ABC - PANEL: the Tamil factor in Sri Lankan polls
Thousands of Tamils in the north of the country will be voting for the first time in many years. Ironically, the minority Tamils - who've suffered discrimination under successive governments - may decide the outcome, if the majority Singhalese vote is split. While both incumbent President Rajapakse and the former military chief General Fonseka actively courted the Tamil vote during campaigning, many observers say it remains to be seen if the lot of the Tamil minority will improve in Sri Lanka.
Presenter: Sen Lam
Speakers: Sisira Jayasuriya, Singhalese-born Professor of Economics at LaTrobe University in Melbourne; Dr Sam Pari, Sydney-based spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress





