Fonseka makes dock statement

Sarath Malalasekera

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka yesterday making a dock statement before the Trial at Bar consisting of three High Court judges hearing the white flag issue said that he had sacrificed his life for the motherland on several occasions during the LTTE war.

Further proceedings were put off for May 24.

The Bench comprised Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundera (President), Colombo High Court Judge WTMPB Warawewa and Colombo High Court Judge MZ Razeen.

When the proceedings commenced yesterday Sarath Fonseka began making a dock statement, then the lights went out and the court house was in total darkness.

In about 15 minutes time when the lights came on Sarath Fonseka began his dock statement and said that in 1989 he was in charge of operations in Karainagar and in Kytes.

At one stage in Kytes, during a battle with the LTTE, 60 terrorists were killed and they recovered about 75 weapons from the LTTE cadres.

In his lengthy dock statement Sarath Fonseka said that he loved his uniform and his motherland and had never attempted to betray the country.

In 1991 Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s team went to Jaffna and conducted operations there. Several LTTErs were killed. During the fourth Eelam war the LTTE was recognised as the number one terrorist organisation in the world.

During the second Eelam war he said he was attached to the Ampara and Batticaloa districts. Even though he had many financial difficulties he never got involved in any illegal activities. For the 36 years he was attached to the Army he had never brought the Army into any difficulties and lived an honourable life. “I am proud of it,” Sarath Fonseka added.

Sarath Fonseka made a detailed statement about how he was involved in the war without attending to his mother’s and father’s sicknesses while they were in hospital. He said that he was feeling sorry that he could not attend to parents full-time while in hospital as he was involved in the war front in Weli Oya.

In 1993 he was involved in the Yal Devi operation and came to Jaffna to continue with the operation. LTTE’s Balraj was conducting operations in those areas.

One person who was responsible for winning the war, he said is in jail. “I believe that is my fate,” Fonseka said.

Sarath Fonseka said that while he was in Jaffna then Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Jaffna. He said he gave maximum protection to him while in Jaffna. ‘As I have joined politics I have to face this situation,’ he added.

Sarath Fonseka in his dock statement denied all the charges against him in the indictment.

‘Since I joined the Army in June 1, 1971, my intension was to do an honest job of work for the country. For this I got blessings from my parents, other members of the family and my friends. My sincere intention was to do an honest job of work for the motherland,” he said.

Several witnesses who were to give evidence for the defence were present in court yesterday. They included Supreme Court Record Keeper RSG Ranasinghe, Journalism Awards of Excellence 2009 convenor Sukumar Rockwood and National Archives Director Saroja Wettasinghe. They were directed to appear in court again today.

Sarath Fonseka earlier pleaded not guilty to the three charges preferred against him namely, making a false statement to ‘The Sunday Leader’ senior journalist Frederica Jansz that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had told Brig. Shavendra Silva to eliminate the LTTE cadres who came with a white flag to surrender during the final stage of the war.

Sarath Fonseka is charged on three counts under the Criminal Procedure Code and under the Emergency Regulations, Sections 28 and 29.

Deputy Solicitor General Buwaneka Aluvihara with Senior State Counsel Dilan Ratnayake, State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama and State Counsel Riyaz Bary appeared for the Attorney General.

Senior Attorney Nalin Ladduwahetty with Nilanthi Peiris, Ajith Pathirana, ULG Bandara, Mervyn de Silva, Wasantha Pitigala, Niroshan Perera, Kelum Ubeysekera, Swarna Bandara and Chathura Anushka Amaratunga appearing for Sarath Fonseka.

Court proceedings will be resumed again today at 11 a.m.