InfoAnda - Sri Lanka holds postwar polls in northern towns

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Warner Bros. Furthers Efforts To Upgrade From DVD To Blu-ray | 11 May 2010
Tough times in the U.S.-China iPad smuggling game | | 26 March 2012
Thailand reports 3 more swine flu deaths | 13 July 2009

George Lam "good friends" with Sally Yeh? | 12 December 2008

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Sri Lanka holds postwar polls in northern towns

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Yahoo! Search Search: Sign InNew User? Sign Up News Home - Help Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Search Search: Sri Lanka holds postwar polls in northern towns By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI,Associated Press Writer AP - Sunday, August 9 COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka hailed elections Saturday near an area once dominated by the Tamil Tiger rebels as the first seeds of democracy sprouting along the former battlefields of its recently ended civil war, but voters largely stayed away from the polls in the violence-scarred region. ADVERTISEMENT Opposition parties accused the ruling coalition of restricting their campaigns, the government barred most media from the region, and voters appeared apathetic in the first elections in the northern cities of Jaffna and Vavuniya since 1998. Voter turnout was less than 25 percent in Jaffna and about 40 percent in Vavuniya, according to election monitors. The cities, where Tamils are a majority, are just outside the shadow state the Tamil Tigers ran as a virtual dictatorship and were frequently hit by violence during the quarter-century civil war. The government recaptured the territory and routed the rebels on the battlefield in May, ending a conflict that killed between 80,000 and 100,000 people. The rebels were fighting for a separate state for minority Tamils after decades of marginalization by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority. "This is another step toward strengthening democracy in the north," said Douglas Devananda, a government minister from Jaffna. Devananda's Tamil party _ with its armed paramilitary wing _ led the ruling coalition's election slate in Jaffna. Keerthi Tennakoon, national organizer of the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections, said there were no reports of election violence, but the low turnout showed residents had little interest in the voting. "We have undergone a lot of hardship but we have no solutions to our problems. So we are in no mood to vote. It's not going to make any difference," said G. Selvam, a 52-year-old Jaffna resident, explaining why he stayed away from the polls. Six political parties and independent groups fielded 174 candidates in Jaffna, while 135 politicians from nine parties contested seats in Vavuniya. Out of them, 34 will be elected to the municipal councils in the two cities. Results were expected Sunday. The government was also holding an election in Uva province to the south and was likely to get a boost from the recent capture of the rebels' new leader, Selvarasa Pathmanathan. Pathmanathan, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's former chief weapons smuggler, was arrested in Southeast Asia and sent back to Sri Lanka, where he was being questioned, the government said Friday. Sri Lankan defense spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said the arrest showed "that we are capable of demolishing any future emergence of the LTTE." Tennakoon said about 50 percent of eligible voters turned out in Uva. Despite the rebels' defeat, both Jaffna and Vavuniya remain surrounded by government checkpoints and are accessible only with written permission from the Defense Ministry. Even residents can't leave without permission. The main opposition United National Party said its lawmakers had to obtain permission to enter the cities for campaigning. The government has refused permission for reporters to cover the elections _ though ruling party dignitaries brought reporters on their campaign trips _ saying journalists would have to rely on official statements for their coverage. Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said the decision to bar the media "dashes any hope of a transparent election." Nearly 300,000 Tamil civilians who fled the war zone during the final months of fighting also are being held in camps near the two cities. Suresh Premachandran, a lawmaker from the Tamil National Alliance _ seen as a front for the rebels _ said the elections were just a government show. "The Tamil people do not want an election at this time when hundreds of thousands of their relatives are held in government camps," he said. Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Sign in to recommend this article » 0 users recommend Related Articles: Asia Pacific Afghan challenger blasts government securityAP - Sunday, August 9 Hong Kong firm to pay Australia $21m for toxic oil spillAFP - Sunday, August 9 One killed as Typhoon Morakot rips through TaiwanAFP - Sunday, August 9 Sri Lanka holds postwar polls in northern townsAP - Sunday, August 9 Exiled Uighur activist say she is 'woman of peace'AP - Sunday, August 9 Most Popular – Asia Pacific Viewed Manson murders back in spotlight 40 years on Taiwan's Jay Chou goes to Hollywood: report Turn in US jobs data boosts recovery hopes State-rescued bank RBS mired in bad debts Freddie Mac swings to profit, after steep losses View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Community - Intellectual Property Rights Policy - Help

