Sri Lanca elections
dunn:
High turnout in Sri Lanka poll
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lankans took to the polls in large numbers to vote in a general election which could determine the future of the peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels.
Polling ended at 4:00 p.m. Friday with monitors saying about three quarters of more than 12 million eligible voters cast their ballots.
Security was tight with soldiers out if force but there were few incidents of violence, making it one of the calmest in years in Sri Lanka despite initial fears of much bloodshed.
There was also no early indication whether the election would break a political deadlock that has frozen efforts to revive the peace process.
Full results are expected Saturday with all 225 seats in the nation's parliament up for grabs.
The election is primarily a face-off between President Chandrika Kumaratunga's party and that of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Kumaratunga called the election nearly four years early after disagreement between her and the prime minister over concessions granted to ethnic-Tamil rebels as part of the peace process.
But Sri Lankans say these latest elections -- the third in four years -- will not help solve the problem and they are doubtful whether it will foster much-needed stability.
Latest opinion polls show a tight race between the two parties in the country's 13th parliament since independence from the British in 1948.
With neither expected to take a decisive victory, they will need to turn to smaller parties -- ranging from one tied to the rebels to another led by Buddhist clergymen -- to forge a coalition or get legislation passed.
Face off
The two main parties differ strongly on how to approach peace talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels, who have been fighting for more than two decades for a separate homeland in the island's north.
A fragile truce between the government and the rebels has been maintained over the past two years.
Before the ceasefire came into effect, more than 65,000 people were killed with the tropical island's economy, one of Asia's poorest, wracked by the violence.
In 2001, Wickremesinghe's opposition United National Front swept aside Kumaratunga's Sri Lanka Freedom Party, forcing the long-time adversaries to work together in an uncomfortable constitutional cohabitation.
While both the president and prime minister believe that a lasting peace is the only way for Sri Lanka, they agree on little else.
In November, Kumaratanga declared a state of emergency, taking over the defense, interior and information ministries and escalating the row over the direction of the nation's peace process.
Kumaratunga says too many concessions were made to the rebels, and has promised in recent days to pursue a peace process of her own.
"We have already formulated methods, procedures, strategies and tactics to start off the peace process," Kumaratunga said.
But Wickremesinghe -- who is seen by many as the architect of the peace over the past two years -- says he is the only politician who can talk with the Tigers.
He has promised a permanent peace and says Kumaratunga has sabotaged the process for selfish reasons.
"People will support us to finish the unfinished business," Wickremesinghe said.
Filuwaúrdjan:
Early results: Freedom Alliance=45% UNP=35%
Rococo4:
just testing my signtaure in something no one reads
Rococo4:
again
Rococo4:
Yes
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