Opposition calls for restoring democracy

Colombo: Sri Lanka's opposition said yesterday it would launch a mass campaign calling on the government to restore democracy in the island nation after tense Eastern Province elections that it says were tainted by vote tampering.

The government hailed Saturday's vote as a return to democracy in the country's east less than a year after it drove out the rebels who had controlled the region for 13 years.

But the opposition says the poll - in which the ruling party coalition took 20 out of 37 seats - was irreparably flawed.

Intimidation

"We will launch a mass campaign and will continue it until democracy is restored," said Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition leader and head of the United National Party.

Independent monitors reported dozens of incidents of vote tampering and said a faction of former rebels allied with the government were responsible for intimidation before the campaign that made it impossible to hold a fair vote.

Wickremesinghe said the vote was marred by violence and rigging. "Today, there is no free and fair elections in Sri Lanka. We are taking another step toward dictatorship."

Rauff Hakeem, leader of the opposition Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, said they are collecting evidence to file a suit to overturn the election.

Health Minister Nimal de Silva dismissed the opposition's complaints.

Clashes

Troops kill 15 rebels

Government soldiers fought Tamil Tiger rebels along Sri Lanka's northern front lines in a series of battles that killed 15 guerrillas and three soldiers, the military said yesterday.

The latest fighting took place in the Vavuniya, Welioya and Jaffna regions bordering the separatist rebels' de facto state in the north. Soldiers killed ten Tamil Tiger rebels in Vavuniya in a battle that also killed one soldier. Other battles in Jaffna and Welioya killed five rebels and two soldiers. But it was not possible to independently verify the military's claim because reporters are not allowed in the war zone.

- AP