Sri Lanka It's Happening

May 29, 2005

It's now five months since the tsunami struck our coasts. A newspaper report said 500,000 people are still living in refugee camps. One wonders why such a report was published in the first place. Everyone seems to have forgotten to tsunami already.

There is a good reason that these 500,000 refugees are still in camps. During the early days of the relief campaign it as just simply ineffciency and corruption. Simply put most of the aid ended up in the homes of officials.

The end result of the initial reconstruction campaign, or rather the lack of one, is that the people effected have become bitter towards politicians in general and the government in particular. It is unlikely that any of them will ever vote again for the parties that make up the present goverment.

Unfortunately for them the refugees are disenfranchised. Many of lost their ID, and none have a permanent address. This is country where politicians enter parliament by stuffing ballot papers, intimidation, thuggery and impersonation. That means 500,000 votes can and will be stolen come election time.

And when exactly is the next election due? The presidential election is due end of this year. The coalition partners are pulling in opposite directions and the government looks more and more likely to collapse anyday now. On the other hand teh president has publicaly stated that elections will not be held again.

Posted by raditha at May 29, 2005 9:28 AM