Rajapakse Vs Fonseka: Not a one horse race, but a contest By Rajan Philips This election was supposed to be a one horse race for Mahinda Rajapakse. Now it is a contest. Nobody can yet say that Mahinda Rajapakse is going to lose; nor can anyone now say that Sarath Fonseka is not going to win. [TC]

Sri Lanka-Tamil Vote and the Presidential Elections

By Siva Sivapragasam 

A former Sri Lankan High Court Judge and a well-respected Tamil and Religious scholar Justice Wigneswaran in his interview to a leading Tamil Newspaper in Sri Lanka on the forthcoming Presidential Elections has stated that the Tamils should exercise their democratic right of voting and not boycott the elections as they did last time. [MJ]

Rajapakse and Fonseka election promises mean nothing to the Tamils

by Dushy Ranetunge

During a previous election many in Colombo and the affluent classes were overconfident of a UNP victory. At the time there was a massive disjoint between the perceptions in Colombo and those in the country. Rajapakse tapped into these rural aspirations, and Prabakaran assisted by excluding the Tamil vote. The rest was history. [TC]

Why the minority communities are rallying around Sarath Fonseka

by Leela Issac

The moment the TNA announced its support for the opposition presidential candidate, General Sarath Fonseka, the ruling party and the forces that back President Mahinda Rajapakse have begun to smell an international conspiracy with the help of the LTTE to destabilize and divide Sri Lanka.[TC]

Three distinguished Sri Lankans write to Rajapakse and Fonseka about conduct of elections

by Arjuna Aluwihare, Jayantha Dhanapala and Chandra Jayaratne

This Presidential election is taking place at a time when we are free of the scourge of armed conflict––thanks to you and the team of which you as President and also General Fonseka were vitally important members. The contents of this note are for the attention of both of you please [TC]

Dilemma facing the nation at presidential poll is how to choose the lesser of two evils

by Senerath Ambepitiya

After emerging victorious in a 30-year war Sri Lanka was heading for a bright new era. At least so the Sri Lankans thought. [TC]

Ven. Batharamulle Seelaratana Thera attains enlightenment under Araliya trees

By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Lord Buddha was enlightened under the Bodhi tree. A Sri Lankan claiming to be his disciple has received enlightenment under Araliya trees! [TC]

How preference votes are counted in a Presidential Election

By Suriya Wickremasinghe

This briefing paper responds to questions received by CRM about the counting of preferences at the Presidential election A decision how to vote, or whether to vote at all, should be an informed decision. [TC]

Presidential Poll 2010: Breaking the Piper’s Charm

by Chinthaka Senaratne

Political commentators seem to have run out of superlatives when attempting to describe the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapakse. [TC]

The spiritual theme of Thai Pongal

By Gamini Jayasinghe

‘Thai’ is the first and auspicious month in the Tamil almanac and ‘Pongal’ is a dish of a sweet concoction of rice, dhal or a split pulse, jaggery and milk. Thai Pongal is therefore the feast in the month of Thai. [TC]

There is a minority question with multiple configurations that plagues our existence in every way

Maya's tweet to NY Times: "Get your priorities straight"

tweet bundle from the twitter pages of maya arulpragasam M.I.A

Here is the lush coastline they are talking about [TC]

The first murder of Presidential Election 2010 campaign

Interview with Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Co-Convenor of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) over the murder of a political party supporter in Tangalla today and the lobbing of a hand grenade in Batticaloa. [TC]

Tissainayagam the First Journalist Convicted Under PTA Granted Bail by Appeal Court

by Chris Patten

Pity the poor Sri Lankan voter. As presidential elections loom on Jan. 26, the public is faced with a choice between two candidates who openly accuse each other of war crimes. [TC]

Slow swing in favour of 'Swan' and the perturb at President's campaign

by Col. R. Hariharan

For President Mahinda Rajapaksa last week was not a happy one. Media predictions show a slow swing in favour of the common opposition candidate General Sarath Fonseka in the January 26 presidential poll. [TC]

Concern grows over IDP voting rights

by IRIN News

Tens of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) and new returnees in Sri Lanka may miss out on voting in this month's presidential election on 26 January. [TC]

Giving Sri Lanka green light to fight “war on terror” regrettable -International Crisis Group

International actors need to press for accountability for abuses by both sides during the war as well as challenge the government’s post-war policies. [TC]

In Pictures: Funeral of Thiruvengadam Veluppillai [TC]

Lasantha's wife Sonali writes to Mahinda about inquiry into husbands murder [TC]

Is TNA decision to support Sarath Fonseka revenge politics or separatist politics?

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Sarath Fonseka relying mostly on people from the "Triple A" for campaign. AAA stands for Army personnel, Ananda Collegians & Ambalangoda people [TC]

Family members of Mahindas cronies preparing to flee Country from Jan 20th

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Veluppillai Prabhakaran’s father Thiruvengadam Veluppillai breathed his last on Wednesday January 6th night. The 86 year old retired government servant’s birthday was on January 10th. [dbsj]

Pictorial: A Sri Lankan Underdog Battles Global Tea Giants

by Vikas Bajaj

Merrill J. Fernando’s eyes lit up one recent morning when his son Dilhan handed him a box of Twinings Pure White Tea. He quickly ripped open a tea bag and spilled its contents onto a piece of paper. [TC]