Fonseka: ‘I will never give up’
Exclusive: Former army commander and presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka, who faces charges in a military court, tells Channel 4 News from his Sri Lanka prison cell that he is being set up.
His handwritten answers were smuggled out of Sri Lankan Naval Headquarters, where General Sarath Fonseka is being held.
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.
“He is jealous of me as I got more votes than him although he rigged he knows that I can challenge him.” General Sarath Fonseka
“But I will never give up exposing rogue president for sake of country,” he said.
Both men were credited with ending the 30-year civil war against Tamil insurgents in May last year and both have traded politically on war hero status. General Fonseka is Sri Lanka’s most-decorated soldier but he was branded a traitor for standing against his Commander-in-Chief.
“I hope the people of this country have realised that this rogue president stole their victory on last presidential election,” the general told Channel 4 News.
“They also must realise that this president behaving exactly like the Idi Amin.”
The court martial on charges of engaging in politics while still in the army found him guilty of all three charges on Friday 13 August 2010.
But Fonseka also faces charges that he unfairly granted an arms contract to a company run by his son-in-law in the United States. Fonseka has challenged his arrest in the Supreme Court.
In March, 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 guerrillas 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.”
Gotabaya Rajapakse, who is defence secretary and the president’s brother, has been accused of complicity in war crimes by General Fonseka.
The administration appears to fear what the general may say if he is asked to testify at any future war crimes hearings.
The defence secretary holds joint American citizenship and the general is a US green card holder.
From his guarded quarters inside Naval HQ, General Fonseka told Channel 4 News: “I will only celebrate the day I expose this rogue president to the country and to the world and bring the people of this country peace free of thugery and political violence and bring real democracy to the country and stop corruption in the country.”
Democracy murdered: letter obtained by Channel 4 News.
Sri Lanka High Commission statement:
"General Sarath Fonseka, the former commander of the Sri Lanka Army and former Chief of defence staff, Sri Lanka has been arrested under the Army Act of 1949 of Sri Lanka and his arrest is well within the law of the country.
"The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka issued notices to the respondents when the petition filed by the spouse of General Fonseka challenging the legality of the arrest in a fundamental rights application on 23 February 2010. The application for the bail has also been refused by the Supreme Court.
"The summary of evidence has been concluded and the charge sheet has been served to General Fonseka accordingly. His denial of any wrong doing would be considered by the Court.
"General Fonseka has been accommodated by the government with all amenities and his statement to the effect that the living conditions are difficult is not maintainable.
"President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been re-elected for the second term with a margin of 1.8 million votes and the election observers have endorsed the outcome of the election."
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