Tuesday, February 16, 2010
General ‘s arrest is a political revenge no matter what explanations are offered – President finally responsible regardless of who did this
| Special communiqué of Religious summit leaders | |
| (Lanka-e-News, Feb.17, 2010, 9.30AM) The religious leaders’ summit in a special communiqué had stated that the arrest of Gen. Fonseka by the Army, the opposition Presidential candidate at the recent Presidential elections is an act of wreaking political revenge on him. No matter what explanations and justification the Govt. might advance, it is very clear it was a calculated concerted effort to exact revenge. The communiqué goes on to say that at a time when the opposition parties are preparing to file an election petition and the general election is around the corner, this action is most unethical, incorrect and a high handed act. Irrespective of who took this decision, the President cannot disclaim responsibility as he is finally answerable. | |
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Monday, February 15, 2010
The abducted Disabled police officer who worked for Gen. Fonseka dumped near Town Hall by abductors after torturing him to lie about the General
(Lanka-e-News, Feb.15, 2010, 9.45AM) A disabled Police officer J. Ashok Kumara residing at ‘ Kusume gedera’ Ragama working for General Sarath Fonseka who was abducted on the 11th of Feb. was found abandoned near the Town Hall yesterday after being tortured to force him tell lies about Gen. Fonseka . The abductors had dumped him and gone.Free General: JVP to start a march in protest from Campbell Park tomorrow
The march which will commence at Campbell Park will leave for Lipton circus where a demonstration is to be staged.
Final decision next week regarding elephant symbol after discussion with all parties –Ranil
 (Lanka-e-News, Feb. 15, 2010, 10.40AM) Although the Executive Committee of the UNP has decided to contest under the elephant symbol, the leader of the party Ranil Wickremesinghe said, by virtue of the powers vested in him, he can under the circumstances finally decide after discussing with all parties with a view to arriving at a suitable decision in the best interests of all.Hence, he will discuss with all parties and take a final decision next week whether it is will be the elephant symbol or any other. Ranil Wickremesinghe stated this at a media briefing at his official residence on the 14th where Tissa Attanayake and Karu Jayasooriya also participated. Mr. Wickremesinghe opened his speech with the remark ‘War Hero Sarath Fonseka is in jail, KP the villain is in a palace’ Saving Fonseka and Ekneliyagoda who was abducted are not two matters, they are one, protecting the crumbling Democracy in the country, he pointed out. | ||
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Police inspect Bank Safe of election funds of Gen. Fonseka
This inspection was done with an order obtained from the Courts . It was confirmed that a sum of Rs. 15 million and US dollars 5.5 lakhs in cash were found in the Bank Security Safe in the name of Dhanuna Thilakaratne and his mother .
The Lawyers of Dhanuna had declared that these monies were funds received for Fonseka’s election purposes, and they have adequate documents to prove that.
Dhanuna Thilakaratne’s family told Lanka e news that the Police after the inspection of the Safe had left with or without sealing it , adding that they suspect this is a scheme by the Govt. to link these funds to the HI Corp Co. alleged deals .
It was however further revealed that the amount of Dollars in the Safe was much below the amount allegedly involved in the HiCorp Co. deal.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sri Lanka monks call for release of arrested Fonseka
BBC- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8514960.stm
Sri Lanka's Buddhist clergy have called for the release from custody of former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Gen Sarath Fonseka.
In a rare political move, leading monks told President Mahinda Rajapaksa they did not support the arrest of a man who risked his life to serve the country.
Gen Fonseka was credited with the battlefield defeat of the rebel Tamil Tigers after a decades-long civil war.
He was arrested last week on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.
He has denied the charges.
The leading monks of Sri Lanka's main Buddhist sects made their appeal to the president in a joint letter.
"We insist that we cannot approve the arrest of the former army commander Gen Sarath Fonseka," the letter said.
