-Written by Anubhavananda
(Lanka-e-News -16.Nov.2024, 11.45 pm) This year’s general election results have marked a transformative moment in Sri Lanka’s political landscape, culminating in the historic victory of the Jaffna constituency by the National People’s Power (NPP). Analysts on national television described this victory as a southern political party’s triumph in the north, revealing their limited understanding of the deeper implications.
The Jaffna constituency in the Jaffna district has long been a pivotal center of Tamil politics, once represented by leaders like G.G. Ponnambalam of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC). Over decades, it has been a seat of elite Tamil political influence. However, the NPP’s victory here, with a majority of 6,484 votes, signals a seismic shift. They secured 9,066 votes (41.46%), outpacing the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), which garnered 2,582 votes (11.81%), and the ACTC, which received 1,612 votes (7.37%).
This victory marks a decisive defeat for the two main factions of elite Tamil politics, emphasizing the growing disenchantment among Tamil and Muslim communities with traditional political powers.
Contrary to perceptions, the NPP is not a southern political party but a national movement representing the entire country, including the north and east. Since the end of the civil war, the NPP, initially as the JVP and later in its current form, has built grassroots connections in these regions. Their success reflects years of engagement with marginalized communities overlooked by Tamil and Muslim political elites, particularly the youth.
This election saw educated Tamil and Muslim youth from ordinary families elected to parliament under the NPP banner, rejecting the dominance of elite political parties. The NPP won five parliamentary seats in the northern province, with representatives from grassroots backgrounds.
The NPP not only secured a historic victory in Jaffna but also doubled its voter base in districts like Vanni, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee. For instance:
• In Vanni, their votes increased from 21,412 (9.86%) to 39,894 (20.37%).
• In Batticaloa, from 38,832 (12.19%) to 55,498 (20.37%).
• In Trincomalee, from 49,886 (20.83%) to 87,031 (42.48%).
The NPP also achieved a record 146,313 votes (40.32%) in the Digamadulla district.
In Nuwara Eliya, home to a significant Tamil plantation community, the NPP dismantled the traditional dominance of leaders like the Thondamans and Digambaram. From a mere 5,891 votes (1.24%) in the 2019 presidential election, the NPP’s support surged to 161,167 votes (41.57%), securing five parliamentary seats.
The election of figures like Ambika Samuel, dubbed the “Iron Lady,” along with other youth leaders, underscores the shift in plantation Tamil politics from elite control to grassroots representation.
The NPP’s victories in the north, east, and plantation regions were achieved without the support of any minority-centric parties. Party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake directly appealed to Tamil and Muslim communities, urging them to reject elite politics and join hands to build a united Sri Lanka. His promise focused on restoring land rights, releasing long-term political prisoners, and fostering a united Sri Lankan identity.
The Tamil and Muslim communities of the north, east, and plantations have extended a hand of brotherhood to the NPP. It is now the party’s responsibility to uphold this trust, address their grievances, and work towards a political solution to the ethnic issue. Justice must be delivered for the disappeared, and a unified nation must be built.
The Tamil plantation community has endured over two centuries of hardship. The NPP government must prioritize creating dignified living conditions and alternatives to the exploitative line-room housing system.
The NPP has achieved a historic parliamentary majority, with 159 seats (61.56%) under the proportional representation system. This is the culmination of the people’s struggle that began in 2022, marking a new chapter in Sri Lanka’s political history.
As the NPP assumes power, it must rise to meet the immense expectations of the people, particularly the aspirations and dreams of Tamil and Muslim communities in the north, east, and plantation regions.
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by (2024-11-16 19:56:37)
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