"I am defimitely going to reveal what I know ,what I was told , what I heard. Anyone who has committed war crimes should be brought to courts .Those who reveal the truth are not traitors I am not going to save anyone who has committed war crimes " Sarath Fonseka .
who was he going to give this evidence too ? In addition he boasted that all his enemies , Which inludes the President and Gothabaya R will be in prison if he return to power. He addressed these two as " THOSE TWO FELLOWS " on you tube . What is your view on that ???

Rajan Philips is no friend of Fonseka, and certainly not of JVP either. He is backing for Fonseka's cause now because Fonseka has become the enemy of the Sri Lankan State, and Rajan and other fellow LTTE sympathizers have ax to grind with Rajapakse. When Fonseka wanted to keep displaced Tamils in camps for three years, and to interrogate them to weed-out LTTErs, Rajan and others who are shedding crocodile tearsnow, attacked him relentlessly. The point is that while Fonseka has committed a serious blunder by trying to destabilize the country at the time that everyone should focus on solving major political and econmic issues, those who are trying to take an advantage of the situation has no credibility to talk about Fonseka's rights, JVP, Muslim and Sinhala unity because they never had any interest in these issues before.

Heartened by this article of Mr.R.Philips.This is an extremely correct analyst of the sad and decadent situation in Sri Lanka.All these ruthless politicians are playing with fire.They cannot fool the people all the time.An uprising is on foot .

These scoundrels should be punnished, and the boot licking vassals should be given their just deserts!

The Sri Lankan people seems lost with no real leader to take them forward, but that, will come , such opressions as this will wake up the sleeping Lions and others.The infamous Rajapaksha clan will regret all their mideeds and will bear the curse of all our forefathers!

AS ONE IDIOT OF A MINISTER SAID JUST BEFORE THE ELECTION - 'WE OWN THE POLICE, WE OWN THE ARMY AND WE OWN THE COUNTRY, WE KNOW HOW TO WIN THIS ELECTION' - WHAT A PROPHESY

A rare brilliant article to describe this brutal regime.
Irish-Lankan

You sounds like a Senior Adviser to the President of Srl Lanka.

"the Rajapakse brothers are running the military and the police without wearing uniforms"

An odd statement indeed. Is it that the Defence Secretary and Commander-in-Chief must now wear Uniforms in order to run the Police and Military machinery ?

It is evident to the whole world that Rajapakse thugs are destroying any democracy that that is left in Sri Lanka. As the author expressed, if the elected leadership cannot function within the law and constitusion of a Sri Lanka, the leadership should be changed. Changing this thuggery leadership requires thuggery tactics because Rajapakse's know only this method. So let's not waste time and wipe them off in any which way possible. People have suffered enough in the hands of these thugs.

This is a good article. There is no democracy in Sri Lanka. Gotta and MR are dragging the country towards dictator. If SF is a trailer by becoming opposite politician, what about the present army commander he openly support MR. So he should be punished too. being in the Government high rank position, Gota openly engaged politics by supporting his brother MR. This is violating the law of the country. Arrest of SF is to prevent him become a leader of this country. But some of the foolish people in this country never realize the danger of this. But when they realize the situation it will be too late.

He writes like he knows everything and the senior adviser to the Obama administration. President Rajapakshe is not an ignorent President. Mr. Fonseka is abusing the good nature of the people by decieving them for his personal agendas. Rajapashe has not arrested him as his primary political opponent that Fonseka never will be but him as a primary threat to the national security. Can Rajapakse remain silence when Fonseka vows that he would become a crown witness in the International Court against our hard fought military boys. Come on my friend, I don't think that will ever happend until Rajapakshe's last breath mingles into the air.

I am not sure what choice does the people of Sri Lanka is left with when it comes to terrorism. Whether it is terrorsim through and organization such as LTTE or terrorism thru the state government, we are put in a great demise of having to face unlucky hardships by leaders who take in charge. We had LTTE for 30 years, now we are going to have the Rajapakse's for the next 30! Awsome article.

THIS GUY IS PROMOTING VIOLENCE.

To the Irish Lankan from an Australuian Lankan. It was Mahinda Rajapakse who destroyed terrorism in SriLanka and not Fonseka. Fonseka was in the army even before Mahinda became president. Fonseka was a Major General in the Army and had only 12 days to go for retirement. Mahinda brought him into active service and promoted him as Commander and then as General.Fonseka re paid Mahinda back in style.Mahinda and Gota increased the strenth of the armed forces from thousands to thousands. Sought and recieved assistance from countries like Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Chechnia and India, when the west refused help. The two brothers allocated millions of funds to the armded forces and withstood all pressure and went ahead and finished the Job once and for all. When Prabakaran was killed Fonseka was in China. Fonseka's role in the war has been grossly exaggerated and his ego brought about his down fall. Lond live our Leader and President.

