Sri Lankans are voting in the country’s first presidential election since the end of the brutal 25 year civil war.
Incumbent president Mahinda Rajapaksa has fought a close battle with against his former army chief, General Sarath Fonseka.
Both men were involved in the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels, and are seen as heroes by the Sinhalese majority. However, neither has set out a plan for tackling the ethnic tensions which sparked the conflict.
Enthusiasm for the election among the Tamil minority, who complain of marginalisation, is slim. It has been reported that unidentified activists have distributed leaflets in the primarily Tamil city of Jaffna calling for an election boycott.
Security is tight. Four minor blasts were reported in Jaffna this morning.
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