Loose Lips Sink Ships – The Statement that Snowballed into Absurd War Crimes Allegations
Posted on March 19th, 2012
Dilrook Kannangara
On July 10, 2009 a facilitation ceremony was held at Dharmashoka College, Ambalangoda for General Sarath Fonseka. There is no doubt General Fonseka was at the forefront of winning the war. However, it was a statement he made in Ambalangoda that caused immense trouble for Sri Lanka. The current UN resolution quagmire cropped up based on that statement and its subsequent snowballing.
Quote:
I managed the war like a true soldier. I did not make decisions from A/C rooms. I was under pressure to stop the war even during the final phase. I got messages not to shoot those who are carrying white flags. A war is fought by soldiers. They do so by putting their lives on the line. Therefore, the decisions about war should be taken by the soldiers in the battlefront. Not the people in A/C rooms in Colombo. Our soldiers have seen in life the kind of destruction carried out by those people before they decided to come carrying a white flag. Therefore, they carried out their duties. We destroyed anyone connected with the LTTE. That is how we won the war,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Fonseka said at an event held in Ambalangoda to felicitate him on July 10.
Unquote.
http://www.lankanewsweb.com/LNWArchives/news/EN_2009_07_18_005.html
Although the credibility of the news website that carried this news item is seriously in doubt, this particular news report reached a wide audience. In fact this very statement and phrases contained therein were repeatedly made by General Fonseka on many subsequent occasions.
This statement was admitted in the court case came to be known as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-white flagƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ case. Further, the following day General Fonseka was removed as Army Commander and appointed as Chief of Defence Staff, a ceremonial post, effective July 15, 2009.
This very statement was picked up by US cables.
Quote:
The U.S. State Department report says, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-July 10 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” A media outlet reported on July 18 that at a celebratory event in Ambalangoda, Army Chief General Sarath Fonseka stated that the military had to overlook the traditional rules of war and even kill LTTE rebels who came to surrender carrying white flags during the war against the LTTE.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
Unquote.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article65147.ece
In addition, many armed forces personnel were carrying cameras at the battlefront. Most Channel 4 and other media photos came from these army personnelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s cameras. Nothing was done to stop this. Rationality was foregone at the height of victory. Although nothing shows any war crimes, these images have been manipulated to show gory and horror.
Without stopping at that, General Fonseka made another needless statement implicating the Defence Secretary in the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-white flagsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ incident. Today the government including the Defence Secretary not only have to fight off these allegations but also have to defend Fonseka from the misadventure brought about by his own loose lips. However, surrendered LTTE cadres and leaders including ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-KPƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, George Master, Daya Master, Karuna Amman, wives and children of top LTTE leaders and over 11,000 cadres are living testimony against what Fonseka alleged in July 2009 less than two months after the end of the war.
Making use of this, USA and other western elements attempt regime change in the country and impose division cloaked as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-reconciliationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
Even if what Fonseka alleged was true, it clearly proves that responsibility stopped at him and the higher chain of command was not responsible for any action he alleged to have taken under his sole direction. Innocents must not be subjected to harassment or inconvenience based on what came from loose lips.
March 19th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
The sad reality is that our cherished war heroes such as Shavendra Silva, Prasanna Sivla, Jagath Dias, Jagth Jayasuria, Admiral Karangoda and Admiral Samarasinghe (just to name a few) are facing difficulties because of Mr. Fonseka and his foul green card driven mouth. It was Fonseka’s “white flags” statement followed up with similar vulgar vindictive statements that has created this terrible situation for Sri Lanka, much to the glee and excitement of the Tamils and their Western backers (same West which was also backing Fonseka). And of course Ranil, the UNP, the JVP, the Colombians, the NGOs along with Fonseka himself who were all brimming with jealousy, hate and lust for power, were finally given an opportunity to further themselves at the expense of the country.
