Election shows the true nature of democracy – Duminda Nagamuwa
Common candidate of the Left, Duminda Nagamuwa says that this election shows the true nature of the democracy that exists within the country. He further said that the interventions of the Police assume a partial manner during the election timeframe. He made these comments at a discussion held on 16th December at Rajanganaya-Anuradhapura.
He further expressed these views,
“This presidential election experience shows the vast difference between the theory of elections and its practice. In theory, elections are a medium for verifying the people's opinion. According to that, when political parties or candidates express their opinion, the masses should be able to vote for their chosen opinion. But what really happens is that the people who are in power use that power to create a new mandate. State power, media power, financial power are used as weapons in elections.
Our comrades who were engaged in propaganda activities in Puttalam, Kegalle were assaulted. On 14th December, prison inmates were used for a UPFA rally held in Akuressa. There are plenty of such examples of using state employees. The Police do not use their power impartially against every candidate. When we were distributing leaflets in Kantale, the Police proceeded to seize them. But the Police do not see the cut-out posters that have covered the country.
Now the society can realise from its own experience whether these elections are free and fair. This situation can be changed only by creating a people's force which exceeds the state, media and financial powers. The Leftist movement is the only party that stand for such a people's force. To demand free and fair elections, is like demanding feathers form a tortoise. What we should do is not to whine for free and fairness. What we should do is to create a people's force that is capable of attaining those democratic rights of the people.
