New Democratic Front Presidential Candidate, Sarath Fonseka has repeated what he has told the Sunday Leader at an election rally in Ratnapura on December 17 though he said he was misquoted by the paper, according to Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa.

The NFF Leader said that the former Chief of Defence Staff-turned- politician in connivance with the Opposition has undertaken a contract to destabilise our Motherland.

He said the former CDS had betrayed the Defence Secretary, Security Forces and the country at large at the beginning of his election campaign. General Fonseka has forgotten that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe jointly with Parliamentarians Mano Ganeshan and Rauff Hakeem made a great effort to stop the humanitarian operation to free Tamils from the clutches of terrorism.

He further said Mano Ganeshan was in cahoots with the LTTE terrorists right along while Parliamentarian Rauff Hakeem was well-known for depriving the rights of the Muslims in the Eastern Province, to achieve his narrow political objectives.

He added these elements together with the JVP attempted to overthrow the Government during the 2008 budget and subsequently the JVP launched spurious trade union activities coupled with student protests with a hidden agenda, while the troops were engaged in heavy fighting with the terrorists.

Former Navy Commander and presently National Security Advisor and Highways and Road Development Ministry Secretary, Wasantha Karannagoda has sent a letter of demand to presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka claiming a sum of Rs. 500 million as damages for defamation in an interview given by the latter to Sirasa TV wherein he had made false statements against him (Karannagoda) to bring him into ridicule, disrepute and contempt in the eyes of the public.

The letter of demand sent through Attorney-at-Law Athula De Silva demands that the said sum be paid within 14 days failing which legal action would be instituted to recover the said Rs 500 million.

The Attorney-at-Law has on the instructions of the former Navy Commander has highlighted those utterances made in the interview as being intentional and malicious which has tarnished the good name, reputation and public image of his client causing him irreparable loss and damage.

Opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka is trying to revive the Devadatta character of Buddha’s times by forgetting those who helped him to reach high echelons in life alleged, Media Information and Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.

The Minister said even candidates who contested previous Presidential elections such as Rohana Wijeweera and R. Premadasa addressed people in a smooth manner but every speech made by Fonseka only displayed enmity, hatred and revenge.

It was most disheartening to see a person who held the prestigious position of Army Commander stooping to such low levels and engaging in confrontational and hate politics to achieve one’s sinister objectives. Yapa who said that the great leadership offered by President Mahinda Rajapaksa enabled the nation to defeat terrorism. It was a joke to see a single Commander trying to take credit for a collective effort made by Commanders of all Three Forces.

On November 29, having declared his candidacy at the forthcoming Presidential Election, Fonseka said that his differences over the conduct of war against the LTTE with the likes of the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera would not be allowed to hinder a campaign for the Presidential Election.

Addressing the media at the JAIC Hotel on November 29, Fonseka said that the JVP was the first political party to extend an invitation to him to enter active politics. He said the UNP and other Opposition political parties had discussed the issue among themselves before contacting him.

Asked how he could work with Samaraweera, who had called him a racist, Fonseka said it will not be a problem to work for the ‘common goal’. Samaraweera, an architect of the controversial Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) between the LTTE and the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, had declared that Fonseka was not even fit to lead the Salvation Army.

But Fonseka sad that there had been differences between them but “there is absolutely no point in harping on them now”. Emphasising the importance of adopting a common approach by the Opposition for a regime change, he said that they “are friends now”.

Responding to criticism of collusion between him and one-time supporters of the LTTE terrorists, Fonseka appealed to the remnant LTTE cadres to join his campaign. During the press conference, Fonseka said that even terror leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s parents were welcome to back his campaign. He said there were neither permanent friends nor permanent enemies and he was determined to receive the support of all parties to defeat the government.

Welcoming financial assistance to his cause, he said he could not conduct an election campaign with a pension of Rs. 50,000.

Speaking of devolution, Fonseka said a solution might have to go even beyond the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to suit the present situation.

He asserted that the controversial Amendment, introduced over 20 years ago, would not be enough now. He said the issue was being discussed among the political parties in the newly-formed alliance.

It was Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera, now the mouthpiece of NDF Presidential Candidate Sarath Fonseka who said that Fonseka was not fit to command even the Salvation Army.

In an exclusive interview Shanika Sriyananda of the Sunday Observer on December 7, 2008, Fonseka said Samaraweera may be on a contract to discourage people who support the Army to defeat the LTTE.

“If he (Samaraweera) really wants to become more popular, he can achieve that by stitching more dresses,” Fonseka was quoted as saying making an indirect reference to Samaraweera’s background as a fashion designer.

“Samaraweera thinks that people of this country are fools, to believe his dreams. He must be working on a contract given by the LTTE and the anti-war people in the South who want to see the Army losing the war and the LTTE winning it,” Fonseka told the Sunday Observer in that interview.

Exactly a year later, Fonseka wants people to believe what Samaraweera says on the retired General’s behalf.

These are some of the answers the then Army Commander gave to questions posed by the Sunday Observer.

Q: Your term has been extended for another year but the former Minister Mangala Samaraweera has said that you are qualified to serve as the Head of the Salvation Army but not as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army.

