The Danger Of The Third Term: South

Korean Experience
| by Laksiri Fernando
( October 22, 2014, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) UNP Genera Secretary, !issa "ttanayake,
a##ears to be $uite na%&e to tak about t'e (innin) #ros#ects o* t'e UNP eader, +ani
,ickre-asin)'e, a)ainst President +a.a#aksa, (it'out c'aen)in) t'e /ie)aity and
i--oraity0 o* t'e incu-bent contestin) *or a t'ird ter-1 "s -any 'a&e aready #ointed out, 'is
state-ent (as an indirect e)iti-ation o* +a.a#aksa candidacy *or a t'ird ter-1 !'en t'e #arty
'ad to do so-e da-a)e contro1 !'e ca *or an eary #residentia eection in 2anuary 2013, as
#anned and no( con*ir-ed, itse* is unconstitutiona i* one ceary )oes t'rou)' t'e
constitution and t'e *a(ed 14t' "-end-ent1
!'ere is not'in) (ron), 'o(e&er, or e&en i-#erati&e *or t'e -ain o##osition #arty, t'e UNP,
and ot'er #arties to be ready *or a sna# (and 5 -i)'t say an unconstitutiona) eection )i&en t'e
*act t'at t'e .udiciary 'as increasin)y beco-e a rubber sta-# o* t'e aut'oritarian e6ecuti&e1
7o(e&er, e&en 8o'an Peiris0 Su#re-e 9ourt -i)'t *ind it di**icut to co-#etey disre)ard a
t'e e)a ar)u-ents a)ainst a t'ird ter- and a sna# eection1 :&en in t'is case, so *ar announced
UNP0s ; #oint #ro)ra- is *unda-entay (eak (it'out c'aen)in) t'e /e)aity and -oraity0
o* t'e t'ird ter- *or t'e incu-bent President 8a'inda +a.a#aksa1
5t is co--endabe t'at t'e UNP 'as incor#orated t'e aboition o* t'e e6ecuti&e #residentia
syste- as one o* its se&en #oints1 "boition is t'e -ain cry *or iberty today1 5n -y o#inion,
'o(e&er, t'e -ain ca-#ai)n a)ainst t'e President (at suc' an ie)a and i--ora eection)
s'oud be aunc'ed by 'i)'i)'tin) t'at ie)aity, dan)er and t'e i--oraity o* a t'ird ter- *or
t'e incu-bent #resident aon) (it' t'e aboition o* t'e #residentia syste-1
!'e o##osition t'at intends to co-e to #o(er s'oud aso assure t'e eectorate t'at it (oud
#reser&e and e6#and t'e no( battered *ree education and t'e #ubic 'eat' syste- a#art *ro-
a-eioratin) t'e cost o* i&in)1 !'is is t'e ony (ay to )et t'e su##ort o* t'e uni&ersity sector,
broader trade union sections and t'e #oor1 !'is -eans a #ro)ressi&e socio<econo-ic #ro)ra-1
Protection o* -inority ri)'ts and t'e i-#e-entation o* t'e 1=t' "-end-ent t'rou)' diao)ue
and coo#eration aso s'oud take e$ua i-#ortance1
Louis t'e Great>
!'e dan)er o* a t'ird ter- is no( stron)y *et (it'in t'e UPF" circes and e&en (it'in t'e
SLFP ranks1 !'e constitutiona re*or-s #ro#osed by t'e 27U 8P, ?en1 "t'ureiye +at'ena
!'ero, t'rou)' 'is Pi&it'uru 7etak (" Pure !o-orro() are co--endabe and a re*ection o*
t'is trend1 Per'a#s as a reaction to t'ese de&eo#-ents President +a.a#aksa 'as stated t'at 'e is
ready to abois' t'e #residentia syste- i* t'e !N" and t'e @ias#ora )i&e u# se#aratis-> !'is
is -ere r'etoric1
:&en i* 'e is correct in 'is assertion, ('y does 'e t'ink t'at t'e Presidentia Syste- is e$ua to
7is PresidencyA 5s 'e )oin) to say t'at no one in 'is #arty or in t'e UPF" coaition is ca#abe
