Dilrook Kannangara

Citing the Dutugemunu-Saddhatissa feud in relation to the present crisis is hilarious. When the two brothers disagreed, they knew their boundaries. They never betrayed the nation or its national interests. However, Fonseka has betrayed national interests. The Fonseka affair is more akin to the Dhatusena-Senpathi Migara affair. Senpathi Migara was Great King DhatusenaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s army commander. After successfully vanquishing enemies of the nation, the two fell out. Senpathi Migara engaged himself in anti-national and anti-government business and was duly punished. Therefore Fonseka must be punished for his crimes too.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In the past the Mahasangha took the lead in defending the nation from both foreign and local conspirators. Unfortunately some members of the Mahasangha today do the exact opposite just because party politics has taken the better of them.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There is an enacted law in Sri Lanka made by elected lawmakers. No one is above the law, certainly not the Mahanayakas. It is deplorable when they make public their opinions that are not inline with the law of the land. Upholding the law is the responsibility of everyone and the Mahanayakas must set a good example. Given their influence on the society and power, they must conduct themselves in a manner that justifies their responsible position.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sarath Fonseka was arrested following the law. The process of his arrest, detention and investigation strictly follows written law and procedure. Reasonable force was used when arresting him because he resisted arrest and he has no right to resist arrest by competent authorities. A communally prejudiced political party leader who heads a communally prejudiced political party, deliberately told the press that Fonseka was humiliated during his arrest. He calculatedly made this malicious comment to cause maximum division in the society. This communal minded politician was sacked from his ministerial post in 2001 for declaring a separate racially demarcated ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in Eastern Sri Lanka. Therefore no law abiding citizen should take him seriously. Fonseka has been allowed access to law as with his Fundamental Rights petition. There was no blocking or otherwise hindering this legal move. That means the law is functioning.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sympathy and gratitude for past service verses the future

Without a doubt Fonseka has rendered yeoman service to the nation in the past. This happened at a time when he had no political ambitions. The moment he was dragged to divisive politics by bankrupt politicians, he got accustomed to their way of life. His words became uncivilised, his conduct became unacceptable and his associates became strange. But most of all he lost 59 years of patriotism that he cultivated throughout his life.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Fonseka is entitled to his past achievement only as long as he stands by his own achievements. However, now he is trying to destroy all that as if the victories he was a part in, were his very own. HeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s wrong. His achievements donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t belong to him alone. Those achievements belong to every Sri Lanka and to every soldier and leader of this country who struggled to bring the victory of May 18^th. Over 27,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians gave their lives and thereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s no one to claim their share of the victory. Does that mean a vociferous retired General can rob and amass their achievements?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What matters now is how well Sri Lankans protect the victory and convert it to economic development. Against this yardstick, where does Fonseka rank? Very poorly; unfortunately. ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s not all; Fonseka now threatens the very law he once upheld by maintaining a private army comprising thousands of army deserters. Another offence is his shameless allegations of war crimes by the Defence Secretary and ground commanders. He makes these false allegations time to time knowing fully well that there is a massive worldwide campaign launched by anti-Sri Lankan elements to charge Sri Lankan war heroes with bogus war crimes. This conduct is totally unacceptable and criminal.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Selective application of the law

Many have blamed the government for selectively applying the law. Sadly this happens in most third world countries. However, that does not mean the whole system of law and order should be scrapped. Customary violation of law is not an excuse; never an excuse. The Opposition Leader compares the case of Fonseka against Karuna, George Master and Daya Master who are ex-LTTE terrorists. Have they endangered Sri Lanka, its dignity and its military recently? They pose no threat to Sri Lanka now and there is little sense in punishing them urgently. On the other hand Fonseka poses a grave danger to Lanka persistently, its dignity, itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s military and law and order. His continued involvement in illegal and anti-national activities endangers everyone and the country as a whole. Each passing day he falls to a new low.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Immediately before his arrest he declared that he would ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”revealƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to anyone the alleged war crimes committed by the Sri Lanka Defence Forces. This is a worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s first! Nowhere in the world has a former army commander tried to implicate his own army of war crimes. Should the government tolerate this insane and irrational conduct? It is another crime to omit punishing him for these grave crimes.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Prelates must advise Fonseka insteadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Instead of getting entangled in the legal system and in politics, chief prelates of all the chapters must show some unity and advise the Fonsekas to stop discrediting their own country. They must also try to understand global and regional cross currents at work against Sri Lanka. Further, they need to understand that what they say will be used by highly opportunistic politicians to arouse the people to commit violence threatening hard earned peace. Sadly Fonseka used a Buddhist temple, the Washington Buddhist Vihara, to launch his divisive political campaign. His divisive political statement which he made there came just minutes after the great piece of advice (Anushasana) the chief monk of the temple gave. That shows the level of significance Fonseka gives to the advice by the Mahasangha. If the Mahasangha contravenes the law and order of the country and show him any support when he is at the wrong end of the law, this further encourages him to follow the same destructive path. Show him some mercy and point out to him what is right and what is wrong. Raising a private army like an African warlord and discrediting the nation are crimes whatever the way one looks at them. Through the guidance of the Noble Triple Gem the Mahanayakas must assume courage to call a crime, a crime, no matter who committed it.