"We urge you to use your presidential powers to acquit from all charges, release and provide security to Gen Fonseka and the group who served the motherland risking their lives to safeguard the sovereignty of the motherland and save peoples lives."
The monks are well respected by both politicians and civilians in the mainly-Buddhist nation.
Gen Fonseka's arrest has provoked clashes between his supporters and those of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was re-elected on 26 January.
Where is my father ? from Aparna foseka blog
http://thissidesrilanka.blogspot.com/2010/02/where-is-my-father.html
I am Aparna Fonseka, youngest daughter of General Sarath Fonseka of
My father dedicated forty years of his life to serving my motherland,
The person who came to the office to arrest my father was Major General Sumith Manawadu who was the officer in charge of Mullaitivu during the Eelam War IV and he was transferred to the Army headquarters in
The state media is trying to label my father as a traitor to brainwash civilians. The rural areas only hear the voice of the state media and if some person raise their voice against the government in power, they will lose their jobs and even their lives. As soon as the election was over, the government seized my father’s office, took most of the equipments, and with no valid reason, arrested over 13 men who worked there. This was only the beginning they had launched against my father. They fired 14 military officers with the accusation that they were planning a military coup. There is no evidence for any of these allegations but I am also aware that they are capable of making false evidences after taking these people under arrest. Democracy in
On 2009, my father was known as the best army commander in the world. (Eg.http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items09/150109-8.html) Everyone wanted to know his methods and tactics. They were impressed by how he ended terrorism which had been going on for almost three consecutive decades. I can wholeheartedly say that he is the most patriotic man I know and possibly the most patriotic man who has ever lived in
Only my mother, sister and I can understand the amount of work and thought he put into the miraculous victory. There were countless days when I fell into restless sleep not knowing whether he would arrive home from work safely because of the many threats he had on his life. For weeks we wouldn’t see him because he had gone to join our brave soldiers at the war front. After the suicide bomber’s attempt, I sat for two whole days in the emergency room praying for a miracle to save my father’s life.
Now, I am sitting here clueless begging people for information and for help. I do not know where my father is, where they’ve taken him, what they’ve done to him. Why are they attacking him? For trying to save our country from corruption? Or because he is the only man with courage enough to stand up against the corrupt government? Or is it because he was the only one who understood the hardships of Sri Lankan civilians who live from one day to the next? My father is a hero and this is how they show their gratitude? I need my father back. This is an urgent and sincere request to help find him.
Sincerely,
Aparna Fonseka
(Daughter of General Sarath Fonseka)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Sarath Fonseka , the best Army Commander in the world, says Indian Defense Secretary
Secretary of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told state owned Independent Television Network that the professionalism of the Sri Lankan security forces has won widespread praise across the world and the Indian Defense Secretary M.K. Narayan called the army commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka the best army commander in the world for his role against capturing back LTTE occupied areas in the North and the Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka.
“After crushing the Malaysian terrorism in the 1950’s this the first time any terrorism has been defeated and the Indonesian leaders whom I met during my recent visit told me that Sri Lanka has given an important message to the world regarding how to deal with terrorism,” Rajapaksa told a prime time TV interview that had been co-broadcast by several other TV channels including certain privately owned ones like the Derana, nation wide.
He said when he visited Israel recently he was accompanied by the Director General of the Sri Lanka Navy and the Commander of the Navy of Israel requested thirty minutes with our Naval official to ask him how Sri Lanka has minimized the attacks by LTTE’s suicide boats.
The ability of the accuracy of the bombing targets of the Sri Lankan Airforce avoiding minimum collateral damage to the civilians has been highly praised, he said. While in Sri Lanka the “Zero civil casualties” policy has been extremely successful , during the the recent Israel –Palestenian clash in Gaza there had been 700 civilans killed. “During recent clashes in Sri Lanka civilian deaths could be counted on one’s fingers,” he said. He said certain pro-LTTE media outlets have been showing pictures of the past as civilian casualties, fraudulently.
