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.
By arresting his former army chief and electoral opponent in Sri Lanka, President Rajapaksa appears to be trying to neutralise the threat of a coup. The paradox is that his heavy-handed tactics risk provoking one.
ReplyDeleteGeneral Sarath Fonseka has been utterly humiliated since he lost in the presidential election last month: he has even been stripped of the security detail that protected him from attacks by former Tamil Tigers.
However, he is still widely admired within the 200,000-strong armed forces, drawn from the ethnic Sinhalese majority, for his no-nonsense style of leadership during the victorious campaign over the Tigers last year.
Although his supporters in the army top brass have almost all been replaced, he remains hugely popular among the rank and file. He also has powerful friends overseas. Whether they are able, or willing, to do anything to help him is another question.
Related Links
* Sri Lanka opposition leader held for 'coup'
Sri Lanka has no history of coups and a long tradition of parliamentary democracy, dating back to the introduction of universal suffrage in 1931, 17 years before the country’s independence from Britain.
Mr Rajapaksa has tried to pre-empt the threat of a military putsch through the biggest purge of the army in Sri Lanka’s history and stifling support for General Fonseka in the media.
So far, on balance, it looks as though he has succeeded, but only at immense cost to Sri Lanka’s democratic credentials. Much will now depend on how General Fonseka is treated by the military court that will try him.
A death sentence, or a long prison term, would send a strong message to any other potential political challengers, but it could also galvanise opposition within the armed forces and the political elite.
Internationally, meanwhile, it would push Sri Lanka even farther away from the democratic world, and into the embrace of its new allies: China, Iran and Russia.
what will happen next please keep this blog open with true news cuz what we see is not the truth.. we cant realy get a good picture .... right now
ReplyDeletebe carefully with the MRs Media freedom
ReplyDeleteNEWS
ReplyDeletePresident Mahinda Rajapakse’s eldest son Namal Rajapakse is preparing to contest the forthcoming general election from Hambantoda District. He has forwarded the relevant application to the UPFA committee to select nominations for the general election.
UPFA would take a decision soon regarding his nomination.
All can see whats going to happens in future.
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Finally SL will be ???
http://www.lankatruth.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4653:more-discarded-ballot-papers-found-from-ratnapura&catid=35:local&Itemid=62
ReplyDeletePEOPLE OF SRI LANKA - Some of you may have supported, worked and voted for Mahinda in the Presidential Election. There is nothing wrong in that -because that is your democratic right. But seeing how this government is behaving since, even after winning the election, is extremely worrying for us all. Irrespective of our diverse political views, as citizens of a country with a decent long history, we all should respect opposing views. Today, one by one, every person who opposed Mahinda is being witch-hunted, arrested and some are made to even dissapear. Whereas, rogues, thieves, liars and even ex-terrorists are taken to the cosy lap of the President and showered with portfolios and high-ranking positions. SB Dissanayake, who I am ashamed to share the same air, has been honoured with titles even though he used utter filth to insult the SLFP when he left it a few years ago. So, what we should all do now is to take the non-violent, rightful democratic action of voting out this government at the General Election. Following that, we can form our own, law-abiding, just government, free of liars and crooks. Please help Sri Lanka to help you.
ReplyDeleteArresting Gen. Fonseka by the Military Police is an instance of outmaneuveringthe supremacy of the law in the country to give way for military dictatorship states ‘Intellectuals for Human Rights’ (IFHR).
ReplyDeleteA communiqué issued by the IFHR states:
‘Intellectuals for Human Rights’ (IFHR) vehemently condemns the arrest of Common Candidate of the Opposition for the presidential election – 2010 by the Military Police.
Getting a civilian to be arrested by the Military Police is an instance of outmaneuveringthe supremacy of the law in the country to give way for military dictatorship. Also, it is the climax of the sinister move that commenced during the post presidential election period with the hunting down of democratic forces including religious leaders, activists of the opposition, journalists and trade union activists.
‘Intellectuals for Human Rights’ (IFHR) believes that all those who cherish democracy and freedom should unite forgetting all differences including that of race, religion and politics to defeat the naked dictatorship that cannot be concealed by the so called military discipline, state security or any other ‘shawl.’