Fonseka claims Govt. planning to arrest and get rid of him
(Created date: 01-Jan-1970) Back
General (retd) Sarath Fonseka and Mangala Samaraweera, MP meet the media yesterday. Photo Chandrasiri Weerasinghe
The government is harassing me in an attempt to demoralise me. They have just one intention. That is to take me into custody under some sort of pretext and get rid of me. They have withdrawn all the security that I was given, leaving me to employ 15 unarmed private security personnel.
These views were expressed at a media briefing held yesterday at his residence in Kollupitiya, by General (Retd) Sarath Fonseka, who lost to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Tuesday’s Presidential elections.
General Fonseka said that he cannot accept the final verdict of the elections, as the message from counting centres was that he had a clear majority of 1.4 million votes over President Rajapaksa at one stage.
He said the elections were rigged. "After a hectic one month campaign, we won the confidence of the people. We did not violate any election law. People voted for me and we won. I thank the voters who voted for me. I will not let them down, but continue to serve them. I will think seriously of contesting the next General election. The Swan symbol has become very popular and I may consider continuing with it." General Fonseka also said that he has sent letters of protest to Elections Commissioner, Dayananda Dissanayake, against alleged irregularities, and also resort to legal action by petitioning the Supreme Court.
They tried to arrest me and even the other political leaders who were with me at Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, including Ranil Wickremesinghe, Rauff Hakeem and others. It was due to security reasons why we stayed at the hotel. We are not fools to plan a coup at a five-star hotel. The army even took into custody a mess steward. Some were released, but there are others yet in custody, who are all retired army officers who helped me in my campaign office, said General Fonseka.
General Fonseka also alleged that the airport is a "no entry" zone for him, and the government has also instructed the airport officials not to allow any members of the Fonseka family to leave the country. He said: Now you can see who the Idi Amin is.
There are troops down the road where I live now. They are masked and some on motor cycles. Visitors to my home to see us too are harassed, said General Fonseka.
He further said that President Rajapaksa and his lackies are now starting to rouse up racial hatred by saying that the North and East voted for him (Fonseka), while those in the South voted for President Rajapaksa.
Leader of SLFP (M), Mangala Samaraweera, read out extracts from the Elections Commissioner’s speech at the conclusion of Tuesday’s election, where the Commissioner himself has admitted that malpractices had taken place. He said: "When you read between the lines, you could clearly see that he is crying out for help".
JVP Parliamentarian and Spokesman, Anura Kumara Dissanayake and SLFP MP Arjuna Ranatunga, who is backing General Fonseka, too were present.
by Lal Gunaesekera
