SRI LANKAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
(17 November 2005)

The UK Presidency of the EU noted the results of the Presidential election in Sri Lanka on 17 November and extended its congratulations to Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. The statement added, "We condemn the violent incidents which marred what was otherwise a peaceful campaign. We also deeply regret reports that people in the north and east of Sri Lanka were prevented from exercising their democratic right to vote by the actions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam."

The UK Presidency of the EU calls on all sides in Sri Lanka to demonstrate their commitment to peace by maintaining the ceasefire and working together towards a peaceful settlement of the ethnic issue that meets the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka.

ELECTION LIKELY SETBACK TO PEACE, SAY SRI LANKAN WOMEN

Visaka Dharamadasa, founder of Parents of Servicemen Missing in Action and the Association of War-Affected Women said "I am very disappointed with the election results. Few Tamils voted and this is an ominous sign - it means they are rejecting the peace process. We have been set back by four years. We (women) will keep working to bring peace Sri Lanka, to unite us as one country. Our road is longer now, but we have no choice but to have hope and continue walking."

Neela Marikkar, president of Sri Lanka First added "The next few days are crucial. As President Rajapaksa forms his government and policies, the international community must press for moderation and renewed efforts for peace. American pressure can make an enormous difference. The international community cannot alienate Rajapaksa, they must engage him and press him to work for peace."

ABOUT MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA

Mahinda Rajapaksa (born November 18, 1945) is Sri Lanka's fifth President.. Rajapaksa has been the prime minister of Sri Lanka from April 6, 2004 and the president of Sri Lanka from November 19, 2005. He is married to Shiranthi Rajapaksa.

Born to a Sinhalese Buddhist father in the southern rural district of Hambantota, Rajapaksa was a human-rights lawyer who has represented Hambantota in the Parliament of Sri Lanka since 1970, while his father, Don Alwin Rajapaksa, represented the same area between 1947 and 1960. He is a long-time ally of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the leader of Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the largest party in the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance.

Unlike some members of the new government coalition, Rajapakse is believed to support peace talks with the Tamil Tigers as a means of ending the civil war with the Tamil secessionist movement. But his recent alignment with political parties such as JVP and JHU raised large concerns within his own party. SLFP leader President Chandrika Kumaratunga openly accused Rajapaksa of pushing the country towards war because of his pact with nationalist forces.

Rajapaksa was chosen in front of Anura Bandaranaike, brother of Chandrika Kumaratunga, as the Presidential Candidate of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party for the Presidential election held on November 17, 2005. Rajapaksa was up against Ranil Wickremasinghe, the leader of the United National Party (Sri Lanka's largest political party) in this election. Rajapaksa defeated Wickremasinghe and took office as president on November 19.

ABOUT VISAKA DHARMADASA

Visaka Dharmadasa is founder and chair of Parents of Servicemen Missing in Action and the Association of War-Affected Women and secretary of the Kandy Association for War-Affected Families. Working to end the civil war that has gripped Sri Lanka for the last twenty years, she educates soldiers, youth, and community leaders about international standards of conduct in war and promotes the economic and social development of women across conflict lines. She has designed and facilitated Track II dialogue processes, bringing together influential civil society leaders from both sides of the conflict. Ms. Dharmadasa was asked by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leaders to carry messages to the government when talks were floundering and Tamil representatives refused to speak directly with foreign embassy staff members and Norwegian negotiators.

ABOUT NEELA MARIKKAR

Neela Marikkar is president of Sri Lanka First, a powerful group of business leaders that advocates for a negotiated settlement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In 2005, Ms. Marikkar was appointed by the President to serve on the National Advisory Council for Reconciliation as a civil society representative. She is also a consultant to the UN Development Programme's initiative "Invest in Peace," which promotes foreign investment for post-conflict reconstruction in Sri Lanka. Ms. Marikkar coordinated Sri Lanka First's campaign to educate civil society about the human and economic costs of the 20-year war.

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