He said always civilian casualties are caused by indirect fire in wars but our air men have become so brilliant in hitting the targets accurately. He referred to the recent video clips shown on the TV indicating how Sri Lankan pilots hit two artillery guns accurately while they were being transported to be hidden in a Mulaithivu jungle. In the same way pilots destroyed Sea Tiger boats from the air recently , Rajapaksa said.
Rajapaksa said the capturing of LTTE occupied land in the Northern Province was predominantly an army battle. He said these achievements would never have been won without the experience , the knowledge, the bravery and heroism of Lieutenant General Sarath fonseka. He said he was proud of the army commander for doing such a tough job. The constant advise of the West was that Sri Lanka cannot afford to win such a war since the LTTE was so powerful. If we could have done such a difficult task, Rajapaksa said , doing anything else as a nation , should be a very easy task.
Reminding that all sorts of pressures from outside as well from inside was brought on the President Mahinda Rajapaksa not to get involved in the Mavil Aru incident. The people said Prabhakaran was brilliant mind in war tactics and strategy and it should be resolved amicably. But Rajapaksa said our army commander very well knew Prabhakaran was not ready for any settlement.
Pointing out another reason why Sri Lanka won in the fourth Eelam War Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said Army Commander used tactics and strategy against the LTTE which Prabhakaran could not figure out how to react. He said the army commander used soldiers in small groups in attacking the enemy. He had a wider frontage in dealing with the enemy , to attack from several places at the same time, Rajapaksa said. The army commander also used special forces and commando units in attacking the LTTE, the Secretary of Defense said.
He said , our navy did not have means of going into the deep blue sea to face the enemy and destroy the weapons carrying ships. Showing special methods, he said our navy went to 1800 nautical miles to meet the enemy in the deep sea and have destroyed 10 floating ware houses of the LTTE arms since 2007 putting them into very difficult situation. The navy also started using smaller boats to face the challenge of the suicide boats of the Sea Tigers, Rajapaksa said.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said sinc e 2006 the government had recruited 50,000 new personnel to the army, navy, airforce, special task force , police and civil defence force increasing the strength of these forces by 40 percent. The majority have been recruited to the army , he said. He said the foreigners advised that we could not afford to face a sustained war and there was no chance of winning. Their advise was that the LTTE , using their suicide bombers destroy the rest of the country while this war was being conducted. But the police did an excellent job in conducting thorough investigations and destroyed many of the cells LTTE established all over the country. People even did not know the excellent work the police was doing in this task.
He said this time all three armed forces, the police, and the civil defence force focused on one single task of destroying and defeating the LTTE. All of them were working hard on one single goal which made the task easier , Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said. No body was having two minds on that, he insisted.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said , every month the government has been recruiting an average of 5000 people. During last December alone the government recruited 4000 to the army Rajapaksa said.
Replying to the criticism that this was purely a military victory and political leadership was not necessary and no political leader could take praise for it Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said the political leadership provided by President Rajapaksa was an essential ingredient in this victory. He said in any country , it is the political leadership that provided to the army that brings ultimate peace. The people who say the political leadership is not essential are people who want to conceal the quality of the leadership President Mahinda Rajapaksa provided .He said if the political leadership did not provide the army what they needed for the war the army would have gone nowhere.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said President Mahinda Rajapaksa always stood by the armed forces when international pressure has been brought against various people not to sell weapons to Sri Lanka. For instance, He said to put the country out of such precarious situations President Mahinda Rajapaksa has had four telephone conversations with the President of China, and eight telephone conversations with the President of Pakistan during the war.
He said his main reason for the war to succeed was the dedication of the soldiers and their heroism . It was not the weapons provided to the soldiers that won the war but the man behind the weapons, he said. A clear political and military leadership was provided to the soldiers to carry on with their task, he said. He said the military leadership had more than three decades of experience in dealing with the terrorists from their junior officer days. He said in our military history no body else had such dedication and experience to defeat the LTTE. He said the families of soldiers demonstrated a similar heroism.
