 | | | Opposition leader in Palali camp (Photo Elmo Fernando) |
Opposition leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has made a rare visit to a military base in the north of the country which is mostly controlled by Tamil Tiger rebels. Wickremesinghe -- who is the main opposition candidate in presidential elections due to be held in two weeks time -- told the troops if he was elected he would reach a permanent peace deal with the Tamil rebels within three years. He said security concerns had prevented him from visiting the town of Jaffna which is under government control. Correspondents say Wickremesignhe's visit was an attempt to woo the soldiers' votes and present himself as a man of peace. His presidential rival, the current prime minister Mahinda Rajapakse, has adopted a more hardline approach towards the Tamil rebels. | ~RS~a~RS~Sinhala~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~56~RS~){kind=small}
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