Roundup: Minorities have key stake in Sri Lanka's tight presidential race

Wide streets and shops selling groceries is the first sight that greets a visitor to Sri Lanka's former war zone here in the north.

Yet now this region has become the decisive factor in a closely fought presidential election.

Fifteen million voters in Sri Lanka head to the polls on Thursday to elect their new president in what has been the closest fought race in a decade.

One of the two main contenders is incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is seeking an unprecedented third term in office.

He called elections with two years yet to go in his second term and is still strongly supported by the Sinhala Buddhist majority of the country for ending a three decade war against the rebel group Tamil Tigers in 2009.

Rajapaksa has also spearheaded a massive development drive with new ports, highways, railway and coal power plant springing up around the country.

However, his government has run into trouble over corruption and nepotism along with a rise in extremism that saw the worst communal riots in decades between majority Sinhalese and minority Muslims in June last year.

In November, Rajapaksa's Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena crossed over as the opposition's presidential candidate throwing the race wide open. Sirisena has promised to promote good governance and trim the powers of the executive presidency.

Perhaps the most crucial element in the opposition campaign has been the promise of long delayed devolution for the Tamil community who have been seeking stronger administrative powers in the northern part of the country.

"We believe we have a better chance with a new president. We have a golden opportunity for peace and we believe it is important for our people," Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran told Xinhua.

He insisted people in the north should take full advantage of their rights and acknowledged he fully supported their freedom to vote for the candidate they prefer.

"I haven't decided yet, which candidate to vote for but I will vote," a shop-keeper said declining to be named.

He had returned to his home in Jaffna along with his wife and three children after being displaced in 1990. As fighting worsened the family fled to Muhamalei and were final able to return home in 2013.

"We are happy to be back but times are still hard. People don't have much money so business is slow," he said while handing out some soap and biscuits to a customer.

In the past the northern people have backed the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which has taken the side of opposition candidate Sirisena. The 750,000 votes in this region could make all the difference in a tight race.

Minority Muslim community, have also pledged support for Sirisena.

With the main Sinhala Buddhist vote likely to be split down the middle the minorities will have a key role in this poll.

However, there are fears of voter intimidation.

Local poll monitor, the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) said at the end of campaigning it has documented a total of 420 incidents, with 237 major incidents including dozens of cases of assaults, intimidation or damage to property.

The United Nations, European Union and the Commonwealth have called for restraint during the election.

Over a 100 international monitors will work alongside about 30, 000 local officials to ensure a credible election.

"To ensure a fair poll, I need support. Journalists, police and election monitors, they must all cooperate, I am certain they will, " said Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya told reporters ahead of the vote.

His department will oversee 12,341 polling stations around the island.

Over 71,000 police and 30,000 election monitors have also been deployed to ensure a peaceful poll.

"I will have no hesitation in cancelling the poll at any polling station if there is a threat or intimidation of voters or polling officials," Deshapriya warned after campaigning saw a significant surge of violence in the last few days including one dead in a shootout.

Results are expected to be announced early on Friday. Endi