A: Now I am proud of that because all this time I did not know that I am qualified enough to be the boss of an organisation like the Salvation Army.

I do not take this statement as an insult as it is an honour for me. This is one of the most respected appointments that one could hold. Other than my military capabilities this politician has seen my other qualifications.

I am very happy with this statement, but I really do not know what he has really meant by this. He is sadly mistaken because he cannot simply say that a General with 37-years of experience is not fit to be the Commander of the Army.

Q: But after your retirement if you are given the chance to be the Head of the Salvation Army are you going to accept it?

A: I do not think that they will accept me because I do not have the required background to hold that post. Only this man wants me to hold that post. That may be a more recognised post than being the Commander of the Army.

Q: According to Mangala Samaraweera, who was quoted by the Tamil Net, there are over 700 Army casualties in the recent battles. What is the actual number of soldiers who died and got wounded?

A: The total deaths in the final attack is 17. Over 60 LTTE cadres were killed. But as he mentioned there are not such a large number of casualties reported.

When people are mad they see various dreams and this politician has seen such a dream where over 600 soldiers are being killed by the LTTE.

According to his figures, if there are 600 deaths, there may be over 2,000 casualties. Then all the hospitals, cemeteries and funeral parlours will be full. He would have imagined this and celebrating this.

He thinks that people of this country are fools to believe his dreams. He must be working on a contract given by the LTTE and the anti-war people in the South who want to see the Army losing the war and the LTTE winning it.

He may be on a contract to discourage people who support us to defeat the LTTE.I challenge him, if he really wants to become more popular, he can achieve that by stitching more dresses.

Earlier in 2008, Fonseka has triggered a storm of criticism with some of his controversial statements, notably the following which had appeared in the Canadian National Post.

In his greed for power, Fonseka told the Sunday Leader of December 13, 2009 that it was Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who had ordered to kill the Tiger leaders who wished to surrender. Fonseka not only attempted to distort the facts to reproach the Defence Secretary, but also made a desperate attempt to wash his hands off, ignoring his collective responsibility as the then Army Commander.

In making such a controversial statement putting the lives of soldiers of the 58 Division and its former Commander Major Gen. Shavendra Silva in danger, Fonseka attempted to woo the votes of the Tamil community and also to garner the support of the international community. But the fact is that Fonseka apparently forgot the ‘crime’ he was committing by making such an irresponsible, inaccurate and fabricated statement. His act was a betrayal of the nation, its people and the fellow soldiers who fought with him in the battlefront.

In an interview with Stewart Bell of the National Post, Fonseka, as the then Army Commander made a controversial statement that Sri Lanka belongs only to the Sinhala Buddhists. “I strongly believe that this country belongs to the Sinhalese but there are minority communities and we treat them like our people..... We being the majority of the country. 75%, we will never give in and we have the right to protect this country..... They can live in this country with us. But they must not try to under the pretext of being a minority, demand undue things.” (National Post- Canada, September 23, 2008)

Notable also was the following: “In any democratic country the majority should rule the country. This country will be ruled by the Sinhalese community which is the majority representing 74% of the population. (Daily News - July 19, 2008).

But now, in his lust for power, Fonseka says he is even ready to obtain funds from Prabhakaran’s parents to finance his election campaign. He even paid a courtesy call to the Archbishop of Colombo, Rt. Rev. Malcolm Ranjith. It is a desperate attempt to woo the Catholic vote. Though the UNP, JVP, SLMC and Mangala Samaraweera’s group claim that Fonseka would give up the Executive Presidency, if elected, there is no guarantee that the former Army Commander would do so even in his wildest dreams.

Perhaps, Fonseka has grabbed the popular slogan to obtain the support of the UNP and JVP to project himself as the so-called common Opposition candidate. But apart from Fonseka, there are 20 other opposition candidates contesting at the forthcoming Presidential elections. Moreover, Fonseka is not contesting as an independent candidate. Neither he is contesting on an independent ticket nor does he have a right to do so. Only present and past Parliamentarians are eligible to contest a Presidential Election as independent candidates. Fonseka does not have this qualification.

On the other hand, Fonseka is contesting under a ‘hired’ symbol of a breakaway group of the UNP - the Lalith Front which has almost became defunct. How come Fonseka claims himself to be independent when he is contesting though a political party - New Democratic Front?

The patriotic people are not ready to hand over the country to an opportunist who had stated that he was willing to get assistance even from Prabakaran’s parents, said Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

Addressing a political seminar at NYSC, Maharagama, the Minister said when democracy is fully practised in the country, it was amusing to observe one of the main slogans of the UNP and JVP repeatedly stating that they wanted to overthrow President Mahinda Rajapaksa to restore democracy. “Sri Lanka is a country where democracy prevails”.

This would be further strengthened on January 26 when people exercise their franchise to vote for a political party of their choice and elect a president to lead the country,” he said.

The Minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa having defeated the LTTE, the most ruthless terrorist organization and eliminated its leaders including Prabakaran, who terrorised the poor masses of the Motherland for three decades, is determined to bring prosperity by increasing productivity in the industrial sector, promoting tourism, improving educational and health facilities, strengthening the economy and reducing unemployment in his second term of office.