o* contestin) or 'odin) t'e #residencyA Per'a#s 'e is *oo(in) Louis t'e Great ('o said B5
a- t'e StateC in t'e 1;t' century France1
,'en one ooks at t'e )enesis o* t'e #residentia *or- o* )o&ern-ent ('at is cear is t'at its
basic desi)n ca-e *ro- t'e arc'aic /constitutiona -onarc'y0 and not #aria-entary
de-ocracy1 !'e *irst #residentia syste- (as desi)ned in "-erica in ate 14t' century, or in
1;4D to be -ore #recise, and tracin) its ori)ins t'at is ('at Sydney 8ikis and 8ic'ae Neson
ar)ued about its ori)ins ("-erican PresidencyE Ori)ins and @e&eo#-ent)1 !'e od
constitutiona -onarc'y in :n)and aso (as t'e basis o* 8ontes$uieu0s #ure t'eory o*
se#aration o* #o(ers1
!'ere is no doubt t'at #aria-entary de-ocracy aso e&o&ed t'rou)' constitutiona -onarc'y
but t'at e&oution ensured t'e res#onsibiity and de#endence o* t'e e6ecuti&e on t'e #o#uary
eected e)isati&e body or #aria-ent1 !'is does not -ean t'at a #aria-ent s'oud be a
su#re-e and abo&e t'e constitution ike ('at a##eared to be t'e case under Sri Lanka0s 1D;2
constitution e&en encroac'in) into t'e inde#endence o* t'e .udiciary1
9onstitutionais- s'oud )o&ern e&en #aria-entary de-ocracy, sa*e)uardin) #articuary t'e
inde#endence o* t'e .udiciary and inde#endence o* t'e ot'er or)ans o* t'e state i1e1 t'e #ubic
ser&ice1 Poitics s'oud be ke#t to t'e -ini-u- *or an e**icient and de&eo#-enta
ad-inistration1 !'is is ('at (e understand as inde#endent co--issions or t'e 1;t'
"-end-ent ('ate&er t'e dra*tin) (eaknesses o* t'at #iece o* e)isation1
8onarc'ica )enesis or e&en )enetics o* t'e #residentia syste- is cear in -any o* t'e
#residentia syste-s1 ,'en @e Gaue dra*ted 'is #residentia syste- in 1D34 in France,
at'ou)' it (as a -i6ed syste-, 'is i-a)e (as 9'are-a)ne and Na#oeon1 "s (e a kno(,
a*ter 21 +1 2aye(ardene beca-e t'e #resident 'e did e&eryt'in) to #ace 'i-se* in t'e #ant'eon
o* royaty1 7e *re$uenty )ot u# on t'e Pat't'iru##u(a to address t'e nation and indu)ed in
?a# 8a)u1 @o (e need to say anyt'in) about t'e incu-bent PresidentA Our concern is not so
-uc' on t'e )ori*ication o* t'e #residentia #osition e6ce#t ('ere t'e )ori*ication is
acco-#anied (it' /*a-iy rue0 or atte-#ts to 'od on to #o(er /by 'ook or by crook0 as today
in Sri Lanka1
@ictatoria !rends
"ristote o#ined t'at -onarc'y usuay de)enerates into des#otis-1 5n t'e case o* #residency, it
can de)enerate into -uc' (orse, dictators'i# or -iitary rue1 !'is is a cear #ro#ensity in any
#residentia syste- #articuary in transitiona and con*ict ridden societies ike Sri Lanka1 Let
us take *e( e6a-#es be*ore takin) about Sout' Forea1
!'e ne( inde#endence constitution o* t'e P'ii##ines (1D4G) (as a #residentia syste-
desi)ned on t'e "-erican stye1 ,'en Ferdinand 8arcos *irst ca-e to #o(er in 1DG3 (it' 32
#ercent o* #o#uar &otes, t'e duration o* a #residentia ter- (as *our years, i-ited to
-a6i-u- t(o ter-s ike in "-erica1 7e (as t'e *irst #resident to (in a second ter- in 1DGD
