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General Fonseka to be the opposition common candidate?
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by lalith | November 8, 2009 at 03:26 am
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November 8, 2009 10:44 am
General Sarath Fonseka who returned to the island a few days ago is tipped to be the common candidate of the Opposition Alliance for a future Presidential poll, sources from the newly formed United National Front say.
When contacted, Democratic People’s Front (DPF) leader Mano Ganeshan said the name of the candidate will be revealed by Friday. Mr. Ganeshan who earlier opposed General Fonseka’s entry as the common candidate and threatened to withdraw, later changed his stance claiming that a representative from General Fonseka had met him and discussed several issues and that now he was for the General.
The news is now out that Gen. Fonseka will definitely contest the next Presidential elections of Sri Lanka as the common candidate, against the incumbent President, Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The term of Presidency in Sri Lanka is six years, out of which, Mahinda Rajapaksa will complete four years in the middle of this month.
Riding high on the victory against the Tamil LTTE terrorists (once known as the most ruthless terrorists in the world), President Rajapaksa decided to hold the Presidential elections two years earlier and the general speculation was that he was confident he would get two thirds of the vote, thus giving him a clear mandate to run the country.
However, recently, it was felt that the Rajapaksa government was handing out a raw deal to General Fonseka, who in fact was the architect of the victory against the LTTE. The consensus of opinion here is that it was Sarath Fonseka who won the war for Sri Lanka, and not the Rajapaksas. And that he would have achieved victory under any President who gave him a free hand to run the war.
Rajapaksa should be commended for giving Fonseka a free hand. But, should not be entitled to be promoted to 'King' on account of Fonseka.
With the entry of Fonseka to the fray, the following are possible:
* The President, as a result of a drop of confidence decide to hold the elections in two years, when it is really due. This decision may not hold water with the voters of Sri Lanka now, because of the arrogance shown by Govt. media in announcing that the President was planning to have the Presidential elections in December 2009.
* The President may decide to hold the General Elections (which are almost due), before the Presidential elections. This will onceagain bring out the level of the President's confidence factor.
* The President may not accept Fonseka's retirement papers. Although Fonseka was 'kicked up' after the war, his present position is powerful on paper and not otherwise. His services being required for the country may be the reason. The question then would be why a man who was not required by the country three months ago (after the war), is suddenly required.
Without doubt, the present Sr Lankan Government has displayed corruption of a high level. Although there are honest officials at all levels, government corruption prevails.
Fonseka has been squeaky clean in all his dealings and is a person who is bent on eliminating corruption at all levels. His thinking is that if corruption is put to and end, the economy will well be on its way to recovery.
Fonseka can be a breath of fresh air.
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lalith
Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka
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Recommendations (20)
Hiranya Malwatta
Moratuwa, Western, Sri Lanka
Hugh Askew
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
albertacowpoke
Canada
Nugawela
Anaheim, California, United StatesAnonymous users (4)
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (15)
at 03:30 on November 8th, 2009
Thank for the informative post.
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Deepal (not verified)at 03:33 on November 8th, 2009
Gen. Fonseka indeed has chance to be our next President. As stated in the post, elimination of corruption could be a major key for Sri Lanka. Sarath can do it.
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Watever (not verified)at 03:49 on November 8th, 2009
Corruption is better than War Crimes!
at 03:44 on November 8th, 2009
Thanks for this Lalith.
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Watever (not verified)at 03:46 on November 8th, 2009
Hope he survives the war crime cases that would be piled upon him for all the inhumane treatment meted to the common people apart from POWs though I doubt he would be tried in the lawless country.
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Watever (not verified)at 03:48 on November 8th, 2009
Hope he survives the war crimes meted out by him and his army to the common civilians apart from POWs though I doubt he would be tried in the lawless country. SriLanka is going the Pakistani way with Army running the show.
at 04:06 on November 8th, 2009
Another angle for the remaining LTTE terrorists and supporters. Really, Prabhakaran should have contested, if he was alive.
