Jailed former Army Commander of Sri Lanka Sarath Fonseka, who led the Eelam war IV against the Tamil Tigers and helped win it, is set to be released shortly.
“We will release him soon,” Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa told The Hindu on the sidelines of a function organised to launch a book, Gota's War, here on Monday.
MP's role
Mr. Rajapaksa said the person who tried hard to secure Gen. Fonseka's release, Member of Parliament Tiran Alles, was out of the country.
Mr. Alles was in the U.K. and he was cutting short his visit to reach Colombo on Tuesday, a source said. “He [Mr. Alles] has to get the credit for the release [of Gen. Fonseka],” the President said.
Mr. Alles had been liaisoning with the President over the past many months. He had been a close associate from the time the former General ran for office. Mr. Alles was in touch with the President from the U.K.
Earlier, the government had insisted that Gen. Fonseka or his family members appeal to the President for pardon.
Gen. Fonseka, soon after leading the Army to victory against the LTTE in May 2009, tried to cash in on his popularity. He ran for the office of President in 2010, against his one time Commander-in-Chief Mr. Rajapaksa. He suffered a crushing defeat. He was arrested in February. He was convicted by both military and civil courts and stripped of his military ranks in August 2010.
Gen. Fonseka was recently moved to a hospital for treatment amid some drama over the choice of the hospital. Finally, the government agreed to his choice.
Hearing postponed
Meanwhile, the Colombo High Court on Monday postponed till June 7 a case filed by the Attorney-General against Gen. Fonseka for harbouring Army deserters during the presidential election in 2010.
Gen. Fonseka's counsel told the court that he was undergoing treatment and requested postponement of the case.
Keywords: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, release, LTTE war
If Fonseka really is about to be released, this leads to the question: what has brought about this change in the government's stance? Is it the result of sustained pressure from the opposition parties? Is it because - more than three years after the euphoria of victory - Fonseka is no longer popular enough among the people to be considered a serious threat to the Rajapaksas' position at the top?
I went through carefully what the readers have commented on the release of General Fonseka and these comments basically denote the happiness of broad masses who always wished an end to this miserable jail sentence.It is evident that either the President Mahinda or his brothers didn't like releasing former Army Commander from prison until the complete period of imprisonment will be served. They even had in their minds to keep General another 3 years in jail.
Pressure is mounting domestically and internationally. The judges have already indicated that they cannot be bribed anymore. Neither Anoma Fonseka, the wife of General Fonseka nor his family members were ready to ask for pardon from the President.
Though Mr. Fonseka played a role in the war, he was the head of one unit, the army. The UNP who is talking big about Fonseka did not elevate him to be the commander several times by passing him to appoint other commanders. Fonseka did not have the metal to be the commander though at the insistence of Gotabaya the President appointed him the commander just 9 days before his due retirement. Rather than be grateful to the president for giving him the opportunity to lead the Army he turned around and bit his hand.
While advocating transparency and good governess in the military, he ridiculed the institution by him himself in sitting on tender boards.
The engagement at war is also questionable. He got hurt by his lack of military mind for getting the cook who was serving his meals in Jaffna to the Army HQ. Fonseka just escaped death due to good medical attention he got from the government. If Fonseka was such a brilliant soldier he would never have been touched this way by the enemy. Then in Ernest the Mavil Aru operation commenced when he was recovering in Singapore.
The end of the war was interesting too. Fonseka was not in the ground nor was in the country when we cornered the LTTE leadership. By the time he reached our shores the war was over. If not for the brave commanders we had on the ground the war would never have been won.
This is the biggest mistake the corrupt regime made. The entire nation paid for the crime. However those responsible will surely pay for this crime, sooner or later. By keeping the War Hero in prison and dinning and dancing with the LTTE Terrorists who support the corrupt regime, made the entire world laugh at us.
It is a great news. I hope the great war hero will have a life like a hero and enjoy the freedom with his family in his mother land Sri Lanka. We all wish you good health and prosperity. You achieved the highest position that any man can achieve in this world. What more do you need. Hopefully you will not fall in to double faced politicians hands again. They tried to see the light through you.. Dear Sir Let my country that you freed from the terrorists be free for ever. Let no outsiders to take our freedom away. Let us all be united. As long as we are united the outside world can do no harm to us.. The country needs your dearly support for the development. Now forget the past and let us be united for the sake of your country and my country. Then we all will be the winners. Good bless you. Long live General Fonseka.
At last he is going to be a free man now, thank you Tiran Alles the US and the International community.
Who is this Raja hora he is nothing to do with his release the supreme
court must decide his release that this corrupt criminal crook bribe
our legal system and jail him for no reason because he won the
election with 80 percent vote. now this Ganu hora must take in to jail
for corruption. rape, drugs and murder and torture of our citizens.
Rajapaksa posturing exposes that he had the ability to release the General all along, if he wanted to. Now if he tries to claim that he is doing this out of kindness in his heart everyone knows it is a bunch of crap. But knowing that he is with no principles or dignity I expect him to try and score points with voters for the release of the General. Will the public be so gullible to believe him, again?
General Fonseka has no civic rights. He has a free choice to run for elected office in Sri Lanka as a citizen. That right was blatantly violated.
Sri Lanka neeeds clean politicians of Fonseka's calibre, who are not
scared to take on the corrupt establishment in Sri Lanka. General Fonseka does not need a pardon from anyone. He has done no wrong. He was imprisoned using a political show trial in a kangaroo military court set up by the Rajapakse regime.
This is the pressure from the US & International community, everyone knows that. Are they also withdrawing the other cases against him. He or the family never asked for pardon from the President. US embassy personnel were there at the last hearing to report back to Clinton
It is a good news for all sri lankans, General Sarath Fonseka must
release, because what ever said and done He is the war hero, real hero
who finished the eelam war, Prasident MR will more popular man in the
world after releasing Gneral Sarath Fonseka.
It is hoped that this proud general will not be part of the Sri Lankans that live in the Diasporas and work against the country. He should now lead a retirement life and probably act as an elder. Sri Lanka needs people like the General to uphold the unity amongst political parties that they lack. Hopefully he will distance from the current oposition that tricked him into go for politics.
This is a great news,He is the only hero of our times.If not for him
Srilanka is still fighting the separatist war.All Srilankan are indebted
to him.Government should have not taken him to the custody.
Probably, he is mentally conditioned so that he will not open his mouth about who ordered to kill the Tamil surrendrees.
The article states: "“We will release him soon,” Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa told The Hindu."
Yeah right, just like all the other promises made by Rajapaksa. Sarath Fonseka will be
released when Rajapaksa implements his promised 13+ for the tamils - in other
words, NEVER.
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