Someone is laughing from hell!

The Srilankans are stupied.by offering them kasipu or lunch parcels they vort for the candidate. my servent was given Rs 500 to attend a meeting in ratmalana during the last election. if the presedent dont obey Sc orders how can we expect a normal living. mahinda and his family will be rechest in asia very Soon Thanks for kasipu and lunch packets.

Hi
I am an ardent supporter of MR. But i wan SF to be released ASAP as it is bad for the country. SF was asking for this. Whenever heopen his mouth he talked BS. He is an officer but no gentlemen. He should have learned from JFK or Nelson Mendela. Heis guilty of all chares but should be given a fair trial. But he is atraitor, who betrayed the country. It is Treason This is the Sri Lankan Macbeth.

If MR and bro have nothing to hide why are they so scared? Fonseka does not have to testify. It is pretty evident that gota and the clan have comited war crimes.

If sinhalese majority people cannot get justice from their govt. what can the tamils and muslims expect?

Sinhalese leaders have not learned anything from the insurgency(by LTTE and JVP) after independance. There was Tamil and sinhalese uprising against the state because they could not get justice otherwise. So the whole nation payed dearly for that. This was due to mistakes by past politicians such as SWRD Bandaranayaka and J.R. Jayawardana.

Again Rajapaksha brothers are setting the stage for future uprising against the state. Our next generations will pay for this careless actions. When will this end?

I wonder general Schwarzkopf would have been left alone, for the sake of democracy, if he threatened to reveal all that happened, under closed doors in desert storm. I do not think so! so why should SL leave alone a mad general, as brilliant he was in battle, when he threatened to reveal state secrets at a time when LTTE sponsored western powers are out to destabilize us. Wake up SL!, the general, if he had any sense left, should never have come into politics.

It is a fact he is sponsored by the US and the West, it is a fact his election Champaign was financed by some LTTE money. What kind a man would take that position for the sake of a personal vendetta after spending a good part of his life defeating those forces? In my view he should be kept in jail until he regains his senses and is not a threat to our country anymore. Great job MR, thank you and your brothers for taking this very unpopular political step to protect SL.

Rajan Philips is exactly right on this. The solution to this matter is rise people against this corrupted politician. That all!!!!!

who say MR won the elction , he robbed it from MR then he want to destroy him, so he can rule next 7 years in peace, how can guilt can get peace and settle with victory( can if it is real).Only Basil and MR brothers know, how much they got.
Sri lanka is no more democrazy,they have destroyed it.If poeple want it back fight for it.Ask single Police officer and Arm force, are they doing thier work for public tax or Politican favour and indimidation or fear.
Why we need to fear to do your duty , if everyone started their duty this criminal have place in our nation.
We are creating this Animals, We have bowed for thier indimidation.
I am asking all our publics to do your duty , it our country, our tax money , we need save every cents from this public robbery and use it wisely.
Work hard we will succeed.

There is nothing wrong with this arrest. Fonseka was going to release state secrets to the international community, and it is therefore appropriate that he be arrested on charges of treason. He is accused of committing murder during his tenure as a General - therefore he is subject to military law, not civilian law. So he must face a military tribunal as a result. This is simply an example of the state using the law to protect the interests of the state. If Fonseka intends to dish it, he must be prepared to cop it. Maybe he'll be rethinking his strategies once he's alone in his cell.

THIS IS DIRTY POLYTICS.IF SARATH FONSEAKA HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG WHEN HE IS IN UNIFORM
WHY THESE RAJAPAKSHE BROTHERS WAITED SO LONG TO ACT.IF SARATH FONSEAKA STILL WITH GOVERNMENT ARE THEY GOING TO ARREST HIM OFCOURSE NOT.THIS ARREST IS A BIG ISSUE MORE THAN WHAT THEY THOUGHT.INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE IS BUILDING THICK AND FAST.
RAJAPAKSHA BRORHERS DONT WANT SARATH FONSEAKA TO CONTEST THE NEXT ELECTION.THAT IS THE REASON HE IS BEHAIND BARS TODAY.WILL DO EVERY THING TO GET SARATH FONSEAKA OUT FROM COUSTODY.THESE BROTHERS DONT UNDERSTAND FROM THERE EVERY ACTION SARATH FONSEAKA IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE POPIULAR.WISHING ALL THE BEST FOR FONSEAKA.