After the May 2009 victory the Tamils and the West were at a loss on what to do, they were demoralised and humiliated beyond any previous level. The look on their faces right after the victory was a clear indication of a defeated people, lost, demoralised, saddened and importantly accepting defeat. They realised that they cannot “get at” Sri Lanka. Their masters in the West were hurriedly trying their best to come up with something but in the mean time even their NGOs, such as AI & HRW were admitting “they had nothing to get Sri Lanka with” and were on the verge of giving up. The Tamils were also considering “its over” for they had NOTHING to “work with” (nor did the West and its NGOs) to punish Sri Lanka and exact revenge or “keep on the fight”.
The Tamils in the West who just a year before made a massive gala festival revelling in the 25th anniversary of 1983 riots that enabled them to access the West (many of the “crimes” being self inflicted to justify asylum) were DEAD SILENT in July 2009. Not a peep, not a protest, not a single yell, even Tamilnet was silent and you’d expect these people to put on a giant show after crying about “genocide” a few months earlier. Nothing happened, not even in their “heroes week” in November 2009. Then low and behold Fonseka opened his mouth in December 2009 and these people, the Tamils, the West, their NGOs who were all demoralised and thinking about “giving up” because they “cannot get at Sri Lanka”, came back to life getting a turbo boost of energy.
Fonseka thanks to his greed and short sighted selfish stupidity gave them something to work with, he gave them an opening which they have expanded, twisted and milked to the maximum –Channel 4, the UN report, and all the other over zealous turbo charged slanders against Sri Lanka can be traced back to this moment. For the enemies of the nation it was their time “of being born again” and their perusal of exacting revenge was done in the typical Christian evangelical zeal. Part of this process involves crucifying our heroes.
March 20th, 2012 at 5:03 am
I don’t know about his stupidity, Fonseka sold mother lanka to USA. He is the master bitrayer, coward and greedy animal. Let him rot in jail.
March 20th, 2012 at 5:30 am
Let me thank Lankaweb for leaving my comments. A real free site.
I am sure SF does not remember anything what happened in the field like the US soldier who gunned down sleeping villagers in Afghanistan.
US actions aside, what SF said got nothing to do with this resolution.
SF, JVP, SWRD and Tamil terrorist outfit are Indian jobs.
Stop sucking to Indian imperialists and Indian colonial parasites.
Did these so called white flag carriers suck their cyanide capsules or blew up their body bombs.
Or were they hiding their guns behind white flags.
Indian Tamil terrorist outfit had plenty of time to surrender and did they?
March 20th, 2012 at 5:37 am
Lanka Laws re elections (plus some other Laws) must be revamped. We have mostly western style systems of governance in our life, including democracy and the voting system. Why not make matters better in this regard to suit Lanka needs ? In USA, Gen. Eisenhower contested the US Presidential elections SEVEN YEARS after WWII. In Lanka, Gen.Fonseka was allowed to contest the Presidential elections just some months after the war with the ltte ended.
Also, Sarath Fonseka was previously injured badly by a ltte suicide bomber. Note too that he was not present at the start of the war (Mavilaru) and he was not in Sri Lanka at the end of the war with the ltte, as he was in China during that time.
Lanka’s Lawmakers must take matters in hand and make preparations ahead of events in all things, including elections.
March 20th, 2012 at 6:54 am
If not for the DISTICTIVE TRUE LEADERSHIP OF OUR GREAT PATRIOT PRESIDENT WITH THE DEDICATED SUPPORT OF DEF SEC GOTABHAYA WHO LEAD THE WAR HONESTLY WITH A CLEAR DETERMINATION OF WIPING OUT THE TERRORIST FROM MOTHERLAND TO SAVE THE INNOCENTS GETTING KILLED BY THE BRUTAL LTTE TAMIL TERRORISTS,SRI LANKA WOULDN’T HAVE WON THE WAR.Sarath Fonseka was only one participent in that venture.But during the last week of the war, SF had been in China with his entire family,his S-I-L and some Army Officials who were negotiating an arlms deal.President had to delay the declaration of winning the war by one day to accommodate SF if we can remember.After the war 2 shipslaods of ALMS arrived in and Def Sec returned them back to India for which SF got angry.Afterwards he tried to betray SL and President having gone to US in an official capacity and then trying to give evidance against President ,Def Sec to US Defence Dept secretly but SL Govt came to know and SF was asked to return IMMEDIATELY.But SF THE TRAITOR,instead of contacting and consulting SL Govt,CONTACTEDJVP LEADER SOMAWANSA, so SF DESERVES A MORE SEVERE PUNISHMENT WHICH HE WILL RECEIVE ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF NATURE!!!
