Colombo (AsiaNews/Agencies) Sri Lanka's female president, Chandrika Kumaratunga, and her party have claimed victory in the country's parliamentary elections. Meanwhile Tamil rebel extremists have expressed their strong reactions to the triumph, once again threatening armed conflict should a political answer not be found for the autonomy of some territories.
Kumaratunga's left-wing Freedom Alliance (FA) party won 105 out of 225 seats (equal to 46% of votes). However, another 8 seats are needed to have a more stable majority in Parliament. Today meetings have been arranged with minor parties in order to strengthen a government coalition. The Buddhist monk party (which won 9 seats), even while near to the president's policies and positions, has decided to remain independent. It is likely that Kumaratunga will now turn to elected Muslims and Tamils.
The elections have spelled defeat for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP). His position of openness to dialog with guerrilla resistance forces led him to win a mere 82 seats (or 38% of votes). Second runner up was Tamil National Alliance, earning 22 seats (or 7% of votes).
There was a high turnout at polling stations. Official sources have said that 75% of 12.8 million of lawful voters came out to vote.
It remains to be seen just how election results will affect peace negotiations with Tamil rebels, who have been fighting for full autonomy of regions have a Tamil majority population since 1983. The regions at stake are in Sri Lanka's northern and eastern territories. Harim Peiris, one of Kumaratunga closest collaborators, said that it is "an absolute priority for the FA party to take up negotiations (with Tamil forces).
Thirty years of bloody civil war has provoked 70,000 deaths, 800,000 people to flee the country and widespread poverty. (MR)