Replying questions about the fate of Prabhakaran Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said LTTE being a Fascist organization has been always linked to one individual called Prabhakaran. He was so concerned being the sole leader of all Tamils, leaders of TELO, EPRLF, PLOTE etc., he thought, should be physically eliminated . He even suspected his second in command and also killed him. So, in this war Rajapaksa said, arresting Prabhakaran is an important task. Gotabhaya said, if he had not already escaped he must be holed up in the Mulativu jungles. If he is still there, said the Defense Secretary, arresting him could be done during a short period of time. During a former battle, decades ago, when he was cornered in Velvetiturai, he was contemplating on committing suicide but in the first instance he got, changed his mind and escaped to Mulativu jungle. Once again , he could be expected to run away to somewhere rather than committing suicide, Rajapaksa said. But he said, Mulaitivu has been surrounded from all sides.
Rajapaksa said both pro- LTTE elements as well as Prabhakaran want to revitalize the LTTE and carry on with their programs. He said the army is not without a plan to face that and the army had expected to combat such a situation and not allow so precious a peace snatched out of the hands of the nation.
Rajapaksa said at the time of the people’s verdict in December 2005 part of Sri Lanka was governed by a gang of armed men running banks, police and law courts in their areas in the Eastern and Northern Provinces. Even national telephone directories of the nation carried the phone numbers of these illegal institutions. The public opinion was against this and the UNP government had systematically suppressed that. If Mahinda Rajapaksa did not come to power very soon the birth of two nations from the island of Sri Lanka was inevitable. Terrorists were maintaining their garrisons in that part of the country and they could not be visited by us. Under such circumstances this government liberated the Eastern Province which was under the jack boot of Prabhakaran.
He said when the army later captured Kilinochchi, the reaction of the LTTE was that the army captured a deserted town. The LTTE strongholds fell one by one. By today they had been fully chased out from Jaffna peninsula.
He said , long ago , a mere capture of a place like Mankulam would have been the subject for every one to brag about for months. But he said the LTTE strongholds fell so rapidly the fall of Oddusudan or Mankulam did not win a decent headline in the newspaper as so many fell at the same time. When the LTTE fell from Thoppigala in the Eastern Province the outfit called it a tactical withdrawal. When they fell at Kilinochchi they used the same statement. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa wondered whether their next “tactical withdrawal’ is going to end up in the sea.
The Defense Secretary said similar statements are being used by certain political party in the South too. He said in the ancient times too, Sri Lanka had the misfortune of having such traitors who betrayed the country. Rajapaksa said history in the ancient times recorded proudly about heroes who fought for our country like the soldiers and not traitors who refuse to see the truth and working for a personal gain.
During the capture of the Eastern Province, Rajapaksa said the army was able to catch tons of weapons allowed to be smuggled into the country by the UNP government. He said both in the Eastern Province and the Northern Province the security forces fought very hard and neither place was a walk over as some people try to describe.
The Defence Secretary said whe Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike handed over the country to J.R. jayewardene’s UNP in 1977 nobody had died due to the LTTE trouble. 22,000 Sinhalese people lived in Jaffna. Muslims and Sinhalese lived in Jaffna and Kilinochchi. There was even a Sinhala Mahaa Vidyalaya in the northern town. But by 1994 there were numerous LTTE garrisons in the North. In 1994 7174 of the police and the army had died in Jaffna. He said today, Mangala Samaraweera is lamenting about the deaths in the army But during during 2000 when Mangala Samaraweera remained a powerful Minister, for an year an average about 2000 died an year. Rajapaksa asked what did Samaraweera do to stop those deaths. He said during the last three years he is lamenting about only 3703 people had died. He said, the army would soon liberate the the whole Northern Province and asked Samaraweera not to deceive the people.