Only Rajiv Gandhi has a backbone to intervene when innocenet people are being harassed in a neighbouring country. USA must not consider this present situation in Sri Lanka as an Internal Problem. This is repression against humanity. A brute family has taken over the reigns of a helpless country to harass the people and the Civilized International Community should not wait and watch while people are brutallu murdered.USA must take over the Governence of Sri Lanka and restore order and save the innocent people having to shed blood to restore order. People of Si Lanka must not think of their lives now. All must rise up and attack everyone who is trying to jack up this lawness Government.

If my brother came to power, we would have killed all these Rajapaksas and all the government servants who supported him including the Election Commissioner.

I cry for my country . Sri Lanka is a country which has been torn apart by inept politicians who doesn't believe in the rule of the law nor maintaining human rights. Sri Lanka unfortunately has now descended to being a Pariah state.

This article is against sri Lankan nation. It is a work of a payed gernalist. Who believe these ? There are not so much oxen in sl to believe these wrong news. People support for giving their votes for real people again. They will choose. Who is Fonseka ? What can he do to Sri Lanka ? He can do nothing. He has only hatred. Who support for this hatred . only the defeated politician who can not come power back him up.
Damian , Germany

Well said. You are 100 percent correct

what a sad time for sri lanka as a whole. the blind followers of the rogue regime will say sf deserved this kind of treatment. what they dont see is the erosion of democracy, rule of law and good governance.

but the most saddest thing is the army officer corps stooping so low as to demean themselves in the eyes of the general public. it's not even an year since the end of the war against the ltte and already the army too are becoming zeroes from virtual heroes. a really sad state of affairs. the officer and gentleman class of the army is lost forever by these acts of imbecility. the most appropriate thing to do will be for these officers to hand over the day to day running of the army to the non commissioned officers cos they might do a better job.

more drastic repression, intimidation and brutal suppression of a rogue regime in time to come will be more conspicuous. the coming years will indeed be a very dark era for democracy.

Idiot Gota confirmed the sentence before the trial started, it seems, that these fellows have given the order to person who is conducting the trial. His duty will be announcing the Idiot brothers' decision.
Well done brothers.

One day you will pay the price like premadasa.

The arrest of SF was the biggest blunder MR has made in his entire Political carreer.He has now given the opposition a sympathy vote to work with when just after the 26 th Jan Election one would have asked what Opposition ? they were decimated and did not know which direction the next campaign should run.SF would have been in the Political wilderness and only History would tell us whether he would be acclaimed as an all time Hero but given the respect he still commands in the Army the Rajapakses with all their might cannot tarnish his name.I still cannot see the opposition winning the Election,specially if the UNP still has the JVP tagging along and we need to acknowledge MR did very creditably in UNP strongholds and incread his vote in Jaffna which shows the Sinhala vote will go his way and the Opposition do not have Politicians of the calibre of Gamini,Lalith.Premadasa all eloquent speakers,to highlight the shortfalls of the Government,the high C.O.L,The Jumbo Cabinet that is being subsidised by the tax payer,the affluent lifestyles of the Politicians,the apalling Transport system.Remember it was like reviving the dead after the 1970 debacle for the UNP but they attacked on all fronts including the Unions an area where previously did not have any clout.The current opposition is haphazard in its approach,they should stay loyal to its leader,marginal voters wont trust a divided Party.
The UNP needs fresh faces to be guided by the older stalwarts who have been involved with Election
campaigns to put up a decent fight.

As this article makes very clear, this has nothing to do with how Fonseka might have behaved had he won, and it should have nothing to do with how he has behaved unless, of course, he is guilty as charged, which no one will believe.

Indeed, this has only incidentally to do with General Fonseka. It is mainly about the imposition of power to eliminate dissent and then to eliminate open discussion because -- who knows? -- that, too, could lead to dissent. What is truly breathtaking is how very little time passed after the election before the Rajapaksa regime showed its true colours, thus confirming at a stroke the worst fears that some of us had.

The good news is that every government which operates this way, with disdain for the law and contempt for its opponents, invariably comes to a bad end. But when?

Anoma,
What SF said to media(and you recapped) do not warrant an arrest under the constitution. You should understand the author's point; he does not worry about private SF, but the way the Sri Lanka is ruled. Today SF is the prey of the rulers, who knows when is your turn.

