Sri Lankan presidential elections: Two visions, one divided country
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article327518.ece
Today, one of the nations worst affected by the tsunami goes to the
polls to elect a new president. Among the 13 candidates, there are two
front-runners - each with a very different view of the future. Justin
Huggler reports from Colombo
Published: 17 November 2005
On the white, colonial verandah of the Galle Face Hotel, foreign
tourists dine as the Indian Ocean breakers roll in beneath them and
ceiling fans circle slowly overhead. A speedboat skims across the
lagoon as locals sell orange coconuts by the roadside. Every day,
flights arrive packed with tourists escaping winter.
But, away from palm-fringed beaches and nightclubs, and largely
unnoticed by visitors, Sri Lanka faces a crucial decision. Today, the
country votes in an election which may end up making the difference
between peace and war. Because, as tourists relax on the beaches, the
ceasefire with the Tamil Tiger rebels - that has brought some peace for
the past three and half years - has been crumbling. Analysts warn that
a return to violence is becoming more likely with every passing day.
Sri Lanka
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