Speaking about the media , Rajapaksa said, he always confronted the editors and tried to tell them when utterly inaccurate information is published aginst the security forces. He said if any journalist is in custody it is not because the person is a journalist but a terrorism related inquiry has led the security services to that person Not only journalists but ever policemen and army men have been arrested relation to terrorist activities. That does not mean the security forces are angry with the police or the army.When a delivery man of the Udayan newspaper is arrested in connection of terrorism, some carry placards saying he is a journalist.
Commenting on Sirasa TV he said when a LTTE terrorist bomb was set in a bus and when it was discovered in time not injuring anybody, Sirasa started broadcasting old library shots of the injured.When Kilinochchi fell Sirasa only showed a corpse. He said there was no motive for the government to set fire to the Sirasa because the government lacked any motive. He alleged after Kilinochchi fell, because they supported the LTTE and now wanted public sympathy and win a fraudulent insurance claim the fire in the station was an inside job. He said the police is gathering evidence into that affect currently. If there was damage how did the station started broadcasting live after two hours, following the incident.. In the same manner, he alleged , they had collected insurance claims in the year 2000. He said Sirasa represented the interests of the LTTE.
The Secretary of Defence said some have alleged that the intelligence men of the army were responsible for the killing of the journalist recently. He said , once, just after the UNP came to power , there had been an attempt to destroy the intelligence men of the army and betray them to the LTTE. Using a Sinhala epithet , Rajapksa said , why should the intelligence men waste their time killing a rat snake (Garandi) when they were engaged in a more important job of destroying the LTTE.
Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka today is enjoying the same close friendship with India the country had enjoyed during the time of Indira Gandhi and Sirima Bandaranaike or even better. While maintaining and protecting our own sovereignty Rajapaksa said we must also appreciate the security of the neighbour and area superpower. He said under President Rajapaksa the country is benefiting by its close friendship with SAARC countries, Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Asked whether under Asif Al Saldari the friendship of Pakistan would affect, Rajapaksa said, under whatever change of governments both in Sri Lanka or Pakistan , Pakistan would always protect Sri Lanka’s sovereignty .
Commenting on NGO’s, he said despite the millions they spent, except the LTTE buildings, the NGO’s had brought no development to Kilinochchi.
He said even now those LTTE cadres who would down their weapons should be rehabilitated and trained in some vocation . Buthe said , no LTTE leader should be pardoned like that. They should be prosecuted and punished if proven guilty, he said. Rajapaksa said, he cannot oppose whatever decision the President takes about Prabhakaran by handing him over to India. But he had done so much damage to Sri Lanka , Rajapaksa said, he must be hanged for the crimes he had committed against Sri Lanka if the security forces happen to catch him.
Police attack opposition protest in Sri Lanka
11 February 2010
Sri Lankan police and pro-government thugs attacked protestors demonstrating in central Colombo yesterday against the arrest of retired General Sarath Fonseka, the defeated opposition presidential candidate. The police also dispersed opposition rallies in the southern cities of Matara and Galle and in eastern Ampara.
Military police arrested Fonseka on Monday night, formally on the orders of Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, on the basis of vague allegations that Fonseka conspired to assassinate President Mahinda Rajapakse and overthrow the government. The arrest is part of broader moves to crack down on all opposition in the country. Yesterday’s violent attack on protestors is a further message that the government will tolerate no resistance.
Opposition parties, including the United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), had announced the protest at Hultsdorf, near the Colombo judicial complex. About 150 thugs were mobilised there by government politicians even before protestors arrived, and clearly intended to attack the demonstration. They were armed with iron bars, empty bottles and clubs. Hundreds of police were also deployed, including the anti-riot squad and water cannon.
Police had applied to a magistrate in the morning to issue an order banning the protest, but the magistrate refused—another sign of deep divisions in ruling circles. Police made no attempt to disperse the pro-government mob, which shouted provocative slogans demanding further arrests and denouncing the demonstrators as supporters of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
As the protestors gathered, the armed thugs started to attack. The police did not intervene to keep the groups apart, but used the provocation as a pretext to attack the opposition demonstrators with tear gas and water cannon. The police only backed off when around 5,000 protestors gathered, and the thugs retreated. Nine opposition demonstrators were treated at the national hospital.