THIS IS PERSONSL VENGEANCE .THE IDIOT WHO SAID ,WE OWN THE ARMY, WE OWN THE POLICE,WE KNOW HOW TO WIN THE ELECTION>SHOULD BE COURT MARTIALLED AS A POLITICIAN HE CONDUCTS INFO. TO THE FORCES,MR GOTA YOU ARE BLIND, BECAUSE HE IS YOUR CATCHERS. RAJAPAKSE BROTHERS NEED TO FACE WAR CRIMES FOR KILLING THE TAMIL PEOPLE WHO SURRENDERED.MAINTAIN SOLIDARITY WIPE THIS GUN TROTTING KILLERS, RIGGERS KIDNAPPERS OUT,IT IS NOW OR NEVER.IF THIS IS NOT PERSONNEL VENGEANCE WHAT IS THIS?ELECTION COMMISSIONER BECAME ENLIGHTEN OVERNIGHT. MOEY BUYS ANYTHING N THIS RAJAPAKESS WILL NOT STOP AT ANYTHING TO CONTINUE THIS DYNASTY N THEY ARE GROOMING A NEW GENERATION .

The unity achieved with such a cost of life and property has been taken over by the ambition for power.
The power not only corrupts it deceives themselves in the absence of law and order.
Sri Lanka deserves better than this.
It's very sad.

The people who are defending Sarath Fonseka point fingers at Karuna. When you look back the incidents are similar. Karuna provided the insides of LTTE. And now Fonseka is doing the same. Only difference is Fonseka want also to be identified as a war hero. This international war tribunal where USA and Sri Lanka are not signatories, why all the harping. If USA, Britain, France are treid in the war tribunal, Sri Lanka sure will have to answer such allegations. But why we deploy double standards, but yet talk about due process.

Excellent analysis of the current events in Sri Lanka.
Hope the Judjes will not let Sri Lanka follow the path of Pakistan or Bangladesh.

What you said was true. Thank you so much for opening eyes. Hope all sri lankan will be able to read this. This family dynasty should end soon or else there wont be an island call sri lanka in the MAP.

During the recent Presidential Election Ruling Party violated election rules enormously. They used public owned media institutions heavily, most of the opposition media institutions were banned, Journalists and Opposition supporters were murdered by the government sponsored thugs, People were bribed, Election officers were chased away from Election Centres and full control of them was taken by the government thugs. President's brother has threatened Election Commissioner at the Main Election Office and took control of it and manipulated election results in the computer systems. Election was held like this with full of frauds and has got the Election Commissioner by force to declare the win. First speech of Election Commissioner after the Election confirms them.

Arrest of Main Opposition Candidate is to stop any Election Petition and derail opposition campaign for the forthcoming General Election. Also this arrest was made just after General made a comment to BBC that he is ready to testify in any War Crime Tribunal. After arresting him they can stop General's free movement. President's brother who is the Defence Secretary has bypassed the General (then the Army Commander) at several times to give unlawful orders to army and he is guilty conscious of them and fearful to go to a War Crime Tribunal.

In addition President and his Family (99% are in very higher positions in the government) have looted $478 B of money during his first term, (this money) mostly coming from Foreign Aids.

SriLanka is now not a Democratic country. Foreign countries should force Rulers to reinstate democracy by means of putting up sanctions, cutting Aids etc.,.

If Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has done anything unlawfully or unproffessionally, he should defineatly go the justice no matter local or international.

The government has launched an open attack against the media, opposition and democracy in Sri Lanka. If this is not stopped it will meen the end of Democracy, Freedom and Human rights. Hence it is the duty of all right thinking Sri Lankans to oppose this trend. The future of this country and our children depends on this. Now is the time to speak up against this.

Nice Article Rajan. As always with lots of insights. It's high time for all peace loving citizens to wake up for the sake of democracy and justice.

If I were to borrow the idea from Martin Niemöller - this will be my poem to describe the current situation in Sri Lanka:

First they came for the Tamils
and I did not speak out - because I was not a Tamil.

Then they came for the Muslims
and I did not speak out - because I was not a Muslim.

Then they came for the Christians
and I did not speak out - because I was not a Christian.

Then they came for me -
and by then there was no one left to speak out for me.

Anton Raji

"We've all got what's coming to us" - Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven.

The restoration of the state's monopoly of violence is the restoration of one of the basic functions and attributes of the state. what one does with it is important, but a second orderc question, which is why it isn't part of weber's definition, the source of which the writer of the article is ironically unaware of : Leon Trotsky. As for moral compasses, maybe one should read Trotsky's "Our morality and Theirs"?

