One of our main activities is organising and hosting Luncheon Briefings on pertinent topics of EU-Asia relations. Beginning with an informal lunch, the Briefings usually last for 1.5 hours, including questions.

Attendees include EIAS members and other interested parties.

Experts wishing to discuss a possible topic for a Lucheon Briefing are invited to contact EIAS Direct Dr Willem van der Geest.

The 2005 Presidential Elections in Sri Lanka – The Observer’s Assessment
1 December2005, EIAS, Brussels

Speaker: Mr. John Cushnahan, Chief Observer, European Union Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Sri Lanka, Board Member, European Institute for Asian Studies, Brussels
Chair: Dr. Willem van der Geest, Director, European Institute for Asian Studies, Brussels

On 17 November, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) won Sri Lanka's closely fought presidential election. In the run-up to the election, reports of misuse of public resources for campaigning, biased coverage by the state media and even a Supreme Court interim order discriminating against voters from LTTE areas threatened to de-legitimise the election process. On the day of the election, violence in the North and East of the country obstructed balanced participation whilst an enforced boycott by the LTTE further hindered voter turnout.

A European Union Election Observation Mission (EOM) was present in Sri Lanka, both leading up to elections and on election day, to monitor the process. EOMs are deployed, at the invitation of the concerned government, by the European Union as a tool for advancing democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law. Over the years, the EU has built up a reputation in the field of election observation as a fair and impartial actor promoting transparency and international standards for democratic elections through its presence and reporting in a wide range of countries.

The European Institute for Asian Studies is honoured to welcome Mr. John Cushnahan, Chief Observer of the EOM in Sri Lanka, to speak on the presidential election in Sri Lanka and the Preliminary Statement issued by the EOM on 19 November in Colombo. Has Sri Lanka made progress in the conduct of democratic elections; what lessons can be drawn from this latest presidential election; and what challenges are foreseen in the future?

Download the Letter of Invitation (pdf)