The statement made by Member of Parliament Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently that under a government of the Jathika Jana Balavegaya, arrangements will be made to imprison those who obstruct the holding of elections for a period of three years has been subject to severe criticism by intellectuals in various fields.
Many say that it is a joke that persons who obstructed the right of the public to vote by saying that those who went to cast their votes would be killed when elections were held in ’88-’89 are making such statements. A group of intellectuals expressed their views on the statement made by MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake as follows.
U. R. De Silva 
President’s Counsel
It seems apparent that the leader of the Jathika Jana Balavegaya, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is acting in a frenzy that is not suitable for a leader at a moment when the date for an election was fixed. It is regrettable how he is trying to take advantage of people’s sentiments. Acting beyond the framework of democracy is wrong.
During the past few days, Anura Kumara Dissanayake spoke while being outside the framework of democracy. He issued statements saying chase away the President and imprison public officers, from time to time. People are aware of the party he represents, acted during the period ’88-’89. It was his party which brought about terror that taught the people how to reject elections.
They are issuing regrettable statements about the elections. It is not suitable for a party which has about 8,000 members to issue statements such as these. Illegal activities cannot be engaged in saying to change the country. They are misleading the people by speaking to people’s sentiments. Persons who tried to surround the Parliament a few days ago are still free. Initially Anura Kumara Dissanayake has to take steps against them. It is no point in doing anything and everything to obtain power. There is also no point in holding an election at a time when poverty is being eradicated to some extent and spending on eating and drinking. Except for acting like a leader, it is not possible to deal with people’s feelings by talking in a frenzy.
Athula Senaratne
Senior Professor of the Geological Sciences Peradeniya University
While it is clearly apparent to everyone that there is no suitable economic environment in the country to hold an election, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna is unable to see it as they always attempt to come to power without a proper procedure through crises. By holding a Pradeshiya Sabha Election, what will happen is that the background to estimate which party has the most power being prepared but there will be no benefit to the people.
It is possible to clearly confirm the general nature of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna through the behaviour of student campaign activists who are their followers. By spending a massive amount on holding an election during this serious juncture, the prevailing crises will get more aggravated.
Since this is not a suitable moment in time, for spending billions of rupees for parties to discover their voter bases we request all parties including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna demanding an election to have patience for a little while more.
Instead of forcing the government to hold the Local Government Elections at this time, it is the responsibility of political parties as well as their leaders to organize their respective parties and when the General Election arrives to face it well.
Ramachandra Kurukkal Babu Sharma
Secretary of the International Hindu Summit
Leader of the Jathika Jana Balavegaya Anura Kumara Dissanayake who deprived the people of their right to vote by intimidating voters and threatening them with death in ’88/’89 has no right to speak about the election now. At that time, it was these people who said that the first five persons to go and cast their votes would be killed and they collected the Identity Cards of people and deprived the people of their right to vote.
Now they are making false statements to people and trying to create problems. Neither the Government nor the President or the Prime Minister will ever deprive the people of their right to vote or other rights. What the government wants to do is, to provide the people with their rights more and more, and to build a country where people can live in freedom.
On Thaipongal Day in Jaffna the President spoke about building a country where everyone can live happily while providing all people with their rights sans any differences and eradicating all economic difficulties. What the people need most at this moment is to avoid economic difficulties and to fulfil their main requirements.
Dr. Ajith Seneviratne
SJB Chief Organizer for Rambukkana Electorate, Veteran Economic Analyst and Lawyer
I condemn with disgust, those who blatantly violated the rights of people to vote by physically torturing the public and threatening to kill them then, shouting and demanding an election today. Two and a half decades ago, a group grabbed the people’s rights to cast their votes. They acted to torture by cutting off limbs and harassing them, the first 10 persons to cast their votes.
Those who obstructed the holding of an election then and a group who seized the people’s right to vote are yelling and shouting at the top of their voices and demanding an election today. They are trying to incite the people. It is a responsibility of the government to confirm a right to an election. An Independent Election Commission is in operation as of now. We do not approve of shouting about elections from outside when there are legal authorities who are supposed to conduct elections.
The leader of the Jathika Jana Balavegaya has said that officials who are obstructing the conduct of an election today, will be punished under a government of their own. We are asking whether they will punish them in the same way as the innocent citizens of the village who went to the polling station to cast their votes first, on a previous occasion.
We do not approve of lobbying for elections for their own narrow political gains under the guise of working to protect the right to vote. But in order to hold an election, the authorities must act to give an opportunity to reveal the opinion of the people.
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