Rajan is not so politically naieve as he tries to pretend here. Rajan very well knows that SF is not a political threat to Rajapakses. Various political alignments taking place indicate the possibility of UNP & JVP going their own separate ways which is quite logical. Under such circumstances SF will be just history at the general election (unless he decides to contest under UNP). His bloated ego doesn't allow him to be subservient to Ranil W at present which prevents him from contesting under elephant symbol.

However, supporting SF at this point is perfectly in line with Rajan's agenda of destabilising Sri Lanka (though Rajan is not a fan of SF).

On this issue, govt is not on a popularity contest. It is dealing with a grave threat to national security using an available legal tool. Army act is part of law applicable to military personnel up to 6 months after they leave the army.

Yes. Your article is unbiased and good. But you see how these politicians are able to divide the Majority Sinahalese of this country. There is no politician in Sri Lanka who has done any good!!!???.MR has some love as under his rule the terrorism was eliminated. But it is not done only by him, there are many involved in this victory. He is trying to show his true colours. Rowdism begins...

Excellent analysis Rajan!

You made a mistake though. "Should have been humbled by the (notorious) victory"? Could anyone be humbled by daylight robbery of other man's victory?

SF was foolish enough to keep hammering on the issues of eliminationg corruption, enpotism, indiscipline, thuggery, impunity etc. etc. This made the criminal elements of the country very very jittery resulting in commiting more crimes to retain the status quo.

He should have toned down his emphasis on these issues and adopted some subtlety. His senior coalition friends should have guided him in this area. The biggest let-down was from the UNP seniors including Ranil. Were they playing opportunistic politics? I am inclined to think so for they miserably failed follow the ballot boxes in the first place and always played second fiddle to JVP.

UNPiers seem to take their voters for granted and just wait in the wing for the power to be conferred on them by the people rather than working hard for it. Convincing people of good intend is a very hard think to do in this era. People like John Amaratunge were not even seen by their voters. They are probably too old for this game, and if Ranil has any grey matter left, should get rid of these nincomppops and the likes of him who play double game like SB did for the forthcoming election. Voters are sick and tired of them.

Rajan Philips is a well known Marxist-Leninist who believes in bloody revolutions and uses his academic cap to cover his pro-LTTE terrorist stance. He is neither the first, nor the last to do so. Then again we have the likes of B. Raman, ex-Cabinet Addl.

Secretary and a Tamil himself from India who advised the Indian government to give all support to develop the monstrous racist terrorist LTTE, also coming out of the literary woodwork of late castigating the Rajapaksa regime : “..A campaign of intimidation and vendetta was started against Fonseka and his supporters after the Presidential elections…”

Both Rajan’s shouts of “Arrests Most Foul” and Raman's current interests in Sri Lanka and his overt unfair criticisms of the Rajapaksas who vanquished the LTTE, are highly questionable. Both of their ethnicity based consistent criticisms of any Sri Lankan government also casts a long shadow of doubt on their good intentions and overviews w.r.t. Sri Lanka under the current Rajapksa regime.

Post-independence Sri Lanka has been subjected to:
1.Military Coup d'etat (1960s)
2.Bloody Marxist revolution attempts(1966-71; 1988-89)
3. Racist Terrorism to establish Tamil state (1983-2009)
and now
4. Attempt to use democratic elections as a springboard to Military rule under Retd. Army Commander(2010)

What we have is a robust democracy. What we need is strong democratic governace under a non-partisan, fearless and dedicated leader. Mahinda Rajapaksa provides that leadership. Rajapaksa family is an example to any country where the value of unity from ruling family to national levels behoves well for the stability and prosperity of the country.

Rajan’s crocodile tears for SF are baseless and non-productive in the light of the covertly attempted coup by SF and his supporters. The evidence against SF’s militaristic intentions are overwhelming. Therefore in view of the best interests of national democracy, independence and prosperity of Sri Lanka, the course of action taken by the Rajapaksa regime is very timely and appropriate. It has avoided an extremely grave potential instability, mayhem, bloodshed, witch hunting and trauma that Sri Lanka has undergone for well over 40 years now.

I cant seem to understand why everyone is so worried about Fonseka's arrest and why they continue to blame the Rajapaksa brothers?

Did the Rajapaksa brothers ask Fonseka to say such things or commit the supreme crime of betrayal. Not only that even reiterate the threat after the elections.

If he is so innocent and righteous just allow the law to take its course. appeal if there is anything wrong about the arrest.

Please don't listen guys like those of the JVP, Mono Ganeshan and even the Good Doctor JJ from the UNP trying to mislead you with lies and untruths. The Doctor says that he comes from a holier than holy profession but he gave up the profession to mingle with the rogues in politics. He has no claim to that profession anymore. he has only the qualification that MEANS NOTHING. Them again we know how he hob knob ed with the LTTE

SF is a traitor and alooser.He betrayed the country.

