A MUSLIM PATRIOT’S REMINDER TO GEN. (Retired) SARATH FONSEKA.
Posted on December 1st, 2009
By Noor Nizam, Sri Lanka Peace Activist, Political Activist and Freelance journalist, Canada, 1st., December 2009.
Your advent to be a contender to the highest political position in Sri Lankan under the constitution is of concern to me. As a Muslim hailing from the Eastern Province and belonging to the Tamil Speaking minority community of Sri Lanka, it puzzles me more, though I am domiciled in Canada.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But what has made me more sad is your blindness to the character assassination you have yourself done, to your great character as a military hero who played a very important role as a team member of the government and the security forces in eradicateting the misery to democracy and terror in Sri Lanka, our ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-maathryuboomiyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ which belongs to all Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers and other minority groups who are Sri Lankans now.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ My sadness makes me to state my feelings to the Nation, of a man, a hero and a military strategist whom ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I took great pains to defend with my ability to write – ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚my weapon, my penƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as a writer from Canada, a Sri Lankan Peace Activist and an Independent Freelance Journalist, since the debacle of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ war beginning from Mavilaru in the Eastern province, Trincomalee. I hail from Trincomalee and I have deep family and political links, notwithstanding the fact that I have defended my country in the best way I can since I am domiciled abroad, during the last decade against all forms of campaigns of the forces that may be supporters of the LTTE. As an award winning Sri Lankan Peace Activist and an Independent Freelance journalist, for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-PeaceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and the other for my services ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-In safeguarding the good name of our dearly beloved Motherland Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ I supported you and your debacles fully and stood to defend the barrage of both local and international media and conspiracies of the international community, against you, the government of Sri Lanka and the security forces from foreign politicians, INGOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢S, anti-Sri Lankan elements and front operators in North America and Scandinavia.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As a writer, independent freelance journalist, member of the Sri Lankan Canadian community, I defended the statements below – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ you made to the local and international press, including to Journalist Stewart Bell of the National Post of Canada. (Refer – http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/category/noor-nizam/ www.colombopost.com, www.nation.com ,www.srilankaguardian.com )
Statements made by the Army Chief to the Sunday Observer published on 20th July 2008, and Sinhala language weekly Lakbim
“I strongly believe that this country belongs to the Sinhalese but there are minorityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
communities and we treat them like our people,” he says.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “We being the majority of the country, 75%, we will never give in and we have theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ right to protect this country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
“We are also a strong nation … They can live in this country with us. But they mustƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ not try to, under the pretext of being a minority, demand undue things.”
“The national leadership basically is determined to solve this problem,” he says.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
“The task given to us is to eradicate terrorism … If we have the same commitmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ one more year, the LTTE’s destination is, I think, decided.”
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=832374)
2.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We know that journalists are being bribed, given ‘drinks’, treated in restaurants and they have their own vested interests.. . We know very well about those media people who take bribes, write and voice their opinion for some personal gains.
3.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These so called media guys are not responsible to the people and they are not entitled to such media freedom.
4.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So, especially the media people should behave well and set an example to others. To me, those who stage protests with unshaven beards, long hairs and wearing costumes like in fancy dress competitions are not scribes who are clamoring for media freedom but a gang of thugs”.
5.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “We know very well about those media people who take bribes, write and voice their opinion for some personal gains.” ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
6.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This country will be ruled by the Sinhalese community which is the majority representing 74 percent of the population.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
On the 11th of May this year, the deputy editor of the Nation newspaper, Keith Noyahr, wrote an article titled: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-An army is not its commanderƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s private fiefdom.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ It criticized the General for depriving senior, capable, and deserving officers of reaching command positions, and instead promoting junior officers with little battlefield experience. (http://www.nation.lk/2008/05/11/militarym.htm)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The article pointed out a whimsical (should we say dictatorial?) style of leadership where a Major General who spearheaded the victory in the East was thanklessly removed and kicked out of his official quarters, while the commander responsible for the Muhamalai debacle was rewarded with a promotion. When it came to nominating officers for service awards, the General was a scrooge, recommending a grand total of one person for the Vishista Seva VibushanayaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ himself. He determined that only he was fit to receive it, even though he was overlooked for a lesser decoration, the Uttama Seva Padakkama, by no less than five previous army commanders.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This was your opinion of Mr Noyahr:
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-If he has done some damage to our organisation or to a person, especially when he has done something which he is not supposed to do, then it is natural he must be living in fear. If they think that they have done something of that nature the best thing for them is to correct themselves and rectify the mistakeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦These so called media guys are not responsible to the people and they are not entitled to such media freedom.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let me also add a question and answer interviews the Sunday Observer had with you on 23.07.2008 where you stated the following to the press:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Important Q & A. in the above news interview.
Q: They also claim that the Army helps the government to take political mileage through some of these military victories. How do you see these allegations?
A: The President of the country being the Commander in Chief is entitled to get the credit for all these military victories. He is the one who takes decisions and responsibilities of launching these major offensives. Wars are launched by the governments and credit of its success will naturally go to the government and not to the Opposition.
(http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080721_05 (Sunday observer interview Last modified on: 7/23/2008 9:05:19 PM).
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If that be so, it is beyond my understanding to see a personality of your standing and a patriot you being, to suddenly join the gang of political opportunists, journalists and NGO/INGO operators who were indeed hounding after you, the security forces and the government with allegations of Human Rights violations, war crimes, oppression, terrorizing the media and journalists and calling names at you, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to become a contender in the forthcoming presidential elections to be held on January 26th., 2010.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If your answer to the question mentioned above was in fact sincere and honest, then there was no need for clamouring for all the credit of the war victories by you, which is a claim of recognition you have been demanding from the government and HE. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, as it has been understood clearly from you statements made to the press/media since recently.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I am indeed sad that the General (retired) Sarath Fonseka whom I had esteemed so high and had the opportunity to meet with, to gather views and opinions, during my recent visit to Sri Lanka in April this year at the Army Headquarters to write an essay on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Need for Classified information statutes in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ has offered himself to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-political devils of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ who want to destroy a wonderful Nation which has just begun to march forward with Peace, Prosperity and Dignity as a member state of the UN under the leadership of HE. Mahinda Rajapaksa.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ My fullest support is therefore to the presidential candidature of HE. Mahinda Rajapaksa and it is a foregone conclusion of the Sri Lankan Muslim community, especially of the North Eastern and Eastern Province to make sure that HE. Mahinda Rajapaksa will win this election, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Insha Allah.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