Tamils wary of new Sri Lankan president

KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka - For Tamils erecting lifesized posters to mark the forthcoming Heroes' Day, when Tiger rebels remember their fallen, the election of Mahinda Rajapakse as new Sri Lankan president is a matter of concern.







KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka - For Tamils erecting lifesized posters to mark the forthcoming Heroes' Day, when Tiger rebels remember their fallen, the election of Mahinda Rajapakse as new Sri Lankan president is a matter of concern. "We know Mahinda. He has been a politician for a long time.









And we don't trust him," said Daruniali Saravanam, owner of a roadside eatery outside Kilinochchi, political capital of the rebels.

"I think he wants war because he promised the JVP he would abandon the truce," said Saravanam, referring to the Marxist Peoples' Liberation Front (JVP) with whom Rajapakse had forged a pre-poll alliance to ensure their vote during the November 17 ballot.

The JVP believes too many concessions have been given to the Tigers and wants the entire Norwegian-led peace process renegotiated.

Peace talks between Colombo and the Tigers have been deadlocked since April 2003 although a truce signed in February 2002 still holds.

The ethnic conflict between majority Sinhalese and the separ