Sri Lanka's existing president 'wins general election'
27/01/2010
Mahinda Rajapaksa will retain his post as Sri Lanka's president after winning the recent election, it has been reported.
According to the country's election committee, Mr Rajapaksa beat his challenger and former army leader Sarath Fonseka at the polls.
The military head, who led the defeat of the Tamil Tiger insurgent group last May, rejected the outcome of the election and aims to challenge it, he stated.
He was surrounded by troops at the hotel in which he was staying following the results, it was reported.
Mr Fonseka pledged to address Tamil grievances if he was elected, but many of those displaced by the fighting last May remain in refugee camps which were set up by the current government.
Last week, IRINNews.org reported that four people have been killed so far due to internal violence that flared up around the election.
These include three individuals in Kurunegala and a 60-year-old woman who died in Hungama.
Written by Clare Devlin
