By Nina de la Preugne

Sri Lankans went to the polls yesterday to elect a new parliament following what members of the opposition called one of the worst campaigns in the country’s democratic history.

Polling stations opened at 7am, but the turnout appears to have been lower than expected due to a general feeling that the governing party will win with an overwhelming majority.

Independent monitors predicted only 50-55 percent of registered voters cast their ballot by the end of the day, contrasting with the 70 percent turnout at the presidential elections in January.

Voters seemed to consider the outcome of the elections a given this time round, and showed little interest in exercising their choice.

Voter apathy has been fuelled by state-controlled national media encouraging the idea that the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) was certain to win a large majority. The misuse of state media was previously denounced by the Elections Commissioner after the presidential election.

Opposition activists say they have suffered intimidation during this latest election campaign. “Political harassment is at its maximum”, said Kabir Hashim, a candidate for the opposition United National Party (UNP) and a former MP and minister. “We had to lead a very silent campaign, inside houses, in order to maintain some kind of security for us.”

Opposition campaigners say their posters opposition were damaged or removed and their activists regularly assaulted. Allegations that the governing party has used state administration and resources to illegally finance its campaign have been circulating as well.

“I have very slim hope about these elections because the campaign was unfair. During the last two days before the elections, when no-one is supposed to be campaigning, the UPFA was still holding meetings. If we had a free and fair campaign, we could significantly close the gap for the majority of seats in Parliament,” said Hashim.

In Kegalle, the district north of Colombo where Hashim is running, the UPFA is certain to win a majority of the seats.

“There is no war now thanks to Mr Rajapaksa’s party. I am happy to vote for the UPFA”, said Lindy, a 40-year-old Sinhalese housewife.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, the leader of the UPFA, was re-elected as president in January with 58 percent of the vote, and dissolved parliament shortly after.

The presidential and parliamentary elections have taken place within a year of the end of the long civil war with the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and appear to be an attempt by Rajapaksa and his coalition to consolidate their grip on power.

Rajapaksa made clear his party was aiming for a two-thirds majority of seats in parliament, allowing him to amend the constitution which limits him to serving two terms as president.

However, the low turnout might act in the opposition’s favour as their mobilisation among ethnic minorities was strong.

In Moratuwa, a suburb of Colombo with a largely Tamil population, voters were still arriving at 3pm, an hour before the close of voting.

“I am voting UNP, they are serious. The governing party is only here for the power, its campaign reflected that,” said Dinesh, a 30-year-old unemployed Tamil.

Independent poll monitors reported 160 incidents of poll-related violence during the first hours of balloting, but there were no reports of any casualties or injuries according to the Agence France Presse newswire.

Security was high around the poll stations today and soldiers could be seen along side police forces, despite the inexistence of a terrorist threat since the defeat of the Tamil Tigers.

For Tamils, it is the first time in decades that they can vote in a general election without the overarching influence of the LTTE.

“We need fresh blood in politics. Now that the war is over, we need to move on with new people,” said Subraman, a 35-year-old Tamil teacher.

However, a highly centralised government with a large parliamentary majority may struggle to satisfy the expectations of the Tamil population.