Tamil American Peace Initiative Deplores the Detainment of Fonseka
Full text of press release:
The Tamil American Peace Initiative (TAPI), a group of Tamil Americans dedicated to peaceful change in Sri Lanka, condemned the arrest and detainment Monday of defeated presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka. The group called it an attack on democracy that diminishes the possibility of reconciliation on the island.
“In a country already fraught with ethnic and religious conflict, the arrest of Fonseka can only make things worse,” said Dr. Karunyan Arulanantham, a TAPI spokesman. “The newly reelected president should be working for reconciliation, security for all citizens, rebuilding and restoring peace. Instead, he is fomenting strife and insecurity.”
Fonseka’s arrest showed total disregard for democracy and the rule of law, TAPI said, and demonstrated that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was using state security forces against political opponents. The group fears that the Tamil community, which overwhelmingly supported and voted for Fonseka, will now face even more retaliation than before. TAPI urged other countries and international groups to voice their opposition to Fonseka’s treatment and to monitor the situation closely.
“If the government treats a presidential candidate -- who is also a former general and considered by many a war hero -- so egregiously, the threat to the Tamil community that overwhelmingly supported Fonseka in last month’s presidential election is grim,” Arulanantham said.
TAPI called on the Government to end politically motivated arrests, to restore free speech and freedom of movement for all people, and to release Fonseca and the tens of thousands of Tamils who still remain in detention camps. Only by taking such steps – and promoting equality among all people, regardless of their ethnicity and religion -- can lasting peace be brought to the island, the group said.
“Rather than conducting personal and political vendettas, we urge the President and his government to pursue a course of democracy and reconciliation, and to make progress on the difficult job of rebuilding the country,” Arulanantham said.
About TAPI
The Tamil American Peace Initiative was formed by a group of Tamil Americans to help bring lasting peace, justice, democracy, and economic development to Sri Lanka; to focus attention on the destruction of Tamil communities and culture caused by 30 years of war; and to demand an end to the continuing oppression of Tamils on the island.
9 Comments
The basic issue stemming from this arrest is the attck on human rights and democracy. At the time of an election, the arrest of an opposition candidate on trumped up charges is rather obvious. This undemocratic move of the govt needs to stopped at international and local level. If not we are in for a banana republic, Mugabe style.
Although I am Sinhala, Buddhist I totally agree with what you say. We defeated terrorism and extremist with greatest difficulty. Now the time, to re-unite as one nation regardless of your colour, ethnicity or religion and re-build this country for us and for our future generation.
We need to be able to live together in harmony. Because of few corrupted and lawless politicians we can’t let that chance ruin.
Let’s get together, work together for a brighter future. First step in order to achieve the goal is to establish discipline and mutual respect for each other.
There is no reason for Tamils to shed any tears for the man responsible for the murder of thousands of fellow Tamils. Tamils need to think strategically. Maybe it is a good thing that Fonseka, a former member of the Sinhala nationalist Rajapaksa regime is out of the picture. This will free the Tamil leadership on the ground, the TNA to forge real alliances with Sinhala liberals, true leftists and Muslims. If the enemies of the Tamils are fighting with each other, Tamils should step back and let it happen. Whoever is the winner will be in a weakened position.
Dear Dammica,
Yes, I can agree with you 100% that we have to build up mutual trust and respect to each other in order to live in harmony with each other in one country and as one nation. MAYBE you are right in saying that the terrorism and extremism has now been defeated. But...
What about the Sinhala-Chauvinism? Until, we defeat the Sinhala-Chauvinism, Sinhala-Extremism, Sinhala-State-terrorism and the Sinhala-occupation of Tamil land in North and East, I wonder, how you suppose to build up a Nation that should involve harmony, trust and mutual respect?
You better turn around you eyes towards our neighbouring India. The Indian political elites has succeeded building up a Nation State and a Common Identity in the country. This happened, despite the fact that there are many different local nationalities in India. But, this was possible because there is mutual trust and respect between India's many different local national identities.
But, in Sri Lanka, the Sinhala-Chauvinism - which had for centuries denied to accept and respect the Tamil identity - has for this reason lost many opportunities that the history has given to it in order to build up a Nation and a Common identity in Sri Lanka like that of India.
Until the Sinhala-Chauvinism is ready to accept the Tamil identity and to respect the Tamils demand for a self-rule in the North and East (like in India) and until they stop the Sinhalazation of the Tamil land - Any attempt by anyone to build up mutual trust and respect between Tamils and Sinhalese would only be left to be a dream. IF you believe that you would ever be able to build up a nation in Sri Lanka by destroying the Tamils Identity, then I would like to tell you, that you do NOT belong to here – to the real world. The Tamils SPRIT is so STRONG and the HISTORY is with US. Trust me, when I am telling you that we Tamils do respect you, your culture and your identity. And we are only asking you to show the SAME towards our people and nothing MORE. We will ARISE from our ASHES and the Tamils struggle towards its freedom will continue generations after generations ! We will create our dreamed Tamil Eelam one beautiful day !! And I can assure you that there will NEVER be such a Tamil-Chauvinism in Tamil Eelam. The Eelam’s Tamil Nation will RESPECT each and every individual, every people and their right to choose the WAY, they want to live their LIFE on our mother EARTH !!!
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I agree with Kaz's comment.
:-)
Sri Lanak is heading the same path of Burma and Iran. will be isolated from the world and poor people will suffer because lack of investments from west. Gota made a big mistake by accusing USA. Country will suffer because of one man. I wonder what he has learned living in USA for many years.
This is a very good opportunity, god gave to Sarath Fonseka to realize what an ordeal Tamils would have been gone through.
What is left to Sarath, now to realize all the sins he committed. Ask forgiveness from Loard Buddha. Go for a pilgrimage ( if he ever going to be released). Look for a way to Heaven.
To MR- you still have more time to pay for your sin, May be like what happened to JR, will happen to you.
To the Editor,
I have written two comments to the above article and I am very much disappointed with that both of my comments have not come to the pulic view. You might have some hidden agenda with this website. It is very much undemocratic. I am not going to write any comments to any of your articles longer in this website. Good Bye !!!
Dear TAPI,
I am stunned by your statement "TAPI called on the Government to end politically motivated arrests, to restore free speech and freedom of movement for all people, and to release Fonseca and the tens of thousands of Tamils who still remain in detention camps. Only by taking such steps – and promoting equality among all people, regardless of their ethnicity and religion -- can lasting peace be brought to the island, the group said."
The political leadership in Sri Lanka both Govt and Opposition, lost the ability to listen many, many decades ago.
Being in power in Sri Lanka is not about building a better land but is all about building personal power and wealth.
To be blunt, Rtd General Fonseka built a ruthless ary to deal with a bunch of suicide bombing tamil nationalists. He fought a war, not a conventional war but a guerilla war. The result was loss of lives, innocent soldiers trying to earn a living, innocent civilians trying to keep head above water and innocent brainwashed kids recruited for tamil nationalist cause.
It is reported 40,000 civilians lost their lives; no count of soldiers? Who presided over this massacre of humanity under the guise of hunting for the slippery Sun God.
Rtd General Fonseka has many questions to answer; it is only through a trial that answers can be sought. It is only then true reconcilliation can commence.