REDPOWER JUNE-JULY '99 EDITORIAL


EXAMPLE OF

SOUTHERN PROVINCE

The Provincial Council Election in south ended giving better future-hopes for the people of Sri Lanka. The signal for an alternative, instead of the rotation of capitalist regimes was given. 51 years of capitalist rule have taught the people that they must break the circle of this capitalist regimes coming in to power.

When considering about that important political trend, we can’t forget the active participation of the southern people in making the election a better experience. South has always been a center of initiating new political launchings. The people of south revealed the same type of political innovation throughout the process of Southern Provincial Polls. At the very beginning it was signaled that polls in South will be nothing but repetition of Northeast. But the various reasons contributed in preventing that to happen. In that respect southern people played one important role. The threat of political thugs was decreased owing to the public protest. That protest developed until the polls day and the people involuntarily organized themselves to protect polling centers as well as preventing political agents from disrupting the peaceful polling process. The duty of people in protecting their right of free vote was well recognized.

Specially in the areas where the violence expected, the people got organized better than other areas. This is an extraordinary development. While the capitalist system faces crisis world over, this type of collective rise-ups are significant. Being a people whom bodily experience the attacks against democracy, they must find ways to find solutions for those physical attacks. It is a good example for the people all over the island. During the next political activities the people may understand worst anti democratic practices of PA govt. Not only in the elections, but also in normal political activities they may engage in worse political violence.

Only the collective spirit of the general public may defeat such steps. True civil organizations and the political movements get the responsibility of expanding the experience of south into the general public around the island. Of course the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people of this country may contribute in their best abiliity.

- REDPOWER