A Presidential Pardon has meant that former Army Commander, who was incarcerated at the Welikada Prison, now walks a free man, albeit with some legal shackles. Fonseka is Sri Lanka’s first serving Army Commander who was promoted to a four-star General rank whilst in service, stars he was forced to give up by a Court Martial mere months after launching a fail bid for the office of the President, running against his one time ally and one time Commander-in-Chief Mahinda Rajapaksa. In a no holds barred candid interview with Ceylon Today, Sarath Fonseka, the retired General viewed as the architect of the defeat of the LTTE and Sri Lanka’s most famous political prisoner talks about his arrest, time in prison, family, political aspirations and the lessons learnt behind iron bars.
Gallege Punyawardana / May 24, 2012
Whom do you think the culprits who put you into this trouble.
Actually what went wrong and how did it happened that you and Rajapakses
became dead enemies.
You said while you are the Commander that this is the country of the Sinhalese,
The President stated that there are no minorities called tamils , muslims or any other any more in this country.
You said that you are committed to preserve the Unity of the country and not a united country any way.
The President was saying the same thing while every other traitor in the Government was for a united country.
Don’t you think that the President and you were having the same views with regard to the national problem.
Don’t you also thing that there had been an international conspiracy
to make you and Rajapaksas dead enemies first and later turn to be political opponents,and have a regime change or at least ousting of Rajapakasa
Please make a clarification
Punyawardana
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Gowrie / May 25, 2012
Punyawardana,
You are certainly more educated than the self claimed “educated” man in above picture
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Rupert Vanderkoon / May 24, 2012
I have my sympathy to this man who fought hard for us but that was what he could do and he should stop there. Whenever he speaks, either he puts himself in trouble or make us laugh. For example, by reading a book about Hitler, he believes he is now educated, poor bloke!He doesn’t always have to say something. He should know what Churchill said once, “by swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach.”
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James Bond / May 26, 2012
For the most part, when SF speaks he sounds like an ego maniac!
Hence, the best thing he could do is go to the ICC in the Hague make a deal and become a prime witness against the Rajapakse regime in a war crimes trial – this will be a great service to Lanka – and SF will then truly be known as the man who saved the country from the LTTE and the Rajapakse white van murderers! It is only once the cursed Rajapakses are gone like the cursed LTTE that Lanka will become a peaceful land!
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Janaka / May 26, 2012
Chandrika, Sarath n Silva and other prominent Sri Lankans must speak up along with Fonseka for the removal of the uneducated uncultured rascals and offer them up for international trial on war crimes charges.
The good name of Sri Lanka is being dragged through the mud while these scoundrels who stole the elections from Ranil and Fonseka remain in office and Gota’s white vans continue to prevent democracy and independent police force.
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suz / May 27, 2012
fonseka and chandrika have childrens usa and uk ,do they work for srilanka?
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Senguttuan / May 26, 2012
The Rajapakses may not be entirely amused in Sarath Fonseka trying to divide the army (his comments against their clearning drains, selling vegetables etc) Apparently, the man miscalculated his popularity level within the rank and officer cadres of the army who fail to rise when he was taken in 2 years ago. “The very educated” man has a long way to go before he can convince the more thinking portion of the nation he has at least the basic qualifications to lead the country. The only reason why people support him is because he is the rallying point where other opposition groups can converge to form an effective alternative to the Rajapakses. The Rajapakses are far too cunning and possess much sophiscation in state craft. Mahinda has pleasing manners and hardly offends anyone in public interviews or speeches. Goathabaya has convinced the country he is a serious Manager and tough task master – who delivers the goods against odds. Basil is good at making deals – commercial, political and the lot. Lalith Weeratunga is non-controversial, loyal and hardworking. So that’s a hard team to beat even if the UNP, JVP and others get round the unpredictable narcissist given to much excessive delusions of grandeur.
The people’s memory of the man as one who achieved the impossible dream
in slaying the Tiger cannot last forever. Sarath Fonseka must learn to grow up. Can he?
Senguttuvan
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Janaka / May 26, 2012
You forgot to mention Mahindas biggest blunder, helping Hambantota?
The late great Lasantha was killed for exposing this attempted scam?
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Narki Silo / May 27, 2012
yes, whitw vans is the educated way
now great economy, wel for Basil, abusing minorities, super educated !!
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Piyadasa M / May 28, 2012
education and knowlegde derive from your exprinces of politicial programe.The politics are life and death of millions people’s of life
and progress of whole socitey.We have run our state affirs last 64 years visionless and missonless.
The result of that our collective major erros and unmindiful political decision,has been hamper our Nation Future.
Is SF in having such knowledge of politics as army person,can HE overcome problems challing before our country!
There is NO easy and smooth, SHORT CUT PATH OF DEVELOPEMENT & SOVEREIGINITY OF POLITICS IN SRI LANAK AS SMALL NATION.
Can he undertake such greatTASK & mission on BEHALF OF PEOPLE OF SRI LANAK?
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Punchinilame / May 29, 2012
The release of SF is secretly tied down to what he must say and do.
The bait is the grantable Civic Rights etc. Only MR, Alles and Anoma
could be privy to this position – a line of thought?
Gota of all people saying at a prime interveiw that no SF related
questions should be raised with him, which is an indicator of some hidden agenda. All other prouncements are for political consumption.
As long as the Regime exists this bait will be held and it is up to
SF to go the whole length either way?
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Ben Hurling / May 29, 2012
Sri Lanka – Rajapakse clan’s private Banana Republic?
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suz / May 29, 2012
read the book about hitler ,that expression enough people to understand that you sick.
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Senguttuan / May 30, 2012
If he read Hitler’s Mein Kampf – and understood at least a portion of it – that’ll do him much good. But he must not take that to “Mungwa-Kapang” which is more in like with SF’s usual mental trajectory.
Senguttuvan
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