Ambitions For Power By The Power Hungry Undeserving Need To Be Legitimately Dealt With!
Posted on November 14th, 2009
LankaWeb Editorial
Nov.14th 2009
It is becoming visibly apparent that the scenario depicting Sarath FonsekaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ crossing swords withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ his CEO the President of Sri Lanka has more to it than meets the common eye!!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Quoting a recent news item,”The deposition of General Sarath Fonseka himself in his letter of resignation addressed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, clearly shows that Sri Lanka had survived another grave disaster, so soon after an end to the 30-year-old ethnic conflict. Yet, the General finds fault with Sri Lanka Government for having taken such a precautionary measure to safeguard the country from the brink of a new disaster.” which is a brilliant analysis of what the real deal relative to the Gen.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sarath Fonseka ~ H.E.Mahinda Rajaopaksha saga is in a nutshell as it does not appear to have been based on mere hearsay!
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When the army commander, who was elevated as the Chief of Defence staff after the war, in his letter of resignation suggests that after a point of time President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief, had lost confidence in him and his integrity it is not an indication of any Presidential weaknwess, paranoia nor misapprehension but an astute observation of what he foresees in Gen. Fonseka as a security risk based upon his own actionsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as the latter has not been altogether silent nor diplomatic in his communications with the mediaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which suggest leanings towards those urging him to have a run for the presidency with their own best interests at heartƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ comprising of the UNP/JVP/TNA and anyone else who mistakenly beleives that an almost impossible Sarath Fonseka presidential win could pave the way towards their goals.
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The cacaphonous refrains about the restoration of Law and Order in the nation as well as setting right many wrongs do not justify any panacea to an already existing morass of administrative wrongs which truly are a legacy of compounded messes by previous administrations which the Rajapaksha Administration has made every endeavour to correct admirably and something which could never be resolved through military dictatorial means if the cacophony was to be construed relative to the current hype and an eventuality of further compounded woes for Sri Lanka if it ever transpired!!!
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It becomes painfully obvious that the letter composed by Gen. FonsekaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ indicates a blatant ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ failure on his partƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to display his loyalty to hisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Commander in Chief and to quote the same news item refered to previously, “the letter hasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ above all displayed his carnal urge for power and an authoritarian means to manipulate the future of Sri Lanka backed by those who see him as their champion which cannot be applied to the majority of Sri Lankans who know and adulate their President.”
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Sarath Fonseka’s ambitions have sadly displayed a betrayal of trust placed in him by a benevolent and compassionate President Rajapaksha who was elected by the people of the country and who has been entrusted the responsibility to administer the country and through many relativities will continue in this capacity regardless of the lackeys whoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by whatever means may try to ursurp power to harness to their needs and as a preventive measure by the Rajapaksha Administration probably needs to be dealt with in a manner which will appease the people of Sri Lanka where no military coercion nor foreign intervention has any place in the proceeding andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ needs to be prevented towards the future of the Nation although if necessarily authoritatively and assertedly!.
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That Sarath Fonseka has emerged as an enigma to the Nation of Sri Lanka is beyond doubt as he struts about telling all and sundry that he singlehandedly saved the Nation from the oppression of terrorism which is the furthest from the truth and may not have been a realƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ entity in the war had it not been for the President who took him in his trust despite being rejected by previous administrations, treated with suspicionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but restored a degree of semblance and credibility to what may saw as a dangerous, egocentricƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and ruthless military leader which undoubtedly were all the ingredients necessary to defeat an outfit like the LTTE but the buck has to stop there! There can be no continuation of all the attributes which drove his relentless campaigning as part of a powerplay to appease his consorts in the opposition and if he has indicated his ambitions as transparently as he has towards his present direction he needs to be stopped in his tracks with all the legitimate resourcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ towards the cause as Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ needs neitherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a millitary dictator of ruthless dictatorial means ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ nor a namby pamby coward of an aspiring prime minister who hides behind his coat tails urging Gen. Fonseka towards everything which will wipe out all the good he has done during his tenure as commander of the Army!
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In fact the two could emerge as the biggest laughing stocks in a comedy of errors where the end result could be no laughing matter and in all probabilities towards their very detriment!
November 14th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
I was looking forward to your editorial Sir!. Well said. Hospital bombings, Civilians killing, IDPs, IMF loans, Boat people, EU grants, Sarath Fonseka now, what will be the next ploy of the opposition. Ranil is not clever enough to plan all these. There must be other forces behind these events in my view.
Raj Tharmasunderam
November 14th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
It is really sad to see patriotic Sri Lankans (including many expatriots) dividing their loyalties between the President of Sri Lanka who rescued our country from an absolute monster and the General who was most responsible for the ground operation that brought about this rescue. This is exactly what Sri Lanka’s enemies want achieved. We are handing our enemies what they want on a silver platter. Unfortunately, Sri Lankans have done this ad infinitum throughout our history. In many cases, we don’t even care who the parties are that we go to bed with. We just want someone, anyone, to join with us to spite a fellow Sri Lankan. This happened in the last stages of the Kandyan kingdom and now it is happening again. When will we learn!
November 15th, 2009 at 8:24 am
There needs to be civility in this debate over General SF. Insults, character defamation, and physical acts of violence against the General by the Government and its supporters will be to the detriment of the Government.
One of the reasons our great motherland triumphed over the mono-ethnic LTTE cult was because of democracy. Regardless of the faults in the system, and there are many, the democratic process allowed for peaceful transistions in government, leadership changes within major parties, introduction of new leaders and new ideas. The LTTE on the other hand was caught up in a time warp with the same personalities for over three decades, which ultimately lead to their demise. In this context, it is not unhealthy for outsiders like General Fonseka who do not hail from dynastic familiies like the Senanayakes, Bandaranayakes, Jayawardenes, and now Rajapakses to come into the sytem and stir up the pot.
