News Update - 20051123
*** Topics: Election reports, Election results Implications, Post-election news ***
** Election Reports:
If you haven't already read it elsewhere, Mahinda Rajapakse won the presidential election. Many Tamils in the Northeast of the island (and a few in Colombo) boycotted the elections. The margin of defeat for Ranil was a few percent, leading people to speculate on what if the boycott did not happen or ulterior motives for the boycott. The Elections Commissioner declared the elections free and fair. However, the US has criticized the LTTE for what it calls an obstruction of the 'democratic process'. The EU, which had an observation mission to monitor the elections, echoed the criticisms of the US but tactfully stopped short of calling for a re-poll.
Two pictures from an larger set of AP photos are below. More pictures are linked in either URL.
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/111705srilankavote/im:/051117/481/xsd10211170842 http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/111705srilankavote/im:/051116/481/xsd10111161508
Two news reports on the election results:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16364
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4447794.stm
A full listing of voting statistics is available here for the time-being:
http://www.theacademic.org/elect/
** Implications:
http://www.tamilcanadian.com/pageview.php?ID=3597&SID=133 - This article, by a fairly decent Tamil journalist, sums up quite well the relevant issues regarding the future of the post-elections situation.
http://www.tamilcanadian.com/pageview.php?ID=1664&SID=347 This article from the late Taraki (whose analyses are amazing, as previously mentioned) was written 2 and half years ago, at a time when the LTTE withdrew from the peace talks due to a lack of progress. However, it's worth a read to see how the election of Rajapakse fits into the bigger picture of the Tamil struggle.
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=79&artid=16386 - an interview of Professor Robert C. Oberst, an American, on his thoughts
** Post-election developments:
http://tinyurl.com/am4an
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4456106.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4462538.stm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2005/11/051123_sripath_resign.shtml