1.   Frivolous peace plans put forth by leaders speaking for the Sinhalese majority have drawn frivolous responses from insurgents upholding the rights of the Tamil minority.

2.   Her opponents quickly accused her of jeopardizing the interests of the ethnic Sinhalese majority in her approach to the rebels.

3.   She said the Tamil minority had been wronged by the Sinhalese majority and promised to achieve a political settlement.

4.   The disaffection of the Tamil minority is rooted in decades of discrimination by the Sinhalese majority.

5.   The Sinhalese majority is mostly Buddhist, and the Tamil minority is predominantly Hindu.

6.   Polls in eight other councils in the east, dominated by the Sinhalese majority, were held last month.

7.   Rebels among Sri Lanka Tamil minority demand a separate homeland, accusing the Sinhalese majority of oppressing them.

8.   Although Tamils say the Sinhalese majority discriminates against them, many Tamils work in government and are fully integrated into Sri Lankan society.

9.   But four of the eight crew members are from the Sinhalese majority.

10.   But the rebels demand a separate homeland, accusing the Sinhalese majority of systematic oppression of the Tamils.