National Freedom Front invites JVP parliamentarians

National Freedom Front, newly setup political party of Wimal Weerawansa could attract more JVP parliamentarians.Anjan Umma MP is the new member who obtained her membership in the party today morning at the NFF headquarters, Pelawatta.

Wimal Weerawansa General Secretary of the NFF said he invites all JVP parliamentarians to join with the NFF to make a good political culture. At present 12 JVP parliamentarians are with Wimal’s group and another few MPs are expected to join with them, said political sources. NFF is the forth largest party at the Parliament today and Wimal Weerawansa could attract more members for the party, said a political analyst. Meanwhile JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said Anjan Umma’s case is second stage of one episode.

LTTE receives heavy beating

The Sri Lankan Army infantry and armour divisions stepped up ground advances backed by heavy artillery into South of Papamoddai and areas East of Marattikannnaddi and Minnaniranchan in Mannar since 6 a:m last(June 26), morning.
According to latest reports 12 LTTE terrorists were killed during the fighting ensued between troops and LTTE. Further, 1.7Km stretch between Chalampan and Marattikannadal along the Andankulam- Vidattalativu road was brought under full control of the army troops, the report said.
SLAF striker helicopters have also supported with tactical fire support during precision raids launched North of Andankulama this morning at identified LTTE positions ahead of the existing FDLs.
Papamoddai is located 12 km. south of Vidathaltheevu and 8 km north of Mannar, on the Mannar-Pooneryn road. According to available information heavy fighting was reported between troops and LTTE in separate locations South of Papamoddai as ground troops claimed to have chased off LTTE flanks sent to defends its last lines of defences in the area, which is said strategically important considering its proximity to LTTE's coastal stronghold Veddithaltivu.

Sri Lankan in Panel to probe deadly attack on UN in Algiers

Sinha Basnayake, a former Director of Legal Affairs at the United Nations, has been named as part of a panel to examine whether any United Nations staff should be held individually accountable over last December’s deadly terrorist attack on the world body’s premises in Algiers.

UN Secrertary-General Ban Ki-moon told UN staff that he was establishing the follow-up group in response to a recommendation issued by the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises Worldwide, itself created in the wake of the Algiers bombings, which killed 17 staff members and targeted UN offices in the Algerian capital.

Ralph Zacklin, a former Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, will head the group, and he will be assisted by Jean Jacques Graisse, Sinha Basanayake, Zelda Holtzman and Marisela Padron. The team will work out of UN Headquarters in New York and is slated to report back to Mr. Ban within six weeks.

In his letter to staff, the Secretary-General stressed that he has not forgotten the sacrifice of those who lost their lives in the Algerian capital, or the suffering of the many other victims or their families.

"I would like to reiterate my firm commitment to ensuring full accountability on the part of my senior managers, as well as all those at other levels of responsible decision-making," he said.

"But, combating security threats from terrorists and other detractors of the United Nations and ensuring the safety and well-being of staff and dependents, national or international, makes it incumbent that host governments and Member States also realize their responsibilities more strongly so that fuller and more concrete cooperation of security matters can be elicited from them. This factor cannot remain under-emphasized."

The Independent Panel, led by Lakhdar Brahimi and comprised of international experts in the field, presented its report to Ban earlier this month, and the report was released today with some redactions to avoid revealing details that may pose further threats to the personnel and premises of the Organization.

Twin air raids destroy LTTE training base

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets and MI 24 helicopter Gunships carried out two air raids targeting LTTE camps located in the North Mannar this morning (June 26).

According to the Air Force sources, the first raid was carried out by MI 24 helicopters at 6 am targeting a Forward Operating Base (FOB) of LTTE located at Marattikannadi , 2 km North of Andankulama. The air raid was carried out to support the ground advance of Army 58 division on the Mannar front, said the sources. Ground troops have confirmed that the attack was effective, the sources added.

The second air raid was carried out by Air Force fighter jets around 6.10 am targeting a training base located in the Vellankulama area , 20 km North of Vidattaltivu. According to the sources the target was accurately taken. Exact damage caused to the enemy in this attack is yet to be verified, said the sources.

Sri Lanka High Commissioner for United Kingdom

Retired Supreme Court Judge Chandra Nihal Jayasinghe is expected to take over, as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner of United Kingdom from 1st of July. Shenuka Senivaratne, the outgoing High Commissioner has completed her tour of duty and has gone back to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo on the 19th of this month. Supreme Court Judge Chandra Nihal Jayasinghe retired from judicial service on 01 March, after serving in the legal profession for 37 years.

A British fashion chain cancelled exports from Indian

Primark , one of the biggest chains of low cost fashion stores in the United Kingdom had to drop three of its suppliers in India as a BBC Panorama programme exposed the supplying factories were employing Sri Lankan Tamil children in South Indian refugee camps.

In the program it was exposed the subcontractors for Primark’s suppliers were employing the refugee children as slave labor to complete embroidery work. The Guardian newspaper published photos of the working children attaching sequins to a T-shirt and a model wearing a similar T-shirt.

The retailing chain said as soon as it was alerted about the child labor fiasco it cancelled all new orders with factories connected with the practice and withdrew the relevant clothes from is shelves.

The agitation against the practice with few demonstrations in front of the Primark shops started when reporters for the BBC’s Panorama Television programme exposed the practice. Panorama report said, after a seven months investigation, that they found three firms in Tirupur, an industrial area in Tamil Nadu supplying clothes to the British firm Primark.

Full Story: BBC