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Canadian aid to monitor Sri Lankan poll

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, APRIL 1. The Canadian International Development Agency will provide (Canadian) $100,000 to the Commonwealth Secretariat that will monitor Sri Lanka's parliamentary elections of April 2.

"We hope that the presence of Canadian and other international election monitors at polling stations in Sri Lanka will help facilitate free and fair elections and deter acts of violence against those casting their ballots," the Foreign Minister, Bill Graham, has said.

"Once the people of Sri Lanka have expressed their collective will in a free and fair election, it will be important for the parties to resume the peace process as quickly as possible so that Sri Lankans can live in peace and security," he said.

The 15-member international group that includes India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa has already reached Sri Lanka. It will draw a report after the polls close.

Ottawa has said that it has also provided (Canadian) $100,000 to two Sri Lankan non-governmental organisations to enable them to monitor the polls.

"Sri Lanka has been caught in the throes of a civil war for a generation with fighting focussed in the north-eastern part of the country. Canada has been active in supporting a negotiated solution to the conflict through the provision of both financial assistance and expert advice on issues surrounding political power sharing in a post conflict Sri Lanka," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said in a press release.

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