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Sri Lankan president triumphant, despite poll challenge
Colombo (AFP) Jan 28, 2010 Sri Lanka's president said Thursday his re-election was a riposte to critics of his handling of the war against Tamil rebels, even as his beaten rival denounced the result and went to ground. The United States congratulated Mahinda Rajapakse for sweeping back to a second term, but also called for a full investigation into charges of vote fraud levelled by the president's main challenger, Sarath Fonseka. Official results gave Rajapakse 57.9 percent of the popular vote from Tuesday's bitterly fought election, trouncing the opposition-backed candidacy of Fonseka, his former army chief, who got 40.1 percent. The 64-year-old president took a swipe at those "in Sri Lanka and abroad" who had condemned his handling of the final military offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels that ended the island's decades-old civil war in May. "The overwhelming mandate given in this election has given the answer to these critics," he said in a statement. "The people of Sri Lanka, democratically and very clearly, have shown that they are now free of threats, free of fear, free of terrorism -- and they have shown they support the measures which have freed them." The United States and European Union have led calls for an investigation into possible war crimes arising from the final stages of the fighting, when the UN says around 7,000 civilians were killed. The Sri Lankan government and military have vehemently denied charges of indiscriminate heavy shelling of civilian areas, as well as extra-judicial killings. The US embassy congratulated Sri Lanka on its first post-war election and "President Rajapakse on his victory", but urged authorities to probe any ballot irregularities. "We urge a thorough investigation of these allegations," the embassy said in a statement. "In addition, we urge the authorities to ensure the safety and security of all candidates." Fonseka spent much of Wednesday holed up in a luxury hotel in central Colombo surrounded by armed troops, and expressed fears of an assassination or arrest. He slipped out late in the day to an undisclosed location. Fonseka said he would contest the final result because of fraud and violations of electoral law, and must now decide whether to petition the Supreme Court. His whereabouts were unknown after suggestions Wednesday from the candidate that he might have to go abroad because his security detail had been withdrawn. He holds a Green Card that gives him US residency rights. UN chief Ban Ki-moon voiced relief that the presidential polls had been "relatively peaceful" despite some election-day bombings, and urged the opposing forces to abide by the official results. China, a key supplier of small arms to Sri Lanka, said it wanted to see "lasting peace and prosperity" in the island. Sri Lanka distanced itself from the West as it came under fire for its human rights record last year. It has built ties with China and Iran, and last year hosted Myanmar's reclusive military leader Than Shwe. But speaking to reporters on Wednesday night in the afterglow of his election win, Rajapakse also sought to build some bridges with his Western critics. "Most of our misunderstandings were due to the fighting. It is over now. I am on my second term and we can work together to address any outstanding issues," he said. Rajapakse had called the election two years early, riding on his popularity after he and Fonseka eliminated the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who had been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland since 1972. While the island's Sinhalese majority united to give Rajapakse a second term, the Tamils concentrated in the war-ravaged northern and eastern provinces rejected him in favour of Fonseka. But the president said: "I want to reach out to the Tamil people even if they did not vote for me this time. Commentators said Rajapakse would now have to deliver in addressing Tamil political demands and residual bitterness after the war to prevent another ethnic insurgency. "The Tamils have shown anger over their treatment after the war. The president must read the message clearly and try to reach out," said retired foreign secretary Nanda Godage.
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