Sri Lankans Vote Amid Drawn-Out, Costly Civil War

Sri Lankans began voting today in local elections that many see as a referendum on the country’s economy and the government’s costly war against separatist rebels.

The voting at 8,246 polling centers took place under tight security following a campaign marked by repeated violent incidents, many attributed to the ruling Peoples’ Alliance.

Results from the voting will not be known until Saturday.

The election is the first opportunity for the main opposition party, the United National Party, to test its strength since it was voted out three years ago, after 17 straight years in office.

Soldiers were deployed in major cities to assist policemen in preventing violent episodes.

The Alliance, elected into office in August 1994, has deliberately raised the stakes in the election by focusing on its war effort and its peace plan with the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

The last two years have witnessed some of the stiffest battles. The government had vowed to end the war through a policy of reconciliation with the Tamils, who claim discrimination by the majority Sinhalese.

Friday’s vote is for representatives to 12 city councils, 31 town councils and 198 area councils in six provinces. No voting is being held in the wartorn north and east.