NFF to achieve a genuine national freedom

The National Freedom Front (NFF) is built with the objectives of achieving genuine national freedom and to build a satisfactory nation, President of the NFF, parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa said at the opening ceremony of the NFF headquarters at Jayanthipura, Battaramulla this morning (19).

He also said that the NFF is confident to drive country towards a right direction and Maha Sangha and the educated people will strengthen the efforts taken by the NFF.

He further said that although other political parties are involved in constant attacks against NFF, the party does not hesitate at all in the face of such attacks and forward with confidence.

He stressed that even though the some previous governments achieved some victories over certain issues, no one has been able to build a correct and appropriate economic policy and that Sri Lanka is facing a critical economical situation. NFF is able to raise the country into the right position with maintaining appropriate Sri Lankan friendly policies.

Maha Sangha and many elite people were among the participants on this occasion.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankapuvath.lk/index.php
Photos,
http://www.island.lk/2008/06/20/p01111.jpg

LTTE must lay down arms before talks - PM

The Government will not enter into negotiations with the LTTE until and unless it lays down arms and renounces all forms of violence, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka has said.

Prime Minister Wickramanayaka has stated this at a meeting with New Zealand's new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Rupert Hall on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister stated that the Government was fully committed to ensure the rights of the Tamil people, but the LTTE which claims to be the sole representative of Tamil people was destroying their rights. The Government will leave no room for terrorism, he added. The New Zealand High Commissioner said his country deplored all forms of terrorism.

Extracted from,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/20/sec20.asp

It’s very unrealistic to think of a ceasefire at this stage -Basil

Q: Analysts see the May Eastern victory as a triumph of war strategy and political consolidation. Is there a danger of you and Gotabhaya exercising more power in this scenario?

First you need to see that the East was not a favourable province for the PA. The President lost the East badly at the Presidential election. We lost over 168,000 votes. In this campaign the UNP used three SLMC leaders and a prominent Sinhala politician to defeat the govt. Then the TNA made a public appeal for the people to vote against us; then the LTTE created tension to dissuade voters. Even the JVP contested separately. All we had was the faith that we had genuinely done work to develop the East. We had that confidence when we went before the people.

But on strengthening myself and Gotabhaya I need to deny that belief because I haven’t even gone to the East after the elections. I used to visit there at least once a week before but now the people have spoken and there is an elected people’s representative there who can handle the development; we don’t need to get involved there. My involvement in the East is less now. Even in the military side more and more power is coming to the Provincial Councils. The military presence is much less there. Those days the centre had more power because we worked through the governor, but now there are ministers and the CM so our involvement is negligible. Politically, we have power because our presence is strengthened after the elections in the East.

Q: Although you say your involvement is minimal, there must be much left undone in the East?

There is a lot to be done. We have resettled at least 90% of the displaced. Our target is to leave none unsettled by end December. On livelihoods too we are progressing with the help of donor agencies. The infrastructure development too is continuing according to plan. The East must be having the largest number of bridges in the entire country as planned. Water, fisheries harbour and roads will take priority. Even the World Bank has cited the East as a priority in the recently pledged funds. Reconstruction of the irrigation canals is also underway. The Trincomalee industrial estate is already underway.

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Five Lankans dead in Doha fire

Five Sri Lankan male migrant workers have died while two others sustained serious injuries in a fire in Doha in the wee hours of yesterday.

According to sources at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment the fire had broken out in an apartment at Al Mayoom street in Doha City where nine Sri Lankans were staying.

They added that the Doha Police had confirmed their deaths.

They had died on the spot. However two other Lankans living in the same apartment had jumped out of a window to escape the raging blaze and were out of danger with only minor injuries sources said.

Meanwhile news reaching Sri Lanka says that the other two who have sustained serious injuries were being treated at a hospital in the city but was in a critical condition.

The SLBFE yesterday said the Sri Lankan embassy in Qatar was closely interacting with local Authorities in investigations and to help the affected migrant workers.

They also added that the Doha Police had launched an extensive investigation into the incident but the cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Chairman SLBFE Kingsley Ranawaka said the next of kin back home had already been notified and that all necessary measures would be taken to help the affected families including to bring back the remains and funeral matters.

He also added that Authorities in Doha was keeping a close eye on the two injured Lankans and the latest developments regarding the incident. The dead have been identified as Thusitha Ananda-Embilipitiya, Roshan Kumara-Akuressa, Nimal-Chilaw, Asela Madusanka-Bulathsinhala and Nalinda Kumara of Tambuttegama.

The two injured are Dulan Salika of Hatton and Vijitha Aluthgedarage of Ginigathhena.

Extracted from,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/20/news03.asp