DATE=12/18/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA BLASTS (L)
NUMBER=2-257281
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Two bomb blasts have disrupted political
rallies in Sri Lanka. President Chandrika Kumaratunga
was slightly wounded in one of the attacks. Both
blasts occurred within hours of each other on the
final day of campaigning for Sri Lanka's presidential
election. Reports from the scene say at least 15
people were killed at the blast that occurred at the
site where Sri Lanka's president was speaking, and
nine killed at the second rally. V-O-A's Jim Teeple
reports the Sri Lankan military has imposed a curfew
on the capital and surrounding areas.
Text: Separate bomb blasts went off at rallies being
held by Sri Lanka's president, Chandrika Kumaratunga,
and the United National Party of her main opponent,
Ranil Wickremesinghe. The blasts occurred at the end
of a brief political campaign before Sri Lankans go to
the polls on Tuesday to vote in a presidential
election. Saturday was the final day of campaigning.
The first blast occurred at the conclusion of
President Kumaratunga's rally. A second blast at a U-
N-P rally took place a short time later on the
outskirts of the capital. Mr. Wickremesinghe was
addressing a separate rally in the capital at the time
of the second attack.
Rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam who
claim to represent the minority Tamil ethnic community
had threatened violence in the days leading up the
vote. Sri Lanka has been wracked by civil strife for
more than fifteen years as the Tamil Tigers have
sought to carve a separate homeland out of the
northern and eastern parts of country.
More than a dozen candidates are contesting Tuesday's
election, but the main contest is between Chandrika
Kumaratunga and Ranil Wickremesinghe. The two
candidates have traded bitter accusations in the days
leading up to the vote, with each accusing the other
of working to destabilize Sri Lanka.
The vote also takes place as the Tamil Tiger rebels
have launched a major offensive in northern Sri Lanka
aimed at recapturing the town of Jaffna, which they
held until 1996 when they were ousted by Sri Lanka's
military. Since the offensive began in early
November, the rebels have overrun more than 100
villages.
Negotiations to end the civil strife have failed
repeatedly. A recent report from the United Nations
Development Agency blames the Tamil Tigers for
refusing to accept a political solution short of a
separate state for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority.
A proposal submitted to parliament by Chandrika
Kumaratunga's People's Alliance for political autonomy
in Tamil areas has been blocked in parliament by Mr.
Wickremesinghe's United National Party. For his part,
Ranil Wickremesinghe says if he is elected, he will
accept third party mediation to end the conflict.
Recent polls show the race between the candidates is
too close to call. (Signed)
NEB/JLT/JP
18-Dec-1999 13:55 PM EDT (18-Dec-1999 1855 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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