A section of the protest
While the protest proceeded, Fonseka’s wife, Anoma Fonseka, filed a fundamental rights petition challenging his arrest. The petition declared that the arrest violated the general’s constitution rights, including the freedom from arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention. It named the Army Commander, the Defence Secretary and Attorney-General as respondents. The case is due to be heard on Friday.
General Fonseka has been detained at the navy headquarters in Colombo. Yesterday evening, his wife Anoma and his lawyer Wijedasa Rajapakse were permitted to see him, after the International Committee of the Red Cross and some foreign embassies intervened.
President Rajapakse and the Defence Secretary, his brother Gotabhaya, have yet to make any statement on Fonseka’s arrest. The allegations against him are so vague and contradictory that they could apply to any form of anti-government opposition. Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told the media on Tuesday that, while Fonseka was serving as the country’s top general, he had “many dealings with the other political party leaders who have been working against the government. This amounts to treason to some extent…”
Rambukwella admitted that no charges had been framed. Instead, evidence would be “gathered and verified” to frame charges. Similarly, Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, the military spokesman said: “We cannot say exactly what the charges are.” The charges would be determined “with the available evidence” by the Attorney-General’s department.
Demonstrators fleeing police tear gas.
Rambukwella indicated that more arrests had already been made and others would soon follow. “There are many others, military and civilian, who were involved with Fonseka, who were also arrested. Some others are yet to be arrested. The CID [Criminal Investigation Division] and police are investigating.” By Rambukwella’s logic, the leaders of all the opposition parties “conspired” with Fonseka and are liable to arrest.
Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya yesterday issued an extraordinary gazette notification under emergency regulations to authorise the establishment of detention centres for arrested military personnel. The facilities will be set up at the Technical College Army camp at Nelumkulama in Vavuniya, the navy headquarters in Colombo, the naval dockyard in Trincomalee and the army camp at Saliyapura in Anuradhapura.
In this tense atmosphere, the government yesterday announced the dissolution of parliament two months before schedule. The timing, immediately after Fonseka’s arrest, is clearly designed to intimidate opponents and throw the opposition parties into disarray. The government is seeking a two-thirds majority in parliament to push through still unspecified “constitutional changes”. This can only mean a further step toward dictatorial rule.
Injured protestor
The government’s crackdown is not aimed simply against the opposition parties but the working class and youth. Having inflicted military defeat on the LTTE, Rajapakse is preparing an “economic war” on the working people to impose the burdens of the country’s 26-year civil war and meet the terms of its $2.6 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.
Already discussion is underway on implementing the IMF’s austerity measures. In London yesterday, the country’s Central Bank governor, Nivard Cabraal, described the IMF’s target of reducing the budget deficit to 5 percent of GDP by next year as “challenging.” Independent economists estimate that the budget deficit rose last year to between 9 and 11 percent. Cutting the deficit in half by 2011 means drastic attacks on living conditions and social services in the next budget, which will now be presented after the parliamentary elections.
The opposition parties, including the UNP and the JVP, share the government’s economic agenda. They are themselves trenchant defenders and enforcers of the interests of the Sri Lankan bourgeoisie. Their differences with Rajapakse are purely tactical, bound up with divisions over how best to impose the IMF’s dictates, and where to line up in the intensifying rivalry in the region between the major powers, especially the US and China.
For now, the opposition parties are seeking to shore up their own flagging support by posing as defenders of democratic rights. They reflect fears in sections of the ruling elite that the blatant crackdown on the official opposition could fuel popular disaffection. In the presidential election they backed Fonseka, who was jointly responsible with Rajapakse for the communal war against the LTTE and all the military’s war crimes.
