Sri Lanka President Declared Re-Elected, Top Rival Claims Results Rigged

27 January 2010

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 27 Jan 2010 (photograph released by the Sri Lankan President's office)

Sri Lanka has declared President Mahinda Rajapaksa the victor over his former top general, Sarath Fonseka, in the country's first peacetime election in decades after the long civil war against the Tamil Tiger rebels. But the rival to the president is refusing to concede defeat, saying that although voting was peaceful the results have been rigged to give Mr. Rajapaksa another six-year term in office.

Sri Lanka's Election Commissioner says the incumbent president captured nearly 58 percent of the vote, 17 percent more than the former army commander.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa called for his former opponents and their supporters to join him in building the country.

Mr. Rajapaksa says from today onward he is the president of everyone, whether they voted for him or not.

But his top rival is having none of it. Sarath Fonseka told reporters the results have been rigged and displaced minority Tamils, in districts where he enjoyed support, were prevented from voting.

VOA Photo S. HermanDefeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka tells reporters he will not concede, 27 Jan 2010

He spoke to reporters in the basement of a lakeside hotel in central Colombo, which has been ringed by army troops.