‘Tamil National Alliance’ sweeps in Sri Lanka

In the first regional elections in the island of Sri Lanka, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) swept all five districts of Northern Provincial Council.  The TNA bagged 30 out of a total of 38 seats in an election held under a system of proportional representation. The TNA, which has vowed to press a demand for "self-rule" for Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamils in the majority Sinhalese nation of 20 million, made a clean sweep in the war-affected region despite allegations that the army was trying to discourage TNA voters. The Sinhalese-dominated government called the election under international pressure to share political power with the Tamils four years after defeating separatist Tamil rebels who had fought for full independence. The TNA will now form the first functioning provincial government in the northern Tamil heartland.