Student groups to hit Mall tonight for candlelight vigil

Student groups will join together tonight to honor victims of the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia by holding a candlelight vigil on the UA Mall.

The Association of Sri Lankans at the UA is spearheading the effort and has contacted other student groups to join them at the memorial.

"We are having this vigil to honor the victims of the tsunami," said Suminda Hapuarachchi, president of ASLUA.

Hapuarachchi, a doctoral philosophy student, said there was a great response from other student groups on campus. He said that in addition to the groups speaking at the vigil, there will be a slideshow of pictures, categorized by country, showing the devastation and victims.

Channa De Silva, secretary of ASLUA, will lead the vigil.

"The idea of this event is to get together for a moment of spiritual togetherness in memory of those affected by the tsunami in all the South Asian countries," De Silva said in an e-mail. "In this event, the religious leaders from the Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim communities will conduct their services, wishing a fast recovery for all the survivors."

In addition to honoring the victims, ASLUA will also honor those who contributed to the relief effort.

"This is also a great opportunity to thank everyone helping in (the) US by donating money, medicine, food, clothing and their service," said De Silva in an e-mail.

Saliya Ratnayaka, vice president of ASLUA, said the vigil will not be geared toward any particular religious group because the event is being held only to remember those affected and killed by the tsunami.

"The vigil is multi-religious; there will be no specific prayer. Each group will get seven minutes to talk about what they want to," Ratnayaka said.

Representatives of the Buddhist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Baha'i faiths are expected to speak at the vigil, De Silva said, while other faiths and campus organizations will be represented as well.

Hapuarachchi said ASLUA will be accepting both monetary and physical donations at the vigil, which will be given to UNICEF, Americare and World Care.

ASLUA has already collected nearly $3,000, most of which was donated by the Department of Chemistry, Ratnayaka said.

"We filled a 15-foot-long U-Haul truck with clothes and other donations," said Ratnayaka.

The donations from the UA and ASU were combined, and a Sri Lankan group in Los Angeles is sending everything to the victims, Ratnayaka said.

The vigil will be held on the UA Mall stage. Everyone who attends will be given a candle, said Hapuarachchi.

Students who want to donate are welcome to bring money or other items. Physical donations will be donated to World Care locally. ASLUA prefers checks to be written to UNICEF and Americare directly. Cash donations will be donated in one check from ASLUA, said Hapuarachchi.