Daily News Editorial

Govt. has done right by Sarath Fonseka

22 September 2016

Rural Development Minister Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka, to use a cricketing metaphor, hit all round the wicket in parliament on Tuesday, during the debate on his Ministry's supplementary estimate. As expected there were howls of protest from the Joint Opposition when the former Army Commander rose to speak. Fonseka became the target of the JO in the wake of the recent book “Road to Nandikadal” authored by retired Major General Kamal Gunaratna. Responding to taunts about the suitability of his appointment to a Cabinet post, Minister Fonseka said he had more than a right and entitlement to all the honours and positions conferred on him, for the pivotal role played by him to rid the country of the scourge of terrorism.

Certainly, no Sri Lankan with a genuine love for the country, would begrudge the titles and honours conferred on Minister Fonseka who led the tri-forces to a successful conclusion of the three decades old war and in the process almost paying the supreme sacrifice. Although the war was won by a combined effort of the tri-forces’ chiefs and the political leadership, there is little doubt that Fonseka's reputation for daring and strategic brilliance, which was well known to the powers that be, automatically placed the Sinha regiment veteran in the hot seat. That he was hailed as the best Army Commander in the world, following the war victory, no doubt was a grudging admission of his prowess as a battle hardened warrior who faced the enemy in the eye as opposed to those who directed the war from their ivory towers.

Answering his critics in parliament Field Marshal Fonseka declared that a book will be out soon about the dedication and sacrifices made by all the 200,000 soldiers who put their collective shoulder to the war victory. In a clear reference to the recent book released by his onetime subordinate, Field Marshal Fonseka said the satakaya group was trying to hang onto a single book written by just one among his 20 divisional commanders. A book will also soon be out, on their version, by the rest of his divisional commanders which will throw a different light on events.

It looks like the Sri Lankan public will be in for some good entertainment with one general contradicting the other on battlefield events and who was responsible for which victory and who pulled the rug under whose feet. In such a scenario the JO no doubt will be the loser, being unable to accuse the UNP of dealing a blow to the morale of the war heroes, because this is something that will now be self inflicted, come the books on the war, with its diverse and divisive accounts.

Scoffing at the attempt by the JO to collect Rs. 2 million compensation on behalf of the soldier who shot dead a LTTEer fleeing from an army camp, Fonseka asked why couldn't the JO pay this money from the foreign bank accounts, where its leaders had stashed their ill gotten wealth, instead of taxing the poor people. After all, Fonseka seemed to say, Rs. 2 million was chicken feed when one considers the accumulated loot.

Be that as it may, the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government should be commended for appropriately rewarding Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka who not only had to face the guns, bombs, and bullets in the theatre of war but also made to suffer indignities and privations as a prisoner in Welikada. Not only that, the country's war winning Army Commander also had the misfortune of seeing his family scattered and driven into exile during the hour of trials. Up to date, no one is aware as to what happened to this case in which the former Army Commander was found guilty and thrown behind bars. The Yahapalanaya government should price out this whole matter, at least now, in order to ascertain if this was in fact an act of revenge against Fonseka for daring to challenge the maha rajano at the hustings. The government owes it to the former Army Commander, to clear his name, as the military leader who rid the country of terrorism.

Hats off to Dinesh

It s heartening indeed that Joint Opposition parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardena has raised the matter of the death of an estate Tamil youth in Pussellawa while in police custody in parliament on Tuesday. This is because one doesn't usually associate the JO of taking up issues affecting the minority communities. It is not clear if this is an attempt to woo the minorities by the JO who had hitherto breathed fire against any concessions granted to these segments. However one is constrained give them the benefit of the doubt in this instance, given the stature of a politician such as Dinesh Gunawardena who after all is the son of Phillip, the father of Marxism in this country, who eschewed communalism.