No Lanka poll pact to woo Tamils: Sirisena

Sri Lankan opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. File Photo

Sri Lanka’s joint opposition candidate Matihripala Sirisena on Monday said he would not withdraw troops from the island’s Tamil-majority north, as national security would be of top priority to him “as President”.

Appearing confident of victory in the Sri Lanka’s January 8 presidential elections, Mr. Sirisena told reporters: “I will not allow the country to be divided or allow the LTTE to regroup in Sri Lanka.”

Militarisation has been a key concern among Sri Lanka’s Northern Tamils, and President Rajapaksa — in whose government Mr. Sirisena served as Cabinet Minister until he defected to be named common opposition candidate — has often cited national security as reason for maintaining the army in the former war zone.