CaFFE dismayed by Northern Governor's response

Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) is deeply concerned about the reactions by Former Major General GA Chandrasiri to criticism regarding his campaigning on behalf of the UPFA in Jaffna district. He has told media that he has a right to engage in politics after attending a United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) rally.

CaFFE in a statement said: We believes that the Northern Governor is a public servant and he does not have a moral right to appear on UPFA rallies and cheer the UPFA candidates contesting for elections on September 21.

What Governor Chandrasiri is doing is almost unprecedented. There are prominent politicians who have earned the respect of the nation as Governors of Provincial Councils. Our memory goes back to Governors PC Imbulana, DB Wijetunga and other distinguished politicians who held such positions in the past. Even though the late DB Wijaetunga became the Prime Minister and then the President of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka, he never appeared on political stage during the time he served as the Governor. Even at present highly seasoned and well-experienced politicians such as Mr. Nanda Mattew and Mr. Tikiri Kobbekaduwa hold the position of a governor without engaging in active electoral politics. We should not forget until very recently Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa was the Yatinuwara SLFP organizer, however after His Excellency the President appointed him as the Governor of Central Province he did not publicly engage in election campaigning. Moreover we have not seen the Governor Nanda Matthew or any other Governors engaging in open election campaigning in any of the previous elections.

There are very recent examples of Provincial Governors maintaining the dignity of the office. For example even though her son contested for the last Sabaragamuwa PC election, Southern Governor Mrs. Kumari Balasuriya did not openly appear on the UPFA stage to campaign for her son. More over Sabaragamuwa was out of her territory as the Governor. CaFFE well understands that Governors can have political opinions and/or might be

softhearted with a political party, but decent governors do not openly show their
favourations by cheering and appearing on election platforms, holding hands with candidates. It is immoral, unethical and indecent.

In addition Cabinet Minister Hon. Keheliya Rambukwella, one of the top Ministers in the administration and an experienced politician, told media on September 12 that although the Northern Governor has been appointed by the President, his participation in UPFA election rallies is problematic. As a representative of the President he can participate in events attended by the President if he wishes, Rambukwella said. Meanwhile the Commissioner of Elections had already informed the governors of the Northern, Central and Northwestern provinces that they should not engage in electioneering. This was even communicated to the General Secretaries of the UPFA and SLFP.

The governor according to Sri Lankan constitution summons the first setting of the Provincial Council. We cannot understand how an individual who is currently showing his political favourations openly in election platforms of a certain political party can make a fair judgment of who he should invite to establish the council after the election. In addition he would have lost the respect of representatives from other political parties by engaging in electoral politics.

Establishing the Northern Provincial Council is a historical landmark in the Sri Lankan history. This is vital for the normalization of the region after a highly militarized situation both physically and psychologically. CaFFE firmly believes that civil administration, lead by a Provincial Council with civil servants that truly respect the basic democratic norms and practices, will be established after the elections.

If he continues to engage in political campaigning CaFFE believes he has no moral right to hold his position a governor on September 22 and CaFFE calls the Governor to choose between party campaigning and respectful governorship.