Sri Lankans vote for democracy

By S. Piyasena

After 16 years of extreme right-wing rule, four of them under the government of slain dictator R. Premadasa, the people of Sri Lanka have overwhelmingly voted for the restoration of democracy.

At provincial council elections on May 17, the ruling United National Party lost control of the three largest provinces.

The ruling party polled a total of 2.9 million votes in all seven provinces while the opposition polled 3.7 million votes: the People's Alliance 2.6 million and the Democratic National Front 1 million. The electoral system which gives two bonus seats for the party in every province getting the highest number of votes helped the UNP to retain power in two provinces.

In the Western Province, where the national capital Colombo is situated, the UNP finished with only 41 seats in the 104 member council. The People's Alliance won 45 seats and the DUNF 17. The Western Province has one-third of the total eligible voters in all seven provinces.

The People's Alliance and the United Democrats had declared on April 5: “We shall contest independently and separately against the politics of murder of the UNP Government of President Premadasa. Every vote given to our two parties will be considered as a vote against political violence and a vote against the Presidential Constitution which gives unlimited power to one man. It will be a vote for the re-establishment of parliamentary democracy.”

This call for a “referendum” was endorsed by radical left groups and independents who also polled over 100,000 votes.

The opposition has vowed to continue the struggle for the restoration of parliamentary democracy.

Meanwhile it is reported that the police searching the slain president's private residence (where he was living while his wife occupied the Presidential House) had found over 30 million rupees (A$1 million). No one has claimed this cash so far.

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