Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on 10 October 2000. The People's Alliance (PA) government Kumaratunga had led for six years was facing increasing criticism on two fronts: a series of military defeats at the hands of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the country's civil war, and the faltering performance of the economy. The elections were marred by violence. Seventy people were killed during the campaign, including six on election day itself. [1]. Both the UNP and SLMC parties accused the PA of election fraud and intimidation.