'No decision' over CM post
[ BBC Sinhala ][ May 11 20:06 GMT ]
The Sri Lanka government is yet to decide on who should be the Chief Minister, a senior minister said. Leader of the house and Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told BBC Sandeshaya that the government will “respect the mandate of the people” in appointing the eastern CM. The leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) and a senior regional Muslim leader are both vying for the CM post. [ full story | comments ]
   » Pillayan, Hizbullah tussle for CM post - Daily Mirror
   » 'I am eligible' says Pillayan - BBC Sinhala

Fraud alleged in victory by Sri Lanka governing party
[ AP ][ May 11 14:24 GMT ]
The governing party of Sri Lanka won control of the country's tense Eastern Province on Sunday after an election that monitors said was marred by voter intimidation and fraud. The election commission said that the United People's Freedom Alliance coalition won 52 percent of the vote in the balloting Saturday, giving it 18 seats - plus two bonus seats given to the winner - on the province's 37-member council. The opposition United National Party won 42 percent of the vote and captured 15 seats, while two smaller parties won one seat each, the commission said. [ full story | comments ]
   » Lanka's ruling coalition wins Eastern council amid charges of violence - IANS
   » UPFA wins 'rigged' EPC election - TamilNet

A Time of Change
[ Tamil Guardian ][ May 11 14:14 GMT ]
New challenges and opportunities for the Tamil freedom struggle. The pointedly symbolic visit to Sri Lanka, in between those to Pakistan and India, by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has inevitably sparked considerable analysis as to the implications for politics, broadly defined, in the island, the region and indeed, internationally. In the recent past Iran, long in the background of Sri Lanka's dynamics, has come into the limelight as forcibly as has China. Conversely, under President Mahinda Rajapakse, the Sinhala state is making a deliberate shift to the East and away from the West. Such realignments are, of course, never absolute. [ full story | comments ]

Sri Lankan government wins vote
[ BBC ][ May 11 14:13 GMT ]
Sri Lanka's ruling coalition has won a provincial election in the east of the island, seen as key to its strategy to win a war against the Tamil Tigers. But opposition leaders and rights groups said the poll was marred by fraud and voter intimidation. The vote was held in a region which was under Tamil Tiger rebel control until it was seized by the army last year. The government says the result is a blow to the Tamils' demand for an independent state. [ full story | comments (2) ]
   » Sri Lanka government wins key election in east - Reuters
   » Sri Lanka's president says election win a mandate for war against Tamil rebels - AP
   » Sri Lanka govt wins key polls in boost for war effort - AFP

Prorogation and stifling dissent
[ Sunday Leader ][ May 11 14:09 GMT ]
It is a child's guess that the May 6 propagation of parliament by President Mahinda Rajapakse, his second one, was prompted by political expediency and barely veiled a need to curb the emerging voices of dissent. Legislative history bears enough testimony to demonstrate that the House since 1948 had seen way too many prorogations with the latest being the May 6 prorogation. Prorogations have been decided upon at times of political turmoil as records bear evidence, and at times, it had proved an effective tool for leaders to ride the wave during crucial times, like President R. Premadasa did in the aftermath of an impeachment to consolidate his legislative hold. [ full story | comments ]