(it' G2 #ercent dubious &otes by usin) H G3 -iion treasury *unds1 !'is is an estabis'ed *act1
Iut 'is #residency (as su##osed to end in 1D;2 ('en 'e decared -artia a( and continued
unti 1D4G ('en 'e (as o&ert'ro(n1 7is easy e6cuse *or -artia a( (as t'e t'reat o*
9o--unist and 8usi- insur)encies1
Peru0s case (as si)'ty di**erent under "berto Fu.i-ori (1DD0<2000)1 ,'en Fu.i-ori (on t'e
#residentia eections in 1DD0 'e (as a dark 'orse candidate1 No one i-a)ined t'at 'e (oud
beco-e a dictator1 7e (as by and ar)e a tec'nocrat1 Iut 'is #o(ers and circu-stances ed 'i-
to beco-e one, *acin) a 'ostie con)ress1 5n 1DD2, (it' t'e 'e# o* t'e -iitary 'e beca-e a
dictator1 5t (as on t'at basis t'at 'e (on t'e second ter- in 1DD31 Peru0s ter- o* o**ice (as *i&e
years but t'ere (as a t(o ter- i-it1 Let -e $uote a reiabe ,iki#edia entry to dri&e t'e #oint
'o-e o* t'e dan)er o* a t'ird ter-1
B!'e constitution i-its a #residency to t(o ter-s1 S'orty a*ter Fu.i-ori be)an 'is second
ter-, 'is su##orters in 9on)ress #assed a a( o* /aut'entic inter#retation0 ('ic' e**ecti&ey
ao(ed 'i- to run *or anot'er ter- in 20001 " 1DD4 e**ort to re#ea t'is a( by re*erendu-
*aied1 5n ate 1DDD, Fu.i-ori announced t'at 'e (oud run *or a t'ird ter-1 Peru&ian eectora
bodies, ('ic' (ere #oiticay sy-#at'etic to Fu.i-ori, acce#ted 'is ar)u-ent t'at t'e t(o<
ter- restriction did not a##y to 'i-, as it (as enacted ('ie 'e (as aready in o**ice1C
Peru0s /aut'entic inter#retation0 (as si-iar to Sri Lanka0s 14t' "-end-ent in so-e (ays1
!'ere is aso a #ossibiity t'at t'e )o&ern-ent -i)'t try anot'er /aut'entic inter#retation0
be*ore 2anuary 2013 as t'ere is a /-ore aut'entic inter#retation0 by a *or-er 9'ie* 2ustice1
!'e situation in Sri Lanka is not un*a-iiar to any o* t'ese countries under #residentia antics1
9i**ord Frauss (ritin) *ro- Iuenos "ires to Ne( Jork !i-es on 2; @ece-ber 1DDD said t'e
*oo(in)1
BPresident "berto F1 Fu.i-ori o* Peru announced 'is candidacy *or an un#recedented t'ird
ter- today, ar)uin) t'at 'is country needed 'i- to )uarantee an end to terroris- and to
co-#ete its econo-ic reco&ery1C
@oesn0t it *a-iiarA 5t does1 !erroris- and econo-ic ar)u-ents are standard /stock in trade0 *or
-any t'ose ('o seek dictatoria #o(ers1
Sout' Forean :6a-#e
Sout' Forea0s constitutiona syste- (as si-iar to t'e "-erican #residentia syste- a*ter t'e
Second ,ord ,ar, ike in t'e P'ii##ines1 7o(e&er, Park 9'un)<7ee 'ad to co-e into #o(er
t'rou)' a cou# in 1DG11 !'en 'e 'ed eections *or t'e #residency in 1DG= and (on t'e
eections (it' a dubious -a.ority (4=K)1 Like in t'e United States, t'e ter- duration (as *our
years and t'ere (as a t(o ter- i-it1 7e (on t'e second ter- in 1DG; (it' a co-*ortabe
-a.ority o* 32 #ercent1
!'e ter- (as su##osed to end in 1D;1 *ore&er1 Iut in 1DGD 'is su##orters brou)'t a
constitutiona a-end-ent si-iar to t'e 14t' one in Sri Lanka *or 'i- to ao( a t'ird ter-1
