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DATE=12/18/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA VOTE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257275
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Campaigning for Sri Lanka's presidential 
elections ends at midnight Saturday. And as Vandana 
Chopra reports from Colombo, a close contest is 
predicted between the two main candidates for 
President.
TEXT: The Center for Monitoring Election Violence, an 
independent monitoring
group says nearly one-thousand incidents of poll 
violence have been reported since President Chandrika 
Kumaratunga announced the election date in November.
Campaigning for elections officially ends at midnight 
Saturday, 72 hours before polling begins on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the capital Colombo, was decorated with 
colorful banners, posters and flags with the two main 
contestants, President Chandrika Kumaratunga of
the ruling People's Alliance coalition and the main 
opposition candidate, Ranil Wickremasinghe of the 
United National Party holding their last
political rallies, Saturday evening.
Police officials say roads near the meeting sites were 
closed and security has been tightened with new 
military checkpoints springing up overnight.
The state media says, more than 100-thousand public 
servants will man almost 10-thousand polling stations 
in different parts of the country.  An electorate of 
nearly 12-million people are eligible to vote Tuesday, 
between seven in the morning and four in the 
afternoon.
The election commissioner has invited 26 foreign 
observers from 15 countries to be present during 
polling.  That is in addition to local independent 
monitoring groups.
Lack of independent opinion polls makes it difficult 
to say who is leading,
but political analysts say the two main contestants 
are running neck and neck.
Meanwhile, fighting in the continuing civil war has 
intensified in the Northern Jaffna peninsula ahead of 
the voting.  The Defense Ministry statement  says 110 
Tiger rebels and 18 government security forces were 
killed and 57 wounded during the last 24 hours.
Tiger rebels  are fighting for a separate homeland for 
the minority Tamil community in Sri Lanka's North and 
East. (Signed)
NEB/VC/PLM  
18-Dec-1999 07:10 AM EDT (18-Dec-1999 1210 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.