My son informs me from Matara, Sri Lanka, that there was a great hissing sound from the sea around 10 a.m. and the sea seemed to be caving in.

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Over lunch in Matara a few days before the poll Mr Rajapaksa accurately described this, while admitting that General Fonseka's campaign had struck fear into his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

ECONOMIST: Sri Lanka's election