Sri Lanka

November 2005 | Risk Summary

Sri Lanka's main private election monitoring outfit, the People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has warned that the November 17 presidential poll is unlikely to be free and fair in the Tamil-dominated eastern province where near-daily clashes between rival rebel groups and security forces have caused rising levels of violence. Minority Tamils, who are concentrated in the north-eastern regions, represent a significant block vote at the poll and any instability in the region would work to the advantage of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse who is pitted against opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Nordic truce monitors reported that over

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