March 20th, 2012 at 8:16 am
Those that expected Fonseka to die when he was blasted by LTTE human bomb and those that accused him ‘murderer’, ‘racists’ and those that said he is ‘not even suitable to be the commander of Salvation Army’ when he was the commander of our army and fighting LTTE have been his supporters when he contested against his commander in chief. Why? Because; they think Fonseka is the ideal cat’s paw to reach their own goal.
But most of his erstwhile supporters like me while he was the commander have worked against him or gone silent during the Presidential election. Why? Because they thought Fonseka had become a conspirator.
Whether he has become a victim of a trap by his former enemies or in his own choosing, it does not matter. What matters is, he has clearly shown his lack of gratitude by trying to elevate himself over and above his commander in chief and the man who placed him as the commander.
Mr. Fonseka has completely forgotton that if not for President Rajapakse, he would have been only a two star General and not a wr hero and a four star General. His utterance of a heresy that ‘Gota ordered to shoot LTTE leaders that carried white flags’ is not worthy expected from a four star General. In my opinion Mr. Fonseka’s his insatiable ego and traitorous tendencies undid all what he had achieved.
Finally, I must say that I agree with Dilrook and that Fonseka’s loose tongue caused most of our troubles today.
Leela
March 20th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
Sarath Fonseka may have been part of the winning team at that time but he was the most stupid General I have ever seen and heard. He was greedy for power and wealth.He thought he was the King after eliminating the Tiger. He acted as if he was the General who conqered Europe. Lucky for the Sri Lankan society that stupid General didnt come to power by the ballot.He would have taken over the country by the bullet if not for quick action by the Government at that time. He should be ashamed for himself as a Sri Lankan for what he did to our Motherland by making stories about white flag and so on to get benefits from his Masters voice America who gave him and his family Green card to live in States. In my veiw Fonseka should stay behind bars for many more years for what he did to his homeland and to the man who made him a 4 star General. Ungreatful EX GENERAL???////////////
We have many more traitors who should be behind bars with him who supported the west during the war and after the war. Another traitor was our own Navi Pillai from Attangalla who was the white man’s favourite. She disgraced the Bandaranayake clan by taking part in channel 4 and condemning her own Motherland. All those traitors to our beloved Motherland should be banned from entering the country again or banished them to SAHARA desert to live with the bedouins. MAY LORD BUDDHA HELPS OUR PEOPLE AND THE COUNTRY FROM EVIL WEST AND THEIR STOOGES AND PUPPETS. LONG LIVE SRI LANKA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 20th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Dilrook, even if Sarath Fonseka hadn’t uttered these words, those who financed terrorism in Sri Lanka, would find a way to retard post-war reconcilation. But Mr.Fonseka’s stupidity and greed made it easy.
Today I read an article supposed to be written by Jehan Perera. The chocolate coated venom is shocking. These are parts from his analysis.
…Sri Lanka should end up as a test case for UN sanctions…
…US will prevail, given economic and diplomatic clout…
…. sanctions against Sri Lanka for not cooperating…
March 20th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Without taking sides lets look at from the point of view of our nation.
CONDITION ——> IF his statement is true, SF was the REAL hero until he joined the TNA.
IF GR told him “not to shoot those who are carrying white flags”, GR is a traitor. Just imagine if these terrorists were saved? Then we would still have war like July 1987 parippu operation. SF had gone through this before and he knew what it meant.
But it was foolish for SF to make such a dumb statement in public even if it is true or false.
This gave USA and India ammunition to shoot us.
IF the contents of the statement are false ——-> BS allegations.
