the party fielded only one minority candidate out of a total of 15 in Colombo, at the last presidential election they offered little to minorities on substantive issues of rights or reconciliation and they mainly function in the Sinhalese language, excluding Tamil speaking populations.
The NPP has made strong commitments towards increasing women’s representation in their nomination list, which they need to advance to those from minority communities as well.”
The NPP government has not taken a final decision regarding filling of the vacancies in the judiciary.
A group of Opposition MPs, led by SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, on 12 June, requested Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremeratne to take up the issue of judicial vacancies with President Dissanayake. Opposition sources said that there were four vacancies, each in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and the inordinate delay had adversely affected the judiciary.
Government sources indicated that there was no change in the status quo as regards filling of vacancies. Referring to the government proposal to extend the retirement age of judges, authoritative sources said that no final decision had been taken yet.
SJB lawmaker Dayasiri Jayasekera told The Island that they would raise the issue in Parliament this week.
He said that the deliberate delay in making appointments to superior courts and the move to extend the retirement age couldn’t be taken separately.
The MP noted that the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the Lawyers’ Collective, the Colombo High Court Lawyers’ Association, Colombo Magistrate’s Court Lawyers’ Association and the Bar Association of Badulla had opposed the government move.
There hadn’t been any public statements in support of the government move, MP Jayasekera said, urging the government to end uncertainty in the judiciary.
by Shamindra Ferdinando
SJB leader Sajith Premadasa has invited the UNP and other political parties to join his party. Premadasa, who is also the leader of the Opposition, has emphasised that the UNP and the SJB could reach a consensus on policies but his party wouldn’t, under any circumstances, accept whatever formula to share positions. Premadasa said so, speaking to the media over the weekend, after meeting the Mahanayaka Thera of the Malwatta Chapter of the Siyam Nikaya Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera.
A statement issued by the Opposition Leader’s Office quoted MP Premadasa as having extended an invitation to all political parties to give up extremist policies and join the SJB.
The SJB leader alleged that the NPP government feared facing elections and that was the reason for the inordinate delay in holding Provincial Council polls. PC polls were last held in 2012, 2013 and 2014, on a staggered basis. Premadasa said that if PC polls were held his party would definitely win the majority of PCs.Premadasa also urged the government to reduce electricity tariffs and fuel prices.
Former Chairman of the Election Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya, on Saturday, strongly criticised the continued postponement of local government elections, declaring that every day without elections constitutes a violation of both the Constitution and democratic principles.
Speaking during an interview with journalist Bhanuka Rajapaksa, on Hiru TV, on Saturday, Deshapriya described the current administration of local government institutions by unelected officials as fundamentally undemocratic and contrary to the spirit of representative governance.
Deshapriya said local authorities, across the country, are presently being managed by secretaries and bureaucrats rather than elected representatives, depriving citizens of their democratic right to be governed by individuals, chosen through the electoral process.
“If the Constitution recognises and provides for local government institutions, then it is the responsibility of the State to ensure that elections are held and that these bodies are administered by representatives, elected by the people,” he said.
Deshapriya rejected attempts to justify the prolonged delay, arguing that responsibility for the situation rests with the government.
He noted that while various political parties have publicly stated their readiness to face elections, the ruling administration possesses the authority to resolve any issues relating to the electoral system.
The former Election Commission chief pointed out that the government enjoyed a two-thirds majority in Parliament, enabling it to enact any legislative amendments required to facilitate the conduct of elections. Instead, he said, successive committees and review processes had been used to postpone a final decision.
He also referred to efforts by opposition legislators who have moved motions seeking to address concerns relating to the electoral framework and expedite the holding of local government polls.
Deshapriya warned that any attempt to appoint a fresh delimitation committee could further delay the electoral process, making it unlikely that local government elections would be held within the current year.
He also dismissed claims that financial constraints have prevented the conduct of elections. Expressing surprise at such assertions, he questioned how funding shortages could be cited as a reason for postponement while expenditure continues in other sectors.
According to Deshapriya, the existence of laws establishing local government institutions imposes an obligation on the State to ensure that those institutions are populated through democratic means.
“The legal framework exists. If elected representatives are not appointed through elections and institutions continue to function under unelected administrators, that is a failure of the State,” he said.
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