Actress Sandra Bullock, Humanitarian Award honoree, poses with presenter Sri Lankan Ambassador Bernard A.B. Goonetilleke at Fashion Group International�s 22nd Annual �Night Of Stars� at Cipriani�s 42nd Street on October 27 in New York City.  

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse hands over the Award for Best Actor 2004 to Jackson Anthony (Randiya Dahara) at Thursday�s Sarasaviya Awards presentation at the BMICH.  

Northern Displaced Muslims declare ‘Week of mourning’

The internally displaced Muslims, who were evicted from the north and east by the LTTE in 1980 declared a "Week of Mourning" today to launch a signature campaign to coincide with the 15th anniversary of their eviction by the LTTE. They will commence a peaceful march from Kattar to Puttalam today in a bid to collect 100,000 signatures for a petition which would be handed over to President Kumaratunge, UN General Secretary Koffi Annan and to Heads of Diplomatic Missions of Muslim countries in Sri Lanka. It is reported that approximately 300,000 displaced Muslims live in Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Kalutara and other districts, while around 300 families have resettled at Musali in Mannar and 150 of them lived in un-cleared areas. (AB)

Mahinda shedding crocodile tears after depriving children of mid day meal –Kabir Hashim

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse was shedding crocodile tears after being responsible for depriving school children of the mid day meal, the UNP said Wednesday.Kegalle district UNP parliamentarian Kabir Hashim told a media briefing in Colombo, that Rajapakse was a member of the Peoples Alliance government that discontinued the miday meal for school children introduced by the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa."It is ironical to hear Mr. Rajapakse expressing concern about malnutrition and childrens welfare after keeping quite when the mid day school meal was discontinued."Responding to allegations that the UNP would scrap ‘Samurdhi', when it comes to power, Hashim said that those who want to remain with ‘Samurdhi' and pick up a pittance would be free to do so.However, ‘Samurdhi' recipients who want a 300 per cent increase in assistance have the choice of switching on to the ‘Siya Saviya' programme that would be introduced by the UNP.

Ratnapura district UNP parliamentarian Thalatha Athukorale, said that Rajapakse was sympathizing with children saying that there were many who faint in school due to malnutrition , but has failed to do anything to help them all these years."Mr. Rajapakse, claims that he understands school childrens problems since he has children of his own. If that is the case what was he doing when the school mid day meal was scrapped."Athukorale, said that the people cannot be deceived anymore and were flocking round Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe who has put out a workable manifesto with solutions to all issues faced by the people."Mr. Wickremesinghe has a earned a reputation for being a man who keeps his word and will deliver on all his promises .He will pay specific attention to bringing down the high cost of living and establish the elusive peace that everyone is longing for", she said. (courtesy The Island).

Sri Lanka to field 50,000 police, deploy army in northeast for presidential election

Sri Lanka will field 50,000 police nationwide and deploy military troops in the volatile northeast during the Nov. 17 presidential election, officials said Friday.A 2002 cease-fire between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels has been increasingly strained by violence, especially in the northeast, parts of which have long been under rebel control.Sri Lanka also has a history of violent elections and vote fraud. Police spokesman Rienzie Perera said uniformed and plainclothes officers will conduct vehicle and foot patrols to check for signs of conflict or attempts to sabotage voting.Perera said military troops will be responsible for security in the northeast, an area dominated by ethnic minority Tamils and the center of the Tamil Tigers' two-decade war against the government.The conflict, fueled by Tamils' complaints of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese, claimed about 65,000 lives before the government and rebels signed a Norway-brokered cease-fire in February 2002.

However, subsequent peace talks have stalled due to government-rebel disagreements over postwar power-sharing.Scores of people have been killed since the cease-fire, with attacks escalating after a factional split among the Tigers in March 2004. The government and rebels blame each other for the trouble.Past Sri Lankan elections have been plagued by violence and vote-rigging. In 2001, 61 people were killed in the days leading up to a parliamentary poll.

Meanwhile, the European Union Friday expressed ``frustration'' at the lack of progress in implementing its recommendations made after observing three previous elections. John Cushnahan, the head of a 72-member EU team, told reporters in the capital of Colombo that the union is ``clearly frustrated with the lack of follow-up to our previous election observation missions.''

He had expressed similar views after the April 2004 Parliamentary polls and warned that the EU was unlikely to send another mission if the government failed to set up an independent election commission, draw up a code of conduct for political parties, and take tougher action to stop election-related violence.There are 13 presidential candidates in the coming elections, but the main contest will be between Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is an opposition leader and former prime minister. Independent observers have said that conditions were better during last year's parliamentary election, except in parts of rebel-controlled areas in the northeast. Five people died.