DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT IN S.ASIA!

Democracy and development: Approaches in South Asia - immediate options for Sri Lanka

by M.A. Mohamed Saleem & Arjuna Hulugalle
The Mahatma Gandhi
Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Abstract: The Sri Lankan experiment with democracy is flawed and incomplete. Still democracy has withstood challenges posed by protests and brutal insurgencies for regime change and demands for secession. In a multi-religious, multi-cultural and poly-lingual country where even trivial factors are freely exploited for causing divisions, insurgency threats are real and will continue to surface unless an environment is created in which people find equal opportunities for pursuing their life goals without fear of harassment and discrimination. This is Sri Lanka’s need of the hour. Success of Indian commitment to assist Sri Lanka in its reconstruction efforts will depend on how effectively the marginalized and war-displaced people are brought into the development mainstream. Gramarajya, which is akin to the Panchayati Raj village empowerment programme, seems promising for regaining trust and confidence for co-existence of the different communities. Gramarajya is also seen as a mechanism for effective use of the reconstruction funds on the intended development purpose. This is the thrust of this paper.


Experience with democracy

There is no universally accepted definition of development but, in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context, it is viewed as improvement of livelihood and quality of life for humans. Therefore, it encompasses governance, healthcare, education, gender equality, disaster preparedness, infrastructure, economics, human rights, environment and issues associated with them. Is democracy, a form of government in which power is held by citizens under a free electoral system, necessary to improve livelihood and living standards? We are familiar with countries that are undemocratic but, they have been able to deliver better livelihood and quality of life to their citizens. We are also familiar with countries, for instance countries that left the former Soviet Union, embracing democracy but loosing out on maintaining life quality hither to people enjoyed under ‘autocracy’. Since independence, Sri Lanka, like India, has chosen the path of democracy for its development.

Consolidating liberal democracy by making the elected legislators and governments fully accountable to the citizens, while retaining their ability to influence the course of governance on a sustained basis, has proved extremely difficult in Sri Lanka. Although the country had visionary leadership at the time of independence, power grabbing political agenda of some did not allow embryonic democratic experimentation to mature. The very leaders who had the intellectual charisma and strength of character also became instruments in creating conflict situations. As the Sinhalese aspired to recover the dominance in society they had lost during European rule, the Tamils wanted to protect their minority community from domination or assimilation by the Sinhalese majority. A manifestation of this clash is testing the democratic institutions while retarding Sri Lanka’s inherent capacity for global competitive development.

Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and poly-lingual country. The question as to whether there was a constitutional frame work and with it a willingness to respect and comply to procedures for consolidating democracy are questions frequently asked. With departure of the British, Sri Lanka adopted the Westminster Parliamentary system but, the major political parties succumbed to protecting democracy only to the extent of acquiring and retaining the required number of parliamentary members to govern as it became the sole political culture and goal. Our democracy therefore is legitimized by flawed elections, severely defective electoral rolls, irregularities in the polling process, vote-buying, unaccountable use of money in elections, criminalization of politics and the curse of defections of elected members to parliament for personal gains. Politicians aspiring for power also took the easiest route by placating the majority community playing the card of Sinhala nationalism.

Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972, and the new constitution introduced reforms was perceived to be discriminatory by the Tamils and fanned among the communities further racial distrust and mistrust which had started especially after 1956 when the Sinhala only Bill was made law. In 1978, the new government brought about a new constitution to replace the Westminster system of governance with the Executive Presidency. The President assumed enormous powers and ensured consolidation of his government’s term even at the cost of traditionally held democratic practices. The UNP government continued to rule the country for 17 years. This culture has not changed even after the government changed, and now the power to rule is ensured by making almost every Member of Parliament in the governing party ‘Ministers’.

Challenge to Democracy: - Urban biased development at the relative neglect of rural areas was another challenge to democracy and led to the first insurgency from the Sinhalese youth in 1971. The introduction of the 1972 constitution triggered protests also by the Tamils, and in their frustration Tamils, especially the youth formed themselves into militant groups demanding secession and the separate state of Elam. The communal riots of 1983 aggravated the situation and militancy and violence from the Tamil armed groups escalated especially when the Tamil representatives found after the riots that they could no more continue in the Parliament.

Violence in any form cannot be accepted or condoned in a democratic society. Violence invariably leads to terrorism and the consequences of that cannot be calculated. Violence and Terrorism have however root causes that need to be addressed. Violence and terrorism restricts dialogue to reach common positions. With the end of hostilities, Sri Lanka has another opportunity today to find answers for its problems. InIIIncreasing number of Tamils are demonstrating against the LTTE and are demanding the release of Tamil civilians from the LTTE. They are also yearning for democratic change, peace and stability.


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