Per Stig Møller urges reconciliation and respect for Tamil minority after presidential election in Sri Lanka

In the wake of Sri Lanka’s first presidential election in 26 years, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller has called for national reconciliation between the Tamils and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka.

Møller is concerned about the possible fall out from the just-tallied presidential elections in the country, where incumbent president Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has been declared the winner ahead of General Sarath Fonseka.

‘We must unfortunately acknowledge that the elections were marred by violence and irregularities,’ Møller stated in a press release.

‘In addition to the crucial political reconciliation process needed, Sri Lanka is also facing a huge challenge to solve its humanitarian crisis after so many years of civil war.’

Møller did say, however, that he believed the election on Tuesday set in motion the democratic process necessary towards building a lasting peace the south Asian country.

‘I would therefore urge the president and all other political forces in Sri Lanka to fully address this important task,’ he said.

Fonseka was the leader of several operations against the Tamil Tigers during his military career and was the head of the Sri Lankan military when it finally defeated the rebels after the country’s 25-year civil war. He had campaigned on the promise that, if elected, he would have allowed the island’s minority group to found their own nation.

Fonseka said he was challenging Rajapaksa’s claim of victory in the presidential election.

In the press release, Møller stated that a conscious effort on the Sri Lankan government’s part to take more consideration for and give a larger voice to the Tamil people was ‘essential’ to achieving any long-lasting peace in the country.