IF the contents of the statement are true ——-> BS allegations.
So either way BS allegations against us.
Just imagine the whole white flag BS was NOT discussed in SL. What if GOSL flatly refused to discuss surrender BS?
There is evidence Basil, Palitha, Nambier, etc. disccused surrender. No mentioning of an agreement though. Why did they do that? Why Nambier was entertained? No need.
Had they not done this, there won’t be any confusion.
I blame SF for stupidity and other government officials for their stupidity in EVEN DISCUSSING the surrender. There was no need.
Had it not happened, SF and GR would be in the same team today. No fool can touch us.
SF is a traitor. My question is are there other traitors who discussed, ordered, accepted, or instructed ANY surrender of LTTE terrorists thereby confusing ground troops putting their lives in NEEDLESS danger?
I sincerely hope GOSL is not trying to save these traitors at the expense of SF.
I was looking at national interest STRICTLY without taking sides. My doubts are magnified by the Wikileaks levalation that Basil had mentioned STF in the case of killing 5 child soldier suicide bombers in Trincomalee in 2006. There is no need to mention STF there. If politicians try to implicate war heros and save their skin, we should punish them without any mercy.
I noticed that government ministers are now bringing up this old news item. This is not good.
March 20th, 2012 at 9:05 pm
SF is THE TRAITOR because he sold Lanka completely to USA regardless of his treatment of flag waving terrorists and their children.
“I managed the war like a true soldier. I did not make decisions from A/C rooms. I was under pressure to stop the war even during the final phase. I got messages not to shoot those who are carrying white flags. A war is fought by soldiers. They do so by putting their lives on the line. Therefore, the decisions about war should be taken by the soldiers in the battlefront. Not the people in A/C rooms in Colombo. Our soldiers have seen in life the kind of destruction carried out by those people before they decided to come carrying a white flag. Therefore, they carried out their duties. We destroyed anyone connected with the LTTE. That is how we won the war” – ABSOLUTELY ( without using “I” use “we”) !
March 21st, 2012 at 4:47 am
Ranjith,
Lord Buddha is no more to save Sri lanka. He is not God. When he was living he did not stop genocide of his own clan. He tried tow time and gave up.
Buddhism is not about saving countries. It is about saving one self.
Sri lanka was saved by Sinhala Buddhist in the past and will be save by the same in the future. Power of Sinhala Buddhist is the power of Dhamma , the truth. If we allow christian west to eliminate Buddhism through their proxy Sri Lanka will be gone. This stupid resolution is not going to be our end.
As the president said in the Feb 4 independence celebration applying ture Buddhist principles and fighting fearlessly is the only way to do it.
March 21st, 2012 at 7:12 am
I know Lord Buddha is not there now but his spirit is there all over our beloved homeland and in our souls. We do all bodhi puja’s and buddhist rituals on daily basis for what? to protect our land and the people. We believe in him and we know he will give us what we are asking for as he has done in the past for thousands of years.
Have faith Dham.No one can destroy our Motherland as long as we have faith in him. His deciples will stand up and even sacrifice their lives when it comes to worst scenario. Believe me.
March 21st, 2012 at 9:55 pm
Loose Lips Not Only Sink Ships – they can send an entire nation to the bottom of he sea.
That is the predicament Sri Lanka is in today. Gen SF was a great soldier but his vocabulary was completely off the mark for an aspiring head of state.
Lot of commentators in this column blame Gen SF for this mess. But, one needs to remember the external and internal forces that drove this over ambitious man to challenge his former Commander In Chief. Today the very same external elements have put Sri Lanka on the chopping – block in Geneva. The internal elements, shamefully are trying to “Fish in Troubled waters”
It was poor political judgement on the part of Gen SF. This is the sad irony of a good soldier trying to get in to the political mud-hole without understanding the stinking mess of Sri Lankan politics.
When terrorists selectively removed the best of our national and military leaders and destroyed our economic infrastructure we lost all hope at times, but we prevailed.
We are a resilient nation.
Come what may in Geneva – lets’ keep going.