Yesterday’s violence against opposition protestors, and the regime’s threats of further arrests are a warning of even greater attacks on democratic rights as the Sri Lankan business and political establishment turns to dictatorial forms of rule to impose the full burden of its deep economic crisis on the working class.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
May lightning strike these ruthless rulers: satyagraha staged successfully; Govt. Gangs and goons create mayhem but chased away: 6 injured
(Lanka-e-News, Feb.10, 2010, 7.10PM) When a satyagraha campaign was staged peacefully this morning (10) in the vicinity of the Hultsdorf Court complex by the opposition parties jointly against the illegal arrest of General Fonseka, a Govt. group of goons and gangsters came to disrupt it, an intense scuffle followed between the two factions. Though the goons and gangs were chased off finally, several persons were however injured. Two police officers, a Municipal member and three others were seriously injured. They had been admitted to the emergency ward of the General Hospital.
The goons and gangs who were well armed with stones, iron rods and poles were overpowered by the huge crowds and chased away. The entire crowd in and around also joined in the protests shouting and chanting ‘may lightning strike these ruthless rulers and killers’. They went round the Hultsdorf roundabout.
Rauff Hakeem, Mangala Samarweera, Daysiri Jayasekera, Mano Ganeshan, Shiral Lakthileke and many others led the protests.
Because the Govt. goons, gangs and police were from the beginning obstructing the mammoth crowds trying to assemble at the venue, a tense situation prevailed in Aluthkade in the morning just before the Satyagraha commenced. It was worthy of note that the policemen and security personnel who were deployed at the scene to maintain peace, were more concerned about protecting the Govt. goons and thugs who were creating trouble.
The Govt. thugs and goons used the Police riot squad bus as their shield to protect themselves during the attack, let alone the police protection they got.
Unfortunately for the Govt. the satyagraha could not be broken up by the Govt. marauders and goons. When this failed the police then tried to disperse the milling crowds by using tear gas. The protestors questioning the Police ‘whether the law is only enforced against them’ was witnessed by all bystanders.
There are reports that the satyagraha campaign around the whole Island has been extremely successful with people on the roads and vicinity of the campaign joining voluntarily.
Govt.’s attempt to block election petition being filed – to obstruct General’s signature being taken
UNP Gen. Secretary Tissa Attanayake stated, the signature of his is a mandatory requirement. But, by the Govt. holding him in the military custody and refusing even his Lawyers to meet him under controversial circumstances is a machination to obstruct him from signing the petition.
The election petition has to be filed within 21 days of the announcement of the results. The final day therefore is the 17th of February. All documents have been finalized for the filing of petition, but the authorities have not provided the opportunity to obtain the General’ signature on the application so far. In a Democratic country, allowing this is indispensable and is a responsibility of the authorities.
It is proposed that the election petition is filed on the 15th, Monday.
Meanwhile, arrangements have been made to file another petition for a vote re count in the Supreme Court next week. A further petition is also to be filed against the State media’s conduct flagrantly violating the election laws and the SC directives, in the run up to elections, he observed.
Gen Fonseka's wife visits him at the navy headquarters in Colombo
Gen Fonseka's wife told the BBC she had been allowed to visit him at the navy headquarters in Colombo where he is being held.
Anoma Fonseka said he trusted no one there and had therefore not eaten or drunk anything until she had taken him a meal.
His wife has visited him, but his supporters say they fear for his life.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sri Lankan Gen Sarath Fonseka's arrest to be challenged
Sri Lankan opposition parties have said they will mount a legal challenge to the detention of defeated presidential candidate Gen Sarath Fonseka.
Gen Fonseka was arrested on Monday, accused of working with anti-government forces and planning a coup and assassinations. He denies the charges.
His wife has visited him, but his supporters say they fear for his life.
Their move comes after President Mahinda Rajapaksa dissolved parliament, paving the way for early elections.
