Fonseka takes on Sirisena

• Says threats remain, faults conduct of President, argues removal of IGP unfair

UNP lawmaker Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka yesterday faulted President Maithripala Sirisena for his actions following the Easter Sunday attacks, contending that threats remain despite repeated assurances of normalcy.

President Maithripala Sirisena

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka

“President claims to have heard about the explosions at 10 am. What he did immediately was appointing a Committee to investigate. This is a Committee appointed to pass the blame. Ideally what he should have done was briefing the security forces.  

Instead, he told the forces to avoid the Prime Minister. During my period in the Army, we had contingency plans. These plans were drilled and the forces know in advance the steps to take in case of an emergency, instead of waiting for instructions. 50% of those who fought the war against the LTTE are retired now. According to my sources, the President took lunch at Banana Leaf, and did shopping at Mustafa in Singapore. We don’t mind if he did all that after issuing the instructions,” he said.

According to MP Fonseka, there is a question about the experts called for the meeting President had after Easter Sunday attacks. “He doesn’t know me and hasn’t met me. He doesn’t consider me as an expert. I could have at least contributed 0.001% at such meetings for national security. The President questioned why we make a big fuss about the explosions, when other countries too were attacked by terrorists. How can this be justified? Eventually, we have become a strong nation! But we are the only country to have defeated terrorism in the world. No country was able to defeat terrorism by war,” he added.

Fonseka had doubts about the number of terrorists involved in the explosions and the arrests made. “The President also claimed that there are 150 terrorists, and 50 are in custody. The LTTE only had 15 members when they killed 13 of our soldiers in 1983. If this new group of terrorists have 100, they can create big chaos. I was the Army Commander, the intelligence held that there are 9000 LTTE cadres. During the war, we killed 23,000 and captured 12,000 alive. But a journalist of a leading newspaper wrote in advance there are 35,000 cadres. The journalist was right. The Government has failed to provide the latest equipment to intelligence to strengthen them. Removing a few will not jeopardise the national security,” explained Fonseka.

Removal of the Inspector General of Police was seen as an unfair measure the President took in order to pass the blame, according to MP Fonseka. “During the National Security Council meetings, the President was informed on 15 occasions of this growing terrorist threat. All that time he has just stared at the roof instead of issuing orders. So, it is unfair to pass the blame. I was against selecting him as the Common Candidate. But it was former President Chandrika Bandaranaike who passed this trouble to us,” he added.

Clearing the air on the rumours of supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, MP Fonseka held that he is talking in the national interest in this hour of need. “I don’t support Gotabaya Rajapaksa. I am sure that he was not involved in these terrorist activities. During the recent past, he lacked the capacity for such. But I have no deals with him. Sri Lanka shouldn’t be afraid of entering into an agreement with the US. Just because there is an agreement, they are unable to send in troops as and when they like. It has to be in response to our request. If not, it is an invasion of Sri Lanka,” he said.

During the debate, Fonseka cautioned Parliament that his security has informed him of the information received of a possible attack on 13 May in a few selected places in the Colombo city limits. (AH)