Sri Lanka church says candidates pledge violence-free presidential vote ahead of pope's visit
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A Sri Lankan church leader says the two main candidates in January's presidential election have promised a violence-free vote, with Pope Francis scheduled to visit the country just days later.
Francis is to start a three-day visit on Jan. 13, five days after the poll. Some church officials are seeking a postponement, fearing there could be post-election violence because of the acrimonious campaign.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is seeking a third term in office, is facing his former health minister, Maithripala Sirisena. Sirisena defected from Rajapaksa's government after the election was announced last month.
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Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith told the Catholic weekly newspaper Messenger that the bishops' conference met with both candidates and received their assurances of no violence.