Mr Rajapaksa easily defeated Gen Fonseka in elections last month, but the general rejected the outcome.
In a joint statement, the opposition parties said they feared the general would be killed in detention.
"We have good reason to believe that the extra-judicial arrest of Gen Fonseka may be followed up with assassination while in custody," the statement said.
The opposition has also called for protests over the arrest.
"We will take this matter to courts, we will take it before the people and we will take it before the international community," said opposition legislator Rauf Hakeem.
Russia extends loan to Sri Lanka for arms purchases: report
Russia and Sri Lanka have signed a loan to buy Russian military equipment, RIA Novosti news agency cited the Russian deputy finance minister as saying on Monday.
The 300-million-U.S.-dollar loan has a term of ten years, Deputy Finance Minister Dmitry Pankin told the news agency.
The finance deal came as Russian President Dmitry Medvedev held talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Kremlin
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Why this weapon deals for what purpose our we going to develop our country or our we going to start another war. This why we cant believe our politicians. Sri Lanka is free from torror now it seems like they are going to start a new terror please be tuned to our blog will be posting more real information whats going to happen next. its seems like this not the end.
On what charges Gen Sarath Foseka was arrested ?
Different Medias in Sri Lanka claims different stories that is the funny part about Sri Lankan Media. One of the mostly famous one is he is betraying the country by talking about war crimes this was used before . And on the international media our government has told that he was arrested because he is a threat to Mihida Rajapaksha and his family members. There are too many stories but no proper ground why Gen Sarath Fonsaka was arrested. Gen Sarath Fonsaka has gone through so many difficulties for fighting for Democracy for the people . And Now he is being arrested. Democracy in Sri Lanka has gone for dogs.
What are the war crimes that he is going to revile and why government is trying to block it. Is Gen Sarath Fonsaka really betraying the country.
Here we have attached a interview about war crimes before Gen Sarath Fonsaka was arrested. You can decide who is playing the fool.
Monday, February 8, 2010
SL Government arrests General Sarath Fonseka
The government of Sri lanka arrested General sarath Fonseka a short while ago.Major General Prasad Samarasinghe said Mr.Fonseka has charges of committing military offences.
UPDATE: General (Retired) Sarath Fonseka has been taken into custody by the Military Police, says Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) Director General Lakshman Hulugalle.
Mr. Hulugalle said that General Fonseka was arrested for discussing with certain sections of the Opposition, conspiring to topple the government and also for creating divisions within the Sri Lanka Army while he was its Commander and also when he was the Chief of Defence Staff.
The retired General is to face a Court Marshal where evidence against him will be produced, Mr. Hulugalle told the media.
Earlier in the evening, the BBC carried the following report:
Sri Lanka’s former military commander says that he is prepared to give evidence in an international court on war crime charges against Sri Lanka. General Sarath Fonseka speaking to journalists in Colomboon Monday said, “I am not going to save anyone who has committed war crimes”.
International human rights organisations as well as the US State Department have alleged that the Sri Lankan government committed war crimes during the final phase of the war against Tamil Tigers.
Several human rights organisations have called to try the Sri Lankan state in international courts on alleged abuses against civilians and surrendees.
During the presidential election where Gen. Fonseka challenged President Mahinda Rajapaksa, both claimed credit for defeating the LTTE.
“I am definitely going to reveal what I know, what I was told and what I heard. Anyone who has committed war crimes should definitely be brought into courts,” Gen. Fonseka said.
“Those who reveal the truth are not traitors,” he added.
'Disgraceful'
Gen Fonseka's wife confirmed to the BBC that her husband had been detained after the security presence around his office had been stepped up during the day.
Gen Fonseka was meeting a number of politicians who had supported his candidacy.
The Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem told Reuters news agency: "He was dragged away in a very disgraceful manner in front of our own eyes."
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says the arrest was dramatic but not unexpected and there must now by questions about whether this is the start of a bigger clampdown on the opposition.