With the arresting of retired Gen. Sarath Fonseka, the first domino has been nudged. I expect we’ll be seeing a repeat of arrests, assaults and murders of journalist since 2007, in the coming months. I dare say the white vans will be prowling the streets once again.
During his interview on BBC, Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated “He was a member of the security council. He only left three months ago. He divulged certain security information to the public. He did a wrong thing there. But we will not arrest him because he was the opposition candidate”.
So much for that…
It’s a no brainer that Fonseka has incriminating evidence against the government and this is an effort to have him gagged and bound. But the government has more to gain by drubbing him with a court martial.
For the upcoming Parliamentary Elections, the JVP had invited Sarath Fonseka (New Democratic Front) as well as Mangala Samaraweera (SLFP –M), Rauff Hakeem (SLMC), Mano Ganeshan (Democratic People’s Front) and Arjuna Ranatunga, to form a new alliance. This proves that even though the UNP has decided to enter the elections under their Elephant symbol, without affiliations with other parties, Fonseka still had the potentiality to discomfit Rajapaksa’s plans.
If Fonseka is court martialed his political career is over and the government’s strongest opposition would be eliminated. Sarath Fonseka aside, the government has the power to arrest anyone, however innocent they may be, and have them imprisoned on far-fetched charges that they’re experts in cooking up. We’ve seen this in the case of Tissainayagam. They’ve got the long arm of the law in a hammerlock.
Last year two bloggers were supposedly arrested for making comments on a website against the government. What’s important now, is for the media as well as bloggers to not cower in the shadow of the thug- that’s government intimidation, and continue to keep the masses informed. This is of course, easier said than done, but the public must be kept aware of all that is going on around them.
I find it hard to imagine where Sri Lanka will be 7 years from now. Wherever that may be, we’d best brace ourselves for it.
A slightly eccentric journalist, who when taking time from blogging as the charismatic Puppeteer, is often found in her make-believe world (being the escapist that she is), concocting wild schemes or appeasing her irascible sweet-tooth.
purpleboxers
February 9, 2010
i have this weird feeling that in 7 years time there will be loud-speakers all around the country spewing out ‘praise’ for the rajapske’s and more importantly for us, i think we might lose this mode of communication
chalisha
February 9, 2010
Don’t forget that the allegations of a coup were rife long before the elections were announced. India (through RAW) tipped off the Government, and this was the reason SF was booted out of the army commander position so quickly after the war and ‘promoted’ to CDS, which is a position without any power.
SF’s disgruntlement began when his ability to conduct a coup was taken away–Jagath Jayasuriya wouldn’t allow it (which is why he was picked, instead of Chandrasiri, who was handpicked by SF as the next commander despite being on extension).
The real problem is that the Government has jackasses for spokesmen, and they can’t get their side of the story across even a quarter as effectively as Mangala and co. That’s why there is this entire nonsense about him being arrested as he was a threat to the Government.
The day the UNP decided to part ways with SF was the day he stopped being a threat. How many votes do you think SF, Mangala and the JVP can garner without having the UNP backing? At least 80% of the votes SF got were from the UNP vote base. So this perception of SF as a political threat is complete bunkum.
As for why they didn’t arrest him before the election: think of the outcry now, and think of the outcry that would have been if SF was arrested while running for President.
Chavie
February 9, 2010
He had NO plans for a coup… how could he have taken control of the state when Gota and Jayasuriya have such a firm grip on the Army? It’s stupid to even think that a coup would be possible now (It would’ve been possible when SF was Army commander though)
This is just pathetic. The government is arresting a CIVILIAN who left the Army, and court martialling him for alleged ‘crimes’ commited while he was a civilian. I have no idea if that’s even legal!
Jerry
February 9, 2010
Where have I seen this movie before…?
Black Rose
February 9, 2010
Chavs, you have a point!
The Puppeteer
February 9, 2010
@Lasantha- Yeah, I don’t doubt citizen journalism will be brought to an abrupt end. But hey, while we should make the most of it while we still can.
@Chalisha- I’m not saying that a new alliance will have a chance at winning a majority of seats at the Parliamentary Elections. Even if the UNP were to change their mind and join the new alliance, it wouldn’t change that… going by the results of the Presidential Elections (rigged or not). But they would have evened it out to some extent, so that there’d be a balance in the Parliament.
But if Fonseka is court martialed, the UPFA can easily win a large majority of seats.
@Chavie and BR- Well that’s just it, isn’t it. The government can just about pin any half-baked charges on anyone and get away with it. But what’s more worrying is that it was the military police that arrested him, which is completely wrong because he’s a civilian now.
@Jerry- Which one would that be?
sittingnut
February 9, 2010
lies and ignorance of this blogger is astounding . does she call herself a journalist?
lol @ her editors
she believes the white van conspiracy theories spun by terrorists. lol
may be she thinks ppl who created that myth (first used in 2006 staged abduction of ltte front tro workers ) were not terrorists, but pussy cats? lol
sf was arrested according to law and will go through due process . why should he be above the law ?
‘far-fetched charges’? you mean existence of scores of ex military with arms caches is far fetched ? irresponsible lies to betray and endanger ppl superiors and subordinates who contributed to defeat of terrorists far fetched ? active participation in politics while in military far fetched? holding talks with and calling for foreign intervention far fetched ?
lol
’tissainayagam’ that convicted supporter of our murderers helped terrorists with info and transfer of money in addition to publishing complete lies .evidence was presented in court and his lawyers were there to challenge all that . they failed . but this blogger conveniently forgets all that . typical dishonestly .
“Last year two bloggers were supposedly arrested for making comments on a website against the government.”
can this blogger even try to substantiate this completely baseless claim? of course not . bc it is a complete fabrication.
“bloggers to … continue to keep the masses informed. ”
not by such lies, ignorance, and stupidity as displayed in this blog post.
lol
best weapon against a person with such characteristics is reason, facts, and ridicule in her face.
Jerry
February 10, 2010
@TP
V for Vandana
Whacko
February 10, 2010
1984 comes to mind, we should stary writing sci fi about a bleak authoritarian future.. Start a series of posts. What say?
The Puppeteer
February 15, 2010
@ Jerry- Eh?
@ Whacko- Why Sci Fi?