Another betrayal by Sarath Fonseka
* Writes to Channel 4 which backed the LTTE
* Sends sketch of building where he is detained
Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE
 General Sarath Fonseka is attempting to internationalize domestic
issues and has displayed his disloyalty to the country by secretly
dispatching a letter to the United Kingdom based Channel 4 television
station which has been supporting the LTTE terrorists for over a long
period, Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.
Addressing the Cabinet media briefing yesterday. Minister
Alahapperuma said General Fonseka has sent this letter in his own
handwriting.
In the letter General Fonseka has said that he is not provided with
hot water or air-condition facilities.
In addition he has drawn a sketch of the building where is detained.
“General Fonseka must be the first person demanding such facilities
in the world while in detention,” Minister Alahapperuma added.
However, the Government has taken every possible step to provide
maximum facilities considering his former position, Minister
Alahapperuma added.
Further he said that Channel 4 was sympathetic towards the LTTE over
a long period and General Fonseka has sent a letter to that particular
channel. In addition, the Minister questioned as to how a detained
person can have such freedom to send letters. This incident brings to
the fore the whole question of General Sarath Fonseka’s loyalty.
The Minister said Channel 4 continuously made baseless allegations
against the Security Forces and against the Sri Lankan Government. When
the Sencholai Tiger base was air raided Channel 4 pointed out that it
was a school. In addition Channel 4 made serious allegations that the
Lankan Security Forces shot surrendering LTTE carders. There is
absolutely no truth in such allegations made via video footage and other
means .
That is a deliberate and sinister attempt to prevent the
reconciliation process that is taking place now to heal the wounds of
the past and rebuild the country.
Letter sent by Fonseka to Channel 4
Fonseka: ‘I will never give up’, claims Channel 4
Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka told Channel 4 News from
his prison cell that he is being set up, and claims the charges he faces
in a military court are bogus.
The former Army Commander, who is facing two separate courts martial
in Colombo, told Channel 4 News that he has been set up and that the
charges he is facing are bogus. His handwritten answers were smuggled
out of the Naval Headquarters, where General Fonseka is being held.
“None of the accusations are true,” said the General, who retired
from the army to run in presidential elections against the incumbent,
Mahinda Rajapaksa.
General Fonseka lost the January election by 1.8 million votes and
was arrested last month and charged with corruption and engaging in
politics while in uniform.
“He is jealous of me as I got more votes than him although he rigged
he knows that I can challenge him (sic),” the General wrote, adding that
he believed he was being held illegally and that his life remains at
risk.
The former army chief appeared before a military court on Tuesday.
His court martial on charges of engaging in politics while still in
the army was adjourned until April 6, 2010. Today one of the General’s
lawyers said he “is not either pleading guilty or not guilty because the
court has no power to hear and try these charges.”
They say that he retired from the army in July last year and could
not therefore be arrested under military law.
Interviewed by Channel 4 News, the General’s wife, Anoma Fonseka,
said the victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was made
possible by the relationship between her husband and the President.
“Without their friendship they couldn’t have won the war,” she said.
Mrs. Fonseka denied that the General was intending to launch a coup
d’etat against his former friend. Asked whether she was living in fear
for her life she replied: “Actually, not my life, but my husband’s life,
yes. I am very scared for him.” - Jonathan Miller for Channel 4 |