What is sad and bad is the abuse of power.A day will surely come when people begin to question their own freedom and realise it is too late now.

IT IS INTERSTING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTING MR ARE ALL DOING IT ONLY ON ONE BASIS THAT IS TO UNIFY THE SINHALESE AGAINST THE MINORITIES==MUSLIMS AND TAMILS.
THIS KIND OF LOGIC WHILE THE RULE OF LAW IS BEING ERODED WILL COME BACK TO BITE THEM IN THE ASS. JUST LIKE IT KILLED OFF 60,000 SINHALA JVP YOUTH NOT SO LONG AGO. THE THEN POWERS DID NOT CARE WHETHER IT IS TAMIL OR SINHALA YOUTH WHO WERE BUTCHERED. THIS KIND OF RACIAL POLITICS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT CAN BITE BOTH WAYS. POWER CORRUPTS AND WE CAN SEE THAT CLEARLY WITH THE MR' FAMILY. THIS KIND OF POWER THAT THE MR FAMILY NOW THAT THE TAMIL MOVEMENT HAS BEEN WIPED OFF WILL WIPE ALL THE POWERLESS SINHALA POOR FOLKS AS WELL AND MAY BE NOT THE SINHALA DIASPORA WHO ARE THE BIGGEST BACKERS OF THE FORMER MANAGER OF SEVEN ELEVEN STORE.

Mr. Australian Lankan, I am also a Lankan Australian and living in Sri Lanka.. Where were you all this time. How could you say these things. Seems to me that you have being to his “DANSALA”. What did you get from him. As long as your leader and the clan long lives, democracy won’t be no where near in Sri Lanka.

It is about time Rajan Phillips got a reality check.Rajan and his pro Tigers backed a loser to take revenge on Rajapaksa.It back fired big time.So all these silly comments are nothing but feel good out bursts,

Srilankan citizens who long to live in a peaceful environment after three decades of mayhem, made their intentions loud and clear.No phony Presidents, no Sinhalese terrorists and no Tamil terrorists under the guise of swans.

Fonseka all along plotted to harm Rajapaksas for personal jealousy and hatred. simply because he could not use his position to enrich his family.He is supposed to be a war hero who fought for the poor Sinhala people to help them liberate their motherland but forced the government to hand over extra 15 perches of land at the tax payers expense, while holding a US citizenship permit.

He conspired with the JVP leaders to topple the government whilst still in uniform.If this is not treason .then a new definition is needed.

Any intelligent person with an independent mind need only to read his public utterances during the election campaign to decide what he had in mind. Being the unstable and blinkered person he is , The JVP the arch enemies of both the UNP and the LTTE would have forced Fonseka stich up Ranil and Sampathan had he won.

Rajan should know by now that this not the sixties where a extreme minority controlled and ruled over the majority, mainly Sinhala Buddhists.I am afraid you ain't going to see those good times again.

Fonseka still can redeem himself. Rajapaksa being the magnanimous person he is will forgive if Fonseka make a genuine effort to seek pardon. Then again his behaviour especially after losing the election does not indicate that he has changed his ego and arrogence that borders on extreme stupidity.

It is entirely his call. Reform , show remorse, apologize and seek pardon or continue on the path these anti government and anti majority people like Ranjan advocate and suffer the consequences.

Rajan says "...Having irreparably alienated the Tamils and the Muslims, they are now irreconcilably dividing the Sinhalese...".
I say "total rubbish" or the British would say "Bollocks Mate! Who you trying to kid?"!

SF didn't slander the President and his family but insulted the entire establishment. Coming from a senior Military Officer who wants to send his Commander in Chief and the family to prison was a very serious threat. If he loves Sri Lanka he has to also love its citizens. He had no right to reveal military secrets. He is undermining his own victory. I think he got what he deserved.

I appreciate the guts Rajapaksa government had to prosecute Sarath Fonseka for his unlawful activities. However, due process of law should prevail and no one should not agitate to release SF, then where would law and order ends up. Some people think laws of the land exist only for the poor and ordinary citizens. If government cannot substantiate its actions they will loose more.

