A democracy paradoxically spawning majority dictatorship?
By Walter Fernando
[Ratmalana]
In a country where communities are deeply divided along racial and religious beliefs, it would be an unenviable task for those in power to keep these communities together. We in Sri Lanka have no choice but to take into account that the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim populations, immaterial of their majorities, are full time stakeholders in all matters of governance. In any rational circumstance the full time stakeholders will have equal expectations no matter who constitutes the majority.
But ironically, since we are a democratic nation, the majority, while they too should only be equal stakeholders, cannot help but bind themselves together, and see issues from the point of view of the majority. While this is absolute democracy, it becomes a dictatorship, as far as the rest of the equal stakeholders are concerned.
This is the paradox that Sri Lanka is saddled with.
It is a democracy that has given birth to a dictatorship of the majority. Unless and until this nation understands this ground reality we will be debating and nurturing separatist ideals. Even if Sri Lanka brings the entire population under one heel by force, the question of a democratic dictatorship will never fade away.
The nation should acknowledge this situation and choose to use democracy, to be more meaningful to those who are not in the majority. It is at this point the question of devolving power to the minorities raises its head. The majority must understand this reality. Governments that have a majority, bonded by race or religion will create a similar minority that is bonded by race and religion.
In Sri Lanka this is even more pronounced by the fact that living in the same territory bonds these minorities further. Therefore to overcome this complexity, democratic governments even with a majority must be cautious in bringing legislation, which should not shake the confidence of the minorities. Bringing one language and religion into the legislature though with a democratic majority rule will spell irretrievable disaster.
If the majority cannot see the difference of opinion, and the fear that a steam rolling democratic majority displacing the democratic minority, like the present situation in Sri Lanka, the minorities will have no alternative but to seek a federal solution and the status of a unitary state be lost forever.
