… accuses Rajapaksas of betrayal, asks AKD to set up inquiry
Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka yesterday (07) said that he was making a fresh political initiative to challenge what he called utterly corrupt political culture. Ruling out a pact with former parliamentarians, regardless of the political parties they represented earlier, the Sinha Regiment veteran said that he was keen to gather a group of educated and honest citizens. Those who reject corrupt politicians and political parties could join the group, the FM said.
The former Minister said so when The Island sought clarification as regards a scathing attack he launched on former President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Sunday (05) at a public rally at Matara.
Addressing the Matara gathering, FM Fonseka urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to initiate a no holds barred investigation into the Rajapaksas bribing Velupillai Prabhakaran to the tune of USD 2 mn, ahead of the 2005 presidential election, and then declaring a 48-hour truce on 31 January and 01 February, 2009, that enabled the group to mount a devastating attack that caused the deaths of 500 Army personnel. Fonseka claimed that the bribe was meant to influence the LTTE to order the Tamil electorate to boycott the presidential election.
FM declared that the LTTE used USD 2 mn (Approximately Rs 180 mn) to procure boats that were used to destroy 10 Fast Attack Craft (FACs) during Eelam War IV (August 2006 to May 2009). FM further claimed that Basil Rajapaksa himself told him about paying USD 2 mn to the LTTE but he couldn’t have declared war on the Rajapaksa brothers though he was the Commander of the Army.
Fonseka, as Lt. Gen, and then Gen, served as the Commander of the Army from 06 December, 2005, to 15 July, 2009.
President Sirisena promoted Fonseka to the rank of FM on 22 March, 2015.
FM Fonseka told The Island that he intended to have a series of meetings in various towns to champion democracy, anti-corruption and national security and equal justice for all.
Recalling the circumstances businessman Tiran Alles, in 2010, disclosed how the Rajapaksas paid USD 2 mn bribe to the LTTE and caused hundreds of deaths by declaring a two-day truce, in consultation with external powers, FM Fonseka demanded that the former President should be hanged by his legs. If not for that truce, the Army could have finished off the LTTE in March 2009. Instead, it took several more weeks and was brought to a successful conclusion in the third week of May 2009, FM Fonseka said.
FM Fonseka said that he believed President Dissanayake had the strength to initiate an inquiry and go the whole hog. Referring to his arrest in February 2010, just weeks after the presidential election, FM Fonseka said that the Rajapaksas forced 35 officers, including Majors General, Brigadiers and Colonels, who served him, out of service. The Rajapaksa government deprived them of pension and thwarted their efforts to secure employment in the private sector, the former Army Commander said, adding that families suffered due to the Rajapaksas’ actions.
FM Fonseka said that President Dissanayake’s government hadn’t been able to address all issues though the administration made a sincere effort to do so.
The UNP-JVP-TNA combine fielded Fonseka at the 2010 presidential election. The war-winning Army Chief lost by a staggering 1.8 mn vote margin. Subsequently, Fonseka led a grouping, that included the JVP, at the 2010 parliamentary election where his party (Democratic National Alliance(DNA) secured seven seats. In terms of the country’s Constitution, Fonseka lost his seat after a military court sent him to 30 months in jail on corruption charges.
In 2015, he formed his own party but suffered a devastating setback when his outfit failed to secure at least one seat. Yahapalana PM Wickremesinghe brought Fonseka back to Parliament on the UNP National List, in 2016, and he contested the last presidential election.
FM Fonseka told the Matara gathering that Sri Lanka needed a benevolent dictator. Fonseka asserted that he could be that leader and was confident of achieving success, regardless of criticism levelled by those who couldn’t stomach him leading the Army against the LTTE. Had I lost the war, they may have accepted me, Fonseka said, adding that Ruwanda, following massive death and destruction, was resurrected by a Major General.
By Shamindra Ferdinando