DATE=12/21/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA VOTE (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257363
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Three out of four voters in Sri Lanka have cast
their ballots in the country's fourth presidential
election, amid tight security. Officials say final
results will be announced Wednesday. Vandana Chopra
reports from Colombo that five people have died in
poll-related violence.
TEXT: Independent election monitors say the victims
were killed in clashes between the supporters of
political parties, following a violence-plagued
campaign.
The election was a tight race between President
Chandrika Kumaratunga of the People's Alliance
coalition and Ranil Wickremasinghe of the main
opposition, United National Party. Political analysts
say President Kumaratunga is expected to score on a
sympathy vote, because she was injured by shrapnel in
an assassination bid by a suicide bomber. The attack
occurred Saturday night, while she was walking to her
car after finishing an election speech on the last day
of campaigning.
At least 24 people were killed and 110 wounded in the
blast, in which President Kumaratunga sustained eye
injuries. She later delivered an emotional national
television address saying although she suffered minor
injuries she is fit to carry out her duties and all
her faculties are working perfectly.
During the voting, some 50-thousand police fanned
across the country to man nearly 10-thousand polling
booths. Streets in Colombo were deserted as curfew
was clamped at night.
Although voting trends in the war-torn North and East
were not very clear, residents of the area say voting
was generally peaceful. Tiger rebels have been
fighting for a separate homeland for the minority
Tamil community in Sri Lanka's north and east since
1983. (Signed)
NEB/vc/gm
21-Dec-1999 12:45 PM EDT (21-Dec-1999 1745 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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