Lalith Seneviratne, a 38-year-old father of three, is confined to a wheelchair. But that has not deterred him from living independently, selling camphor balls and other items. With his three sons Tharindu, Ishara and Hirusha lending a helping hand, Seneviratne goes around the city to earn his livelihood.  

U.S. Immigrant Visa Lottery now open

THE 2007 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery was formally declared open in Washington, DC on October 5, 2005. This program allows randomly selected applicants to immigrate to the United States on an expedited basis, provided they meet all the criteria.Individuals wishing to participate in the visa lottery are strongly urged to apply early to avoid any possible delays. 50,000 individuals will be selected for the lottery worldwide, states a US Embassy press release. The lottery registration period will run until December 4, 2005. For the third year in a row, the lottery will be conducted entirely by electronic means. Paper entries will no longer be accepted. The State Department has established a website for the submission of entries, which can be accessed at: www.dvlottery.state.gov Successfully registered entries will result in the display of a conformation screen containing the applicant's name, date of birth, country of chargeability (the country the applicant enters the lottery from), and a date and time stamp. This confirmation screen can be printed as proof of registration in the lottery. People selected for an interview to obtain an immigrant visa will be notified in April/May, 2006. If they qualify, they will then have a one-year window in which they may emigrate to the United States. Under the 2006 Diversity Visa program, 605 Sri Lankans qualified for immigrant visa interviews.

Does Mr. Rajapakse has a solution acceptable to the LTTE? Will the JVP agree to it? – Ranil

"Without the international assistance can Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse bring peace with Somanwansa Amarasinghe" asked, opposition leader and UNP's presidential candidate Ranil Wickremasinghe when he was addressing massive gathering in Vavuniya, yesterday. Mr. Wickremasinghe said that when he is elected as the president, he would unite with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and talk to the LTTE for a lasting solution to the ethnic crisis on the basis of devolution of power within a united Sri Lanka. "Without working together, we can not have peace. I am only for a united Sri Lanka and not for any division" he said. The campaign meeting organized by the SLMC's Vanni district organizer Noordeen Mashoor was held at the municipal grounds in Vavuniya yesterday. SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, Uva Provincial councilor Welayutham also spoke and several other dignitaries took part in the rally. "We have a society divided as Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims ethnically, as Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Islam religions, again the Sinhalese are divided regionally as up-country and low-country" he noted. ‘The same JVPers who protested against the provincial councils system are representing seven provincial councils as a party, if the provincial system divides the country, why do they become members in it? In the past we saw thousands of youth falling victims during the JVP's liberation drama. Could the Prime Minister who has no international support bring in peace with the support of this Somawanse Amarasinghe?' he queried. He also said that Premier Rajapakse should let the people know what solution he has for peace. ‘Premier Rajapakse has fallen into to the JVP's trap, it is Mahinda Rajapakse's short sightedness made him to be tapped. When they were struggling without a political direction he panicked and it is his panic that trapped him, had he maintained some patience he could have trapped them, instead' he said. ‘At the forthcoming presidential election you must elect a person who has the ability think long-term, and work with a clear vision. Vanni is an area which is very badly affected by the war and tsunami; I will create a separate ministry to rehabilitate this area. We did not have any link between the government controlled areas and areas not under the control of the forces, it is to change this situation that we singed the CFA. ‘President Kumaratunga, I and the Prime Minister were of the clear view that only a federal solution based on the Oslo declaration could bring about a lasting solution to the ethnic issue. But today the situation is different only myself and the President are un-changed on this. Can Mahinda Rajapakse put forward a solution which is acceptable to the LTTE? Will the JVP agree to it? He asked.

Muslims mourn quake victims at emotional Friday prayers

Muslims across South Asia on Friday held emotional prayers for the victims of the massive earthquake, both the tens of thousands killed and those survivors now suffering from cold and hunger.

Clerics honored the dead in crowded mosques across Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, urging the faithful — even those in the quake disaster zone — not to abandon their Muslim rituals, like fasting for Ramadan.