I blame Gota and MR for making this moron the army chief when every body else warned that he was none other than the current day MUSILA(of Guttala kavya fame)and not let him retire in 12 days.The main war crime done by Gota is to treat this maniac better than the other commanders, give him everything he asked for including 25 perches of prime land, thousands of dollars to educate this monster's daughters, give them protection by sending comandos to the USA, give him the CDS post which rightfuly was Karannagoda's post just because this revengeful man didnt want to say "sir" to Karannagoda, continue the war without a break when this Musila was holidaying in China so as not allowing the war to extend beyond December 2009 and stopping the automatical extension of his commander post etc. I think Gota should be punished for being such an unassuming , easily tricked man who up to now never uttered one uncultured word against the " kalawedda" who is hell bent in destroying him, the army and the entire nation. All those who support the actions of Fonseka has no right to live in this country, they should just go and settledown some where else leaving this country to the patriots,!!!!!!!

The saying that "There's a fool born every minute" does that apply to these people blindly following this unscrupulous thieving gang of MR"s? Are they oblivious to the danger this country is facing,how this manupilator is causing such civil unrests ? Do these people know what Democracy means.?

"ROI" means King and certainly you seem to think like your leader,you are in a dream world with your blind fervour for M.R ,(Since you say you live in Germany look up Hitler, his methods of rousing the masses, his control of the media his reign of terror.There were those who wre his blind followers such as Goeble ,Eichmann etc.

You have much to learn come to SRi Lanka and see how the other half lives.As for those like Andy and Anoma and "Fonseka" (Fonseka how stupid you are to expect anyone to believe you are a brother of this great man!)Breath not hatred it is not too late to, correct yourselves, and get a little education and help you to stop spitting such venom.
The days are numbered and we are looking forward for a better Sri Lanka after the fall of this ignoble Clan and the leeches pawning on them.
Great article Philiops we need people like you to open the eyes of our mislead people.

Well written indeed. I hope the judiciary will play their role. A nation cannot be built on such disgraceful acts. Sri Lanka rise and defend democracy.

The idiotic hurry by Gota has ruined the Family Rule
any more. He has directed the Arrest and also given the Verdict/Sentence - as he is the Bro. of MR and not a
Public Servant!

It was a womans (1st Lady) intuition that said Gota should be removed from his Post so as not to ruin the Family Advancement - now proved correct.

Well analyzed Rajan.

And well said Anton Raji.

And Dayan J.., if you have nothing significant to contribute don't contribute.

The comments against Rajan or for that mattar about DBJ when they write please remember they write to safeguard the freedom to write what is right in their point of view to bash them when it is against your views is laughable guys this is democracy that is the reason even your extreme view is printed do you think you can do this in Sri Lanka? or in china or in Iran? now dont get me wrong when I quoted these countries unfortunatley other than India ( who the the main culprits for the present situation iethe war and the aftermath) what I am going to say will not be palatable to most do you think the Sri lankan own thier country as they say "no man is an island" please think before you start printing your reply
Nathen

Partners in crime are fighting each other this is the norm of crimilal's life world over. this we repeatedly see on common criminal's lives now it is happning openly in Srilankan criminal politics.srilanka is an illegal state any way.

If Sarath was arrested for having connections with the other political parties while he was in the army. Why did President Mahinda called him to temple trees office before Sarath announced his candidacy for presidential election and offered him a ministerial position if he decide to stop contesting him. This is also some sort of political talk Mahinda had with the General Sarath Fonseka. Don’t you think Mahinda was also in fault for offering a political position to an army officer? Then take the case of his son who is a Navel Junior Officer, did he participate in the Presidential election supporting his father. He should be first charged for getting involved in politics while he is still serving in the Navy.

i am a singhalese born to a family of singhalse. ia very sorry that most of the singhslse have voted for rajahpaksha. hei
and his family would rule sri lanka fpr ever if the singhslese vote for the rajahpaksha and his clan in the next election. they want to have 23.rd majority .and change the constution. so that they can rule sri lanka for ever.I am happy that i am living in a domocratic country. iam sorry that i can not visit my mother land if the majority singhalse vote fot the diktater rajshpaksh in april. sangadasa

Rajan Philips,
SF was arrested on 4 very serious charges. It will be presented incourts and let the judge decide whether it is right or wrong. Who the hell are you to decide whether it is right or wrong without knowing any facts.Writers like you have no logic other than vomitting what your funders wants you to say and try to hoodwink the world. We see people like you emerging and show off gutter journalism for MONEY. SHAME ON YOU!

Ranil Wickremasinghe meeting the President to plead for the release of Fonseka is a fascinating development.This is a clear indication of Fonseka's guilt despite the rubbish peddled by the opposition supporters like Rajan Phillips.

If the arrest of Fonseka is illegal, why does not the opposition takes the right path and ask the courts of the land to release him like what Mrs Fonseka is doing.