!'en 'e contested t'e #residency *or a t'ird ti-e and (on (it' a sender -a.ority o* 31
#ercent1 7e (as not satis*ied (it' t'e situation and decared -artia a( in October 1D;21 :&en
be*ore 1D;2, t'e syste- (as aut'oritarian at'ou)' t'ere (ere eections1 5n October 1D;D, 'e
(as assassinated by 'is o(n security c'ie*1
!'ere are -any assess-ents o* Park 9'un)<7ee1 5 used to do t'e sa-e ('en 5 (as teac'in)
Poitica :cono-y o* Sout'east and :ast "sia1 Undoubtedy durin) 'is #eriod, t'e econo-y o*
t'e country #ro)ressed1 5t (as an actua /8irace o* "sia10 !'e initia assess-ents (ere inkin)
t'e econo-ic take o** to 'is aut'oritarian -ana)e-ent o* t'e #oity, i* not t'e econo-y1 Iut
t'erea*ter t'e studies t'at (ere conducted dee#er into t'e econo-ic dyna-ics re&eaed t'at
t'ere (ere no direct connection bet(een t'e t(o and t'e country coud 'a&e #er'a#s
#ro)ressed better i* not *or t'e aut'oritarian rue1
!'e #oint is t'at t'e aut'oritarian tendencies in a #oitica syste- e-er)e not *ro- econo-ic
i-#erati&es but *ro- #oitica ones1 5n t'e case o* Sri Lanka, i* t'e #residentia syste- (as
.usti*ied durin) t'e actua t'reat o* terroris- or se#aratis-, t'at is no on)er t'e case1 !'ere is
no $uestion t'at t'e econo-y 'as #ro)ressed durin) t'e ast decade1 "s G1 L1 Peiris 'i-se*
once said, /('en t'e tide is 'i)' a boats are i*ted u#10 7o(e&er, i* not *or corru#tion,
ne#otis- and -is-ana)e-ent, Sri Lanka coud 'a&e beco-e a rea -irace (it' a t(o di)it
)ro(t' rate1 " #residentia syste- aso does not -ean a t'ird ter- *or an incu-bent #resident,
at'ou)' it is a *aout o* a #residentia syste- in a de&eo#in) and a con*ict ridden country1 "
t'ird ter- *or a #resident, on t'e ot'er 'and, is a reci#e *or an easy dictators'i# and a disaster1
"s t'e Forean e6a-#e s'o(s, ('en a -e)ao-aniac )oes *or a t'ird ter-, 'e or s'e (oud be
$uite ner&ous1 5n t'e case o* Sri Lanka, e&en i* t'e incu-bent (ins t'e #residency, 'is
#aria-entary -a.ority (i be )reaty reduced at a *ort'co-in) )enera eection1 !'is is ('ere
and ('en t'e #robe-s (oud start1 !'ere*ore, t'at e&entuaity s'oud be a&oided1 5n Sout'
Forea, at t'e be)innin) o* t'e t'ird ter- in 1D;1, Park0s #oitica #arty -a.ority beca-e
reduced in Paria-ent to a .ust 33 #ercent o* seats1 !'is is ('y 'e disso&ed t'e 9on)ress and
c'an)ed t'e re#resentati&e syste- to incor#orate a##ointed -e-bers1
Ot'er(ise, s#eakin) o* t'e #ersonaity, Park 9'un)<7ee (as not necessariy a bad -an1 !'e
*oo(in) (as ('at 2ur)en Feiner said in 'is book BForea, a 9entury o* 9'an)eC (#1 1G4)
about t'e -an1 5 ao( t'e readers to -ake t'eir o(n co-#arison (or .ud)e-ent) ony -akin)
-y o(n e-#'asis to t'e ori)ina te6t beo(1
BPark 9'un)<7ee (as not an un#easant -an1 P'otos *ro- t'e -id<1DG0s s'o(ed 'i- s-iin)
a-on) t'e -e-bers o* 'is *a-iy and au)'in) a-on) &isitorsL17e re-ained -odestM t'e
Iue 7ouse (as not trans*or-ed into a u6urious #aace1 7e stayed a(ay *ro- ne#otis-1 7is
interests and #assions 'ad ot'er ai-sE t'e country and t'e #o(er1C