November 15th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Please find below an E-mail I received today;
Discover the real S.F. He was appointed by the President due to undue pressure from Defense sec. Gotabhaya. See how S.F. let them down, some of his own senior officials who deserved promotions. Favoritism, ill-treatment of officers, hypocrisy. greed for power and glory. side tracked the people who were faithful to him. Made derogatory statements to the senior Naval and Air force personnel who made achievements and victories. He wanted all victories to himself and himself alone. Power hungry seeking high status foolish man had to insult and condemn his own superiors and wanted media publicity all to himself to boast the victories as if he achieved them all by himself.
Si Lanka do not need such self-centered people who have no overall approach to the politics, public administration or the international arena. I doubt he is suited for any broad outlook approach to foresee political matters intelligently and in dealing with people, except some specialist post in some corner with full titles so he can look at his own selfish self and boast abut his achievements. My be talk to a mirror. To think that he let down his faithful friend for his own personal gain is a despicable act and can never be trusted. A ” wavula”. No backbone. It is insulting to the country. He has already let down all the forces and the people who supported him and all the forces and the government equally with admiration and honor. It is a shame. The people in Sri Lanka do not need such egoist characters to administer them.
If he was hounded near the Kelaniya Temple. It has nothing to do with the President or Gotabhaya. A lot of other people and the media new. Of course he created his own enemies within and without. He will face more challenges if he tries to come as third candidate. He has no experience, competence or intelligence and tack to run a country. To talk of him eradicating corruption is a joke. He was full of it, in his own domain, judging by the unfair way he treated army officials and other superiors. It appeared he acted like a dictator. He does not know the meaning of Democracy and being fair to people. He lacks tact, patience and diplomacy. With his intolerable temper and selfish authorative attitude it is obvious he is unsuitable for any esteemed position to help people in Sri Lanka. He only wants, power, pomp and ceremony and pick people to do his unfair work. He is a person who will never see the “big picture” in a situation. It is totally one track minded and narrow minded. Mind boggling to imagine such a creepy person greedy for power thinking all about self. Who wants to admire such people.
My respect for him is gone, after I read the despicable way he treated our young soldiers. I still feel for them. I wonder how those mothers’ will ever forgive him. I will pursue until I find truthful answers to that on behalf of those innocent mothers and the fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives. Hope the army will come out with horror stories one day.
We want all security forces united an in tack. We do not need a selfish self-centered person to destroy all that. It will be letting down the country.
Consequently I appeal to all patriots to think hard when you make unnecessary statements supporting him and glorifying him, when eh does not deserve all that. He had no respect for the President or the defese Sec. after he attaine dthe posiiton he wanted.
Tat intself reflects his low mentality and flasehood attitude.
We know that the victory was won by the President, defense sec., honorable army, Navy, air force, the government and advisors and the police force. Most of all with the support and encouragement given by the people who worked hard unselfishly to bring peace to the country by supporting the government to defeat the 30 year long terrorism.
November 15th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
2nd part of the e-mail thread;
It is indeed tragical that General SF has got enmeshed in this situation. Whatever the General says about a coup, the people in the villages will say “can there be smoke without fire?”. The masses will now really believe that his Plan A was to overthrow this government through a military coup and form a junta with his military subordinates thereby ending the fundamental right of our people to chose their democratic government for the forseeable future.
Now that Plan A was thwarted by MR and Co., Plan B has been activated, i.e. to contest for Presidency through the ballot box. Everybody knows what tests he will have to undergo for that including the real mudslinging associated with election meetings and the no-holds-barred rhetoric. Apparently already the grapevine sizzles in certain quarters with stories of his penchant for various demands from young female officers seeking promotions; and also how he demanded hundreds of young soldiers to walk over heavily mined LTTE held areas just so that the next wave of soldiers can cross over safely on a platform of their dead carcases (repeat of what happened to the Allied Forces in the Battle of the Somme, WW1). Apparently some officers had suggested that cattle be driven first over the land and not sacrifice young soldiers’ lives, to which the answer had been “these are the cattle for the sacrifice”. What would the average young fallen war heros’ mothers from the villages say to that?
Sadly one of the greatest soldiers our motherland produced is becoming a sacrificial lamb at the alters of democratic elections a-la-Sri Lankan style. No one in their right minds will approve of the recent Kelaniya treatment (and rightly so). But what our great warrior General will certainly be subjected to, in the process of seeking victory in the battlefield of “developing world democratic election process”, makes one shudder with sadness. Those of us who are used to post-1977 politics can only expect the Kelaniya debacle to be like a welcoming tea party in what is to come up to the next Presidential election. Those political “generals” who are preparing our great warrior to cross the rubicon unto the political election landscape know very well that our hero is the sacrificial lamb in order that they themselves can cross their “Somme” in the future.
Father Forgive Them For They Do Not Know What They Do (to the reputation of our motherland)!
AG
November 15th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
All of SF’s character flaws were well known even before he became army commander. He is arrogant and obnoxious and has antagonized many senior officers. Knowing this why did the Govt make him the Army commander in the first place, and on top of that keep him in that position for four years. They should have kicked him out in 2005. He had less than one week to retire then, and Chandrika had decided to extend the tenure of Gen Shanta Kottegoda, which would have autmatically sent SF into retirement. To put him on a pedestal and then kick him out and villify him after the job is done reflects very poorly on our political masters.