Obviously Ranil must ge feeling guilty of putting naive Fonseka in this predicament.

Ranil all along used Fonseka to save his ass from extinction. Ranil knew golly well that Fonseka had Buckley's of toppling Rajapaksa.

Now that his mission completed, Ranil is trying to use the good nature of Rajapaksa to save Fonseka from obvious punishment for treason.There is no other explanation for his pleading.

You hit the nail on the head.....Sri Lanka is being destroyed by pariahhs who want to make a quick buck no matter what the cost. They do not know how to spell law let alone string it together to say rule of law. No matter who or what Fonseka is alleged to have done or is going to do, we pride ourselves on being a civilized country ....but alas being ruled by fanatics and killers.....As long as we have politicians who believe in a short term plan for a quick buck we cannot lift ourselves from this quagmire.....

I think RW and the Prelates have given MR the last chance to reverse his undemocratic actions. If he does not do so we will se the results in the coming weeks.

Hello Rajan,

The Rajapakse regime is a regime of intolerance. It does not legally go after bad men. But it will protect bad men illegally even if they are Tamils, and will harass good men illegally even if they are Sinhalese. It is a government without precedent for state-sponsored and state-ignored harassment of independent journalists and political opponents.

While accusing Sarath Fonseka for dabbling in politics when he was in uniform, the Rajapakse brothers are running the military and the police without wearing uniforms. Having irreparably alienated the Tamils and the Muslims, they are now irreconcilably dividing the Sinhalese. The JVP and the LTTE sowed dissension from outside the structures of the State. The Hambantota brothers are devouring the state from within.

From time immemorial history records good and learned men who preached to the benefit of society often came to grief – Socrates, Archimedes, Jesus of Nazareth, Galileo, Cromwell, Martin Luther (both of old and King) Gandhi, SWRD come to my mind.

Rajan Phillips will be embarrassed but I am not comparing him to these immortals. But to denigrate him (RP) for holding dissenting views itself is a form of fascism in an environment were George Orwell’s thoughts are invoked in monotonous regularity.

But I must say - like thousands of others - I secure enormous pleasure in reading RP – and care tuppence if he is a Marxist, homo-lesbian, transvestite or moron as some paint him to be. To those who pathetically accuse him to be one or the other, he is as much an LTTEr as those 3 Prelates of the Buddhist Chapters – divided by caste which as un-Gautama as it comes – who have now decided to powwow “to protect the Sinhala nation” From whom?

The Sinhalese themselves. It is the Marxist-Leninist-Trotskyite learning that also influenced our political landscape and legislature in the golden era of our Parliamentary politics (1920s to 1970s) From whence it died (or assassinated?) at the altar of majoritarian racial and religious bigotry.

From the days of those giants whose every contribution in the House enriched both our political culture and the integrity of this small but respected Island, we now have legislators from the kudu-land crushing the genitals of men in robes – who in the first place are not expected to be out of the precincts of their serene ecclesiastical temples after mid-day. Why a leading one even says a tot now and then is a good thing and hell to matata titha ???

I suspect the fellow is speaking from experience. It is time those few good Buddhist in the country come out with a crash-programme to save Sinhala Buddhism from these charlatans.

Meanwhile, Rajan Phillips, bat on. It is such a shame we are now ruled by a bunch of kleptomanias who will say to those who'll give them "a few dollars more. Buddy! You've jus made my day." There are many (perhaps much more) cheering you from the sides including yours truly.

ISS

RP - I must say though elegantly stated, that the argument here does not hold water, even the most valued and celebrated war heroes must face the accusations straight in the face, as the unfolding case appers to be of such mammoth proportions.

It seems the te Chief of Staff of the Armed forces was carrying out secret discussions with the US ans taking instructions from JVP in total secrecy from the President.

Further Secretary of Defence suspects the existence of a secretive group that carried out extra judicial killings, who may have had plans of even subverting the outcome of the election. I recall that the Deep Penetration Unit that existed before Ranil's assumption of Prime Ministership cbecame public. was for a long time; in fact Ranil exposed a list of names and it was said that LTTE were quick kill a good number of the officers of that special unit.

Perhaps the DPU grew too much in the latter days and may have murdered local opposition too, without the knowledge of even Secretary of State for Defence.

Surely these are Criminal Offences, too sensitive to be discussed in a civil court, unlike the former events of 1961 / 1965 / 1971 etc. I personally think the direct responsibility of any one officer would be hard to pin down in a court with defendents also having legal protection in the traditional form of military courts. It has to be explored if one is to uphold the tradition of the most valued institution of the country - the armed forces.