Across Pakistan, the country hardest hit by Saturday's massive 7.6-magnitude quake, the faithful heeded President Pervez Musharraf's call for special Friday prayers, with some spilling out of mosques to pray in streets and parks.

In the devastated city of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, dozens attended prayers at the three mosques that remain more or less intact following the quake.

Across the border in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where more than 1,300 people were killed in the quake, thousands attended a "solidarity prayer" service at the 17th-century Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, the region's summer capital.

Separatists launched a fund-raising drive and urged New Delhi and Islamabad to grant free passage across the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir in two.

Todays Cartoon 

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse speaks to a child during a campaign rally. 

Turbulent weather continues

The turbulent weather experienced in most parts of the island will continue in the next 24 hours, the Meteorological Department said. Meteorologist Meryl Mendis told the Daily News that since the atmospheric disturbance in southern parts of the Bay of Bengal has not receded, heavy showers could be expected in a number of areas today. He also warned of gusty winds especially in the Western and Southern coastal areas which might result in sea waves coming into the country. "However, there is no possibility of these winds causing a typhoon condition or causing serious damage," he said. Seven coastal houses in Katuneriya, Wennappuwa area were damaged yesterday owing to sea waves that came into the country as a result of strong winds. According to the Irrigation Department, water levels of most rivers including the Kalu Ganga had recorded a sharp increase following heavy showers in the last few days. "If rainy weather continues we might have to face floods," a Department spokesman said. Yesterday's highest rainfall of 67.6 mm was reported from Boralesgamuwa while ColomboGalle also recorded heavy rainfalls of 54.4 mm and 57.7 mm respectively.

This is a battle between the SLMC and its Traitors in the NE – Rauff Hakeem

"Ranil-Hakeem agreements have replaced the then Ranil Wickremsinghe with a new Ranil Wickeremasinghe, the victory that we will get for Ranil Wickremasinghe will be a victory which will straighten the back bone of the Muslim community" said SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem when he was addressing an election campaign rally held in Ninthavur on Wednesday night (12/10).

Hakeem also said that the forthcoming presidential election was not a simple election nor it was an election between Mahinda Rajapakse and Ranil Wickremasinghe, but it is a battle between the North-East SLMCers and their traitors, ‘the Muslim congress activists and the well-wishers must bear this in their minds' he insisted.

"It is by strengthening this organization the SLMC, that we would be able to win our right and aspirations. If we are to reap fruitful harvest through the agreement that was entered into with Ranil Wickremasinghe, we should mobiles our fullest strength to get the highest number of votes for him, a number even greater than that would be polled by people in the LTTE controlled areas" he said.

"We have done and agreement with the UNP leader to ensure that the security and prosperity of Muslims remain in the hand of Muslims with self autonomy. We must not weaken ourselves and we should not be a barrier to the Tamil community in achieving their rights and aspirations for which they have been struggling for a long period of time, that we should win our rights". Hakeem said. While the Secretary General of the SLMC M.T. Hassan Ali read the salient points of the MOU between the SLMC and UNP presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesainghe for the massive crowd, former Parliamentarian M.L.A.M. Hisbullah, party Chairman Basheer Shegudawood also addressed the gathering.

Tamil Tiger rebels defer commitment to joint human rights declaration in Sri Lanka

The Tamil Tiger rebels have delayed a decision on whether to commit to a joint human rights declaration with the Sri Lankan government amid continuing violence that threatens to derail a fragile cease-fire, a rights expert advising both sides said.

The government has pledged its commitment to a joint human rights proclamation, as well as training for rebel cadres, government and prison officials and the police.

But the insurgents' political leader S.P. Thamilselvan ``indicated that a joint declaration might indeed be possible but should follow from political discussions'' on salvaging the cease-fire, former Amnesty International head Ian Martin told reporters after their meeting in the rebel-held north.

The two sides agreed to talks on how to bolster the truce after the government blamed the insurgents for an increasing number of attacks, including the Aug. 12 assassination of Sri Lanka's foreign minister. However, the negotiations have been held up by a disagreement over the venue. Efforts by Norwegian peace brokers to break the deadlock have so far failed.