Other News on Sunday, 9 August 2009
Iraq asks Iran about 3 detained Americans
Georgia leaders to face 'retribution' for war: Medvedev
EU defends action against Intel after report leaked
Three new bank failures bring to 72 number of collapsed US banks
French woman, embassy staff confess in Iran trial
Georgia blogger blames Russia for mass cyber attack
German energy giant unveils huge cost-cutting plan
Fatah endorses Abbas as party leader
French embassy targeted in Mauritania | International |
One Turkish soldier killed in PKK violence
Huge crowd shows solidarity with Tel Aviv gays | International |
Afghan presidential contender denies Karzai deal | International |
Look at what Congress has done so far this year
Analysis: To-do list largely undone
Obama says `worst may be behind us' on recession
Helicopter, plane collide over Hudson, 9 likely dead
Clinton: US to work with Afghan election winner
Sotomayor becomes first Hispanic US Supreme Court justice
Afghan challenger blasts government security
Hong Kong firm to pay Australia $21m for toxic oil spill
Ga. teen accused of shooting stepsister 10 times
Sri Lanka holds postwar polls in northern towns
Go-to guy on foreclosure cleanouts sees it all
Sotomayor sworn as first Hispanic on U.S. Supreme Court
Exiled Uighur activist say she is 'woman of peace'
Bomb outside NW Pakistan school wounds 6
Militants say Pakistan's Mehsud alive, deny report
Myanmar marks 21 years since student uprising
Taiwan's Jay Chou goes to Hollywood: report
Grammer says heart attack gave him chance to re-tool | Entertainment |
Mad Men still spellbinding in Season 3 | Entertainment |
Techno music fans turn out for Zurich rave party
Venice Film Fest introduces 3D film award
Report: Missing Japanese actress turns herself in
Jackson show insurance excluded 'illicit' drug use
Huge crowd shows solidarity with Tel Aviv gays
Taliban leader's death disputed, shootout claimed
ETA claims Spanish police deaths: statement
French lecturer and embassy staffers go on trial in Iran
Climate change to challenge US military: report
Iran charges French woman, embassy workers with plot | International |
British actor claims he fathered Jackson's daughter
Fighting erupts between Taliban rivals and Pakistan government | International |
Iran charges French woman, embassy workers with plot
Jonas Brothers Team Up With Verizon And LG Mobile Phones To Give Fans A Chance To Win A Kickball Game With The Band
Crown Prince Willem-Alexander And Princess Maxim Of The Netherlands To Sue Over Photos
Sri Lanka's first post-war polls show mixed results | International |
Director John Huges Dead At 59
Late Actor Heath Ledger's Anti-Whaling Modest Mouse Music Video Finally Released
Disney To Premiere Environmental Charity Single Featuring Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus
Former Intern Recounts Alleged Sexual Abuse By Dr. Phil
Hollywood Production Manager Ted Swanson Dies At 72
Bushfire Survivor Sam The Koala Dies
Clinton seeks better ties with oil giant Angola | International |
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Falls From Stage During Show
Chavez asks Colombia's Uribe to explain base plan | International |
Miley Cyrus' Stalker Busted Again
Springbok skipper Smit commends battling Wallabies
Feared toll from Tongan ferry tragedy rises to 95
93 people missing in Tongan ferry disaster
Plane, copter collide over Hudson; 9 believed dead
Charges unlikely for husband in NY wrong-way crash
Government and pro-rebel party win local elections
One dead, eight missing as Typhoon Morakot hits Taiwan
Collision turns attention to for-hire flights
Sotomayor, veteran judge, is rookie on high court
Flood overwhelms Philippines rescuers, death toll at 20
Nine feared dead after New York mid-air collision
Fighting erupts between Taliban rivals-Pakistan government
North century piles on agony for England at Ashes
AP NewsAlert
Safety of Russian planes in Afghan war questioned
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,331
World pins recovery hopes on rising house prices
Hollywood abuzz at South African sci-fi film
SKorean steelmaker opens Mexico plant
Grammer says heart attack gave him chance to "re-tool"
Stock exchanges hit highest levels this year
Investors crave stability as Shanghai stocks rocket
ABC wants Paula Abdul to dance on over post-'Idol'
Hollywood abuzz at South African sci-fi film
Snowin' in the Wind? Dylan Christmas album due | Entertainment |
Dancing with Stars role for Paula Abdul? | Entertainment |
Beatles fans swarm Abbey Road on album anniversary
"Dancing with Stars" role for Paula Abdul?
ABC puts faith in ambitious programming | Entertainment |
Celebrities, recession fuel interest in etiquette
Police: Suspect planned attack on Indonesia leader
ABC puts faith in ambitious programming
Snowin' in the Wind? Dylan Christmas album due
Dance queen Lady GaGa fashions booming career | Entertainment |
Gary Sinise headlines free concert in Denver park
Report: Jackson kids' godfather claims paternity
Celebrities, recession fuel interest in etiquette | Entertainment |
Tel Aviv gay solidarity event draws 70,000: organisers
Palestinian Fatah seeks renewal, rejuvenation
U.S. says evidence Taliban chief dead pretty conclusive | International |
Saudi closes broadcaster after sex confession
China's east coast battered by typhoon | International |
Indonesia awaits DNA proof of suspect militant's ID | International |
Pakistani Taliban appears in turmoil after shootout
North Korea wants better ties with U.S. : security adviser | International |
Israel warns Hezbollah over assassination report | International |
France condemns Mauritania suicide attack | International |
Palestinian Fatah seeks renewal, rejuvenation | International |
Ship with Russian crew disappears: report | International |
Madagascar rivals agree power-sharing deal | International |
Clinton in Angola to sweeten trade ties
Kepler Telescope Finds Distant Planet During Test Run
Kansas man wins big in lottery for 2nd time in '09
Israel recalls diplomat who warned about US ties
Violent Riots Break Out At California Prison
Obama Travels To Mexico To Discuss Energy, Climate Change And Drug Wars
Consumer protections lost in health care debate
Clinton on oil mission to Angola
7 People, Including 4 Children Killed In California Car Crash
Two Top Pakistani Taliban Leaders Reportedly Killed
Three Bodies Found In Midair Crash Over The Hudson
Obama in first summit with Mexico, Canada leaders
BREAKING NEWS: Small Plane And Tourist Helicopter Collide Over Hudson River In Manhattan
Holder to name prosecutor to probe CIA abuses: report
Aerospace Company Alliant Techsystems Reports Quarterly Profit Surge
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, 88, In Critical Condition
Chinese secrets agency says Rio spied for 6 years
China searches for high-tech leap forward
Japanese actress arrested in Tokyo
Experts gather in Bali to discuss AIDS fight
Indonesia awaits DNA test to confirm terror leader's death
Doubts raised that dead terrorist was top leader
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01