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Watever (not verified)at 04:36 on November 8th, 2009
Maybe that's why the "gr8" leader was almost detained in US for interrogation like a petty criminal.Hope the EU doesn't ruin the Srilankan economy by withdrawing the trade preferences.[q url=""]A top French envoy on Saturday asked Sri Lanka to end its state of emergency and probe war crimes ahead of a key European Union ruling on trade concessions to the troubled island.Ambassador for Human Rights, Francois Zimeray, said he hoped Colombo will signal the ending of its war with Tamil rebels in May by withdrawing emergency laws which allowed the detention of suspects for long periods without trial."Ending of the emergency (in force since 1983) should have been the first consequence of ending the war (in May)," he said at the end of three-days of talks with key Sri Lankan leaders on the island's human rights situation."The fact that the conflict is over should be an opportunity to put an end to emergency laws," he said referring to the draconian legislation which was also used in August to jail an editor for 20 years.He echoed international calls to probe alleged war crimes in the final stages of the fighting and said Colombo should allow independent investigations to ensure that a culture of impunity did not persist.His visit, which took place against the backdrop of a European Union probe into the island's human rights record, could influence the stance Paris will adopt in deciding future trade concessions to the island, he said.His remarks came as Sri Lanka said the probe by the EU, the findings of which could cost the country lucrative trade concessions, was "politically motivated."The EU report highlighted the slow resettlement of war-displaced people in camps and allegations of rights violations and torture during the decades-long conflict between the government and Tamil rebels."The government contests this (EU) position," the foreign ministry said in a 48-page response to the October report.The ministry said the EU decision to order the investigation was "politically motivated and accompanied by a high degree of prejudice."The EU could decide to suspend trading concessions worth over 100 million dollars given to Sri Lanka under a trade preference called GSP Plus.Zimeray insisted that they were not imposing "western values" on Sri Lanka, but only wanted the island to implement its own laws in respect of protecting human rights and ensuring the rule of law.The GSP Plus scheme offers tariff cuts for the country's key exports like clothes and ceramics.The report also focused on the killing of an editor who was a prominent war critic and the 20-year jail term given to a Tamil editor accused of supporting the rebels. The report said there was an absence of media freedom.Sri Lanka dismissed the notion of media suppression, saying journalists write freely and that reports of attacks on media personnel were being investigated.Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said he hoped the EU executive would "extensively examine" Colombo's response to the report and make a positive recommendation.[/q]
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Watever (not verified)at 04:38 on November 8th, 2009
Source: www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iSJx5eqYMXsR5zGOXLpQjUfNgZgA
at 09:37 on November 8th, 2009
almost detained
Not detained, right?
He is still alive also. Sun God Prabha is dead though.
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Watever (not verified)at 09:54 on November 8th, 2009
Demon God- Ravana also went down slowly ;)
at 17:53 on November 8th, 2009
Prabha went down quickly. ;-)
at 23:53 on November 10th, 2009
Lalith,
Hope this article will be an eye opener for those in NowPublic who kept on insisting that you are a paid SL government agent spreading propaganda :-)
I bet those foreigners who have no clue about Sri Lanka are now thoroughly confused :-)
Anyway, apart from that, you know what my stand is about having Fonseka as president. In one word, it will be "suicide" for Sri Lanka. And sorry to say this, but your analysis on how he can solve Sri Lanka's problems is not logical or practical at all.... I very well can understand your partiality for him, but cannot agree at all with your analysis.
at 08:14 on November 11th, 2009
Cool Hiranya.
Let's wait and see. However, you may agree that the FONSEKA FACTOR is working. food prices are going down overnight. Most commodities are cheaper. We understood that the SL Govt. could not give wage hikes because it did not have money. But, Voila! Pay hikes are well on their way, due in Jan 2010 ;-). (After the elections?)
Govt media is going to town, attacking the opposition parties and their members all of a sudden, with no rhyme or reason.
The Prez suddenly denounced his 'kingship' which he enjoyed for 5 months. Personally, I feel that the announcement was five months too late.
I think it will be a tough election if Fonseka contests. As Subramanium Vaikunthanathan commented in one of his talks in India, the "lesser of the evil should win the elections."
We will know the Prez's stand after the 15th. And perhaps, Fonseka's after that. Fonseka has not put up his retirement papers, although some of the media says so. So, let's wait and see.
Thanks for the post.
at 10:33 on November 12th, 2009
General. Sarath Fonseka submitted his retirement papers today to the President's Secretary.
He then proceeded to a world famous temple in the suburbs of Colombo, the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya for religious observances.
On his way back from the temple, the rear of his convoy was stoned by a mob organized by a Minister who is also the Govt. organizer for the area.
This is even before the General has got out of uniform for good and has made any indications of contesting the next presidential elections.
The Government media is yet to carry this incident..
I sometimes feel that endorsing the President at the next elections may well endorse the political thuggery of the Government which goes on unchecked.