The Tamil Tigers ``feel it should await the cease-fire agreement review,'' Martin said.

He said there was no indication when the parties would be able to commit to a joint declaration.

Sri Lanka's 2002 cease-fire has been increasingly threatened by sporadic violence in the Tamil-majority northeast. Scores have been killed in almost daily attacks that the government and the rebels blame on each other.

``The political killings are one the most serious human rights issues,'' Martin said, adding that ``human rights violations are a serious threat to the peace process.''

He said he suggested that both sides accept international human rights monitors.

Human rights groups have blamed the government and the rebels for the deaths and disappearances of hundreds of civilians during their ethnic conflict, while the Tigers have been criticized for recruiting children as combatants.

While he welcomed the rebels discharge of 24 child soldiers to their parents on Thursday, Martin said ``the most important thing is that the LTTE should fulfill its commitment to stop recruitment.''

The rebels took up arms in 1983, saying the island's minority Tamils faced discrimination by the Sinhalese majority. The fighting killed nearly 65,000 people before the cease-fire.

Subsequent peace talks broke down in 2003 over rebel demands for greater autonomy.

Anti SLMC protest in Ninthavur – State Media

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress has strongly condemned false reports by all state media both electronic and print. State media reported that the meeting SLMC held in support of presidential candidate Ranil Wickremasinghe in Ninthavur did not take place due to heavy opposition by the people of the area.

"It is evident that UNP presidential candidate is gaining grounds in the run-up to the presidency with the increasing support of Muslims across the island after the SLMC's announcement to support him, those who can not absorb these happenings are taking all possible measures to try and prevent Mr. Wickremasinghe's victory with our support" a party source said.

SLMC sources said that they will make an official complaint with the Commissioner of Elections with regard to misuse of the state information machinery and also will complain to the Commission against Bribery & Corruption against the misuse of state property.

"We witnessed state property been heavily used to try and thwart our rally. The operation the SLTB busses were curtailed and many other state owned vehicles and resources were used by certain people, which leads to violation of election laws and misuse of public property, therefore, we will take stern action against these" the source said.

According to SLMC sources the meeting in which the SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem and several others addressed had been a massive success and people in thousands had attended the rally that continued until 11 p.m. last night.

Jaffna Students Rise Against Assassinations

Normalcy in Jaffna Centre and its suburbs was disrupted Thursday morning after groups of grief-stricken students, teachers, university students and civilians walked out on to the streets in protest against the gruesome assassination of the Jaffna Central College Principal allegedly by the LTTE.

In it's latest attempt to eliminate rising intellectual opposition from Jaffna against LTTE activities, Jaffna Central College Principal, Rajadurai(53) was brutally gunned down Wednesday (12) afternoon at about 3.45 p.m by Tamil Tiger pistol men.

Grief stricken and furious students at Jaffna Central College boycotted school sessions in protest against LTTE's brutal slaying of their principal in broad daylight, according to sources from Jaffna.

Rajadurai was also criticized by the LTTE for his involvement with the EPDP to develop Jaffna schools. He was also known as a hardcore opponent of LTTE child recruitment in the Northern areas of Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, in a move to justify the killings, the LTTE website tamilnet claimed that he was a "strong supporter of EPDP" in its report on the slaying of the Principal.

Jaffna residents claim that the slaying of the Principal sent a shock wave through their community. They also urge the government and the international community to take strong action to prevent such killings in future. Military sources claim that the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has been provided with all accounts related to the killings.

Jaffna Central College Principal shot dead by LTTE

K.S. Rajkumar reporting from Jaffna, September 12. Gunmen alleged to be from the LTTE shot and killed Mr. Rajadurai, principal of Jaffna Central College, a leading college in Jaffna. Mr. Rajathurai was shot in front of his students, when he was attending a religious function at the Weerasingham hall in Jaffna. The assassins fired several shots at Mr. Rajadurai and fled the scene. Eyewitnesses said there were at least four gunmen at the scene, but only one fired the shots.

