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Work for peace, prosperity, says Fonseka
Hindu,
Jan 1.
COLOMBO: Commander-turned-politician and major opposition parties’ consensus presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka has urged the voters to seize opportunities to build on the triumphs of the island nation on the foundations of reconciliation, prosperity, development and true peace. The retired General’s first national address was aired by the state owned ‘Eye’ television channel as per the Election Commission’s guidelines to provide a level-playing field to all the candidates in the January 26 election.
A similar speech of Mr. Rajapaksa, who is seeking a second term two years ahead of his tenure, is to be aired in the next few days.
The campaign, mainly a contest between Mr. Rajapaksa and the retired General, is expected to gain momentum next week. While systemic changes like abolition of Executive Presidency and alleged corruption and nepotism of Mr. Rajapaksa are the focus of the former Army Chief, Mr. Rajapaksa has made development after the military defeat of the LTTE as his main poll plank.
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Published: Fri Jan 1 15:28:07 EST 2010
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Sri Lanka dismisses EU trade move
AFP,
Jan 1.
COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka's president on Friday dismissed the European Union's suspension of preferential trade status to the island, saying his government would resist foreign "strategic interference".
"We will not be held back by threatened economic sanctions or withdrawn trade concessions by those who seek strategic interference in the national affairs of Sri Lanka," President Mahinda Rajapakse said in a New Year message.
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Published: Fri Jan 1 12:42:30 EST 2010
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War-crime allegations piling up in Sri Lanka
IPS,
Dec 31.
COLOMBO // Seven months after Sri Lanka ended nearly 40 years of bloody insurgency on the island, allegations of war crimes continue to haunt President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is seeking re-election next month.
Last week, the UN special rapporteur for extra-judicial killings and arbitrary executions, Philip Alston, urged the government to clarify allegations that Tamil rebels and some leaders had been shot down while trying to surrender and carrying white flags.
The allegation was made by the former army commander, Gen Sarath Fonseka, who is contesting the January 26 presidential election against Mr Rajapaksa. In an interview with the Sunday Leader newspaper on December 13, Gen Fonseka was quoted as saying that the defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who is also the president’s brother, had ordered field commanders to kill senior rebel commanders including those who wished to surrender.
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Published: Fri Jan 1 12:57:36 EST 2010
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