Sri Lanka's Elections: Will They Bridge the Divide?

By Morgan Courtney

Today, Sri Lanka is holding its first elections following the May 2009 defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the end of Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war. These Presidential elections, between the current president and the army general who led the winning campaign against the Tamil Tigers, are likely to be very close. The result could serve to unite the country or divide it further, depending on who is elected and if that person will make efforts to build trust and increase political and civil participation among minorities, particularly Sri Lankan Tamils. Yesterday, a task force from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs released a report analyzing what is at stake in the presidential and parliamentary elections (which must be held by May 2010) in terms of building peace, ensuring free and fair elections, and fostering a more inclusive political environment. The report also examines the likelihood of elections in the Palestinian Territories, and considers what is needed to create an environment conducive to elections.

Bridging the Divide? An Assessment of Elections in Sri Lanka and the Palestinian Territories is available here.

Flickr photo by Keith Bacongco used under a Creative Commons license.