Mr. Rajadurai had received death threats from LTTE in the past. Recently a letter was sent to him by Ellalan force the clandestine group that is well known to be a LTTE front , and was published by Nitharsanam.com, an LTTE web-site operated from Norway. In May this year, Nitharsanam.com published a warning to Mr. Rajadurai that he would be face dire consequences , without any further warnings, if he continued to ignore th edicts of the LTTE. Mr. Rajadurai's transgression is believed to have been that he allowed the broadcast of an educational radio programme from the Jaffna Central College, and LTTE was not happy about it. The particular educational programme airs on radio associated with the EPDP. Jaffna Central College also received funds from Mr. Douglas Devananda, who was a student at Jaffna Central. With the funds received from Mr. Devananda, Mr. Rajadurai built several class rooms and library facilities at the College. LTTE operatives in Jaffna had previously warned Mr. Rajadurai that no development work should be carried out at the school using funds from Mr. Devananda. However, Mr. Rajadurai, being the principal of the college, ignored those warnings and went ahead with the development of the college.

Earlier, on Tuesday night, alleged LTTE assassins also shot and killed another school principal in Kopay. Mr. Nadaraja Sivakdacham, the principal of Kopay Christian College, was shot and killed in front of his family in Kopay. It is reported that the assassins came in a motor cycle to his residence, called him by his name, before shooting him on the spot.

LTTE has intensified its assassinations recently. In the last two weeks alone, LTTE gunmen had killed at least 17 Tamils in Jaffna district alone, most of them killed in their houses or offices, in front of family members.

LMC Leader Rauff Hakeem addresses the press conference held at Hizbullah Islamic Cultural Centre at Kattankudi in the Estern Province this morning.Former Deputy Minister for Telecommunication and Media M.L.A.M Hisbullah on also addressed the press.SLMC officials and large number of supporters are present. 

Hisbullah, Harees back home

M.L.A.M. Hisbullah, former deputy Minister, Chairman of the Airport and Aviation Authority and deputy leader of National Unity Alliance has formally announced his re-joining the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress this morning at a ceremony being held at the Hisbullah Cultural Hall in Kattankudi in the presence of SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem.

Hisbullah is scheduled to address a SLMC rally in Nintavur in support of UNP presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe later today. He will have the company of another SLMC dissident, former Parliamentarian H.M.M. Harees who will re-join the SLMC during this week.

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem who is busy campaigning in support of Ranil Wickremasinghe's bid for presidency will now have the oratory powers of the former PA strongman Hisbullah in his campaign.

Hakeem in Ampara

‘Ranil Wickremasinghe is a leader who treats Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities equally and one who does not ally with Sinhalese extremist groups' said Rauff Hakeem when he was addressing an election campaign meeting at Damana, a predominantly Sinhala village in Ampara.

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem had commenced a series of meetings in the Sinhalese areas of the Ampara district, as part of the campaign in support of opposition leader Ranil Wickremasighe for presidency, yesterday (9/10/05).

Meetings were held at Sinhalese villages Damana, Keselwatte, Japan Malwatte, Nawagampura, Hingurana, Muwanhala and Polwatte in Ampara. The SLMC is enjoying a new waive of support among the Sinhala masses in these areas. Large crowds have attended the meetings.

He said that Ranil Wickremasinghe's priorities were to introduce a realistic action plan to brining in permanent peace, develop the rural economy and uplift the quality of life of the farmers, fishermen and the entrepreneurs, make them to give added contribution to the national economy.

"Muslims of the coastal areas in the east are frustrated with the UPFA government, it is the same situation with the Sinhalese people here' he said.

Hakeem also said that "this is not a battle between Ranil and Mahinda, but we see this election as a test of strength between the JVP and the SLMC".

People carry the dead body of a quake victim in Balakot, 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2005. The death toll from Saturday's earthquake that struck Pakistan, India and Afghanistan rose above 18,000 on Sunday, the Pakistani army spokesman said, as rescuers struggled to dig victims from destroyed apartment buildings, schools and mud-brick homes 

An injured Kashmiri girl is carried as she arrives at a military base after she was transferred from an earthquake-affected area of Pakistan, in Rawalpindi October 12, 2005. REUTERS/Mian Khursheed 

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse acknowledges greetings of the crowd at a Presidential Election rally in Anuradhapura on Sunday 

Sri Lanka to donate US$ 100,000 to earthquake victims

The Government of Sri Lanka has pledged a sum of US$ 100,000 in assistance for the earthquake victims of Pakistan. The donation would assist the ongoing relief effort in the aftermath of the October 8th earthquake.President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike in messages of condolence to their counterparts in Pakistan and India have expressed their shock and deep distress at the unprecedented loss of life and destruction, states a Foreign Ministry press release. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, expressing her condolence to General Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, stated that the people and the Government of Sri Lanka express their solidarity with Pakistan at this moment of national anguish.

While extending her heartfelt sympathies to the President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the President in her message of condolence said that Sri Lanka remembers with deep gratitude the immediate and overwhelmingly abundant assistance rendered by India to Sri Lanka during the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. In his message of condolence to the Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse stated that Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Pakistan during this national tragedy. He expressed his condolences to the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and expressed his sincere wishes that the efforts of the Government of India to bring relief and solace to those affected by this tragedy would meet with all success. Minister of Foreign Affairs Anura Bandaranaike telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid M. Kasuri and expressed his sympathies to the Government and the people of Pakistan. "I was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of lives and property caused by the earthquake in the Northern parts of India," stated the Minister in his message of condolence to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, K. Natwar Singh.

Kumari Cooray suicide : Police probe security lapse

The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) and the Kollupitiya Police investigating the suicide of Kumari Cooray who set herself ablaze on Thursday morning is probing, why the three Ministerial Security Division (MSD) officers on duty failed to prevent the woman from entering the premises where SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem was residing and then allowing her to commit suicide. According to Colombo Crime Division's Director SSP Sarath Lugoda, the deceased Kumari Cooray first attempted to enter the house of SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem on Thursday around 12.00 midnight but was prevented by the MSD Security officers. However she returned there again in a three wheeler taxi around 1.30 a.m and managed to enter the premises by scaling over the wall. Thereafter she requested the three wheel driver to hand over her bag which he did. When she confronted the three MSD officers inside the premises she had told them that she wished to meet Hakeem. While the security officers had just looked on she poured petrol on her body and set herself ablaze. She had run for about 50 meters and had fallen down when the security officers were able to put out the fire. According OIC Kollupitiya Chief Inspector Palitha Siriwardena, the deceased Kumari Cooray had lodged a complaint at the Kollupitiya Police station last August against Hakeem.However the three wheeler taxi driver was not arrested as he was not involved in any way. Meanwhile the city Coroner who held the inquest had returned a verdict of suicide.

Huge quake kills thousands in Kashmir

A powerful earthquake measuring at least 7.6 on the Richter scale killed over 1000 people across India's Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan on Saturday, the state's top civil servant told AFP. "The devastating earthquake has left 157 people (civilians) dead all across Jammu and Kashmir," State Government Chief Secretary Vijay Bakya told AFP, adding that 18 soldiers had also perished. Police and army officials reported at least 300 people wounded in the quake, which had its epicentre across the de facto border in Pakistan where more than 1,000 were feared dead.

"Fifteen of the soldiers died along the Line of Control (LoC)," army spokesman P. Sehgal told AFP, referring to the dividing line Kashmir between India and Pakistan. He said some of the army's forward posts caved in, while others were hit by falling trees and landslides. "There can be more casualties," he added. Doctors at Srinagar's main hospital said more than 200 people were admitted with injuries and shock after the quake.

The army spokesman said more than 100 people were being treated at an army hospital in northern Uri town alone. Police reported more than 100 houses and buildings were damaged in the initial jolt, and roads to northern border areas were blocked by landslides triggered by the tremors. People in multi-storey buildings were evacuated as a series of aftershocks hit the capital city and other parts of the state.