From Ceylon Today
Whenever Sarath Fonseka emerges in politics, those opposed
to him appear excited and confused. Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka is a sensation
in every field he treads because those who envy him view this character as a
sensational figure, may be with fear. Fonseka is outspoken and that had been to
his disadvantage on many occasions. Be that as it may, when Sarath Fonseka was
engaged at Temple Trees signing the agreement with Ranil Wickremesinghe,
Gotabaya Rajapaksa was busy meeting the Maha Sangha. Gotabaya chose the
occasion to use the media to launch an attack on Fonseka. He claimed it was a
shameless effort to bring Fonseka, who was defeated at the last general
election, on the National List. Gotabaya challenged those ministers who scoffed
at him saying he knew no politics being a military man, to pose the same
question to Fonseka who was a former Army Commander. All these comments
emanating from Gotabaya display his fear or excitement over attempts to bring
Fonseka to Parliament.
Adding more confusion to the move to bring Fonseka to
Parliament, another Fonseka critic Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe too, seems to
panic. It was reported that Minister Rajapakshe had threatened to quit his
ministerial portfolio if Fonseka is brought in as a Member of Parliament. It
was Minister Rajapakshe who earlier said he would not allow the arrest of
Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The Wijeyadasa-Fonseka battle erupted over the
controversial Avant Garde issue. When Fonseka firmly demanded the arrest of
Gotabaya over the Avant Garde controversy, it was Minister Rajapakshe who
appeared to protect Gotabaya. Fonseka unfolded the link between the Avant Garde
owner and Wijeyadasa to the country. This battle clearly demonstrated that some
ministers were being used by Gotabaya to prevent his arrest. Similarly, it is
clear that Gotabaya has engaged in an exercise to prevent Fonseka entering
Parliament through the influence of some ministers.
Gotabaya-Mahinda loyalists
Gotabaya began to fear Sarath Fonseka after the latter won
the LTTE terrorist war in May 2009. It was clear that Fonseka became more
popular than Mahinda after winning the war as intelligence reports confirmed
that position. That was why Fonseka was removed from the post of Army
Commander. Mahinda's Government jailed Fonseka as it feared the government
could be toppled if Fonseka was let free. Now Gotabaya-Mahinda loyalists fear
Fonseka's entry to Parliament as the current 'patriotic struggle' launched by
them against the Maithri-Ranil Government could be made redundant. Also, the attempt
to field Gotabaya at the next presidential election would be in vain. These
groups are trying to field Gotabaya at the next presidential election to be
backed by Mahinda loyalists to gain power using the war victory.
Mahinda loyalists believe that the Armed Forces and the
people would be disgruntled if the Maithri-Ranil Government attempts to
implement the proposals of the UNHRC. They further contend that such a
background would be the best opportunity to start a campaign against the
government. The Ranil-Maithri Government would lack evidence and facts to meet
that challenge. The reason is that while Maithri was in the government during
the war, Ranil and many present ministers in the then Opposition were critical
of the war. Fonseka gave leadership to that war. Whatever Mahinda loyalists may
say, those in the Armed Forces know the sacrifices made by Fonseka towards
winning the war. If Fonseka enters Parliament, Mahinda loyalists who have
written the war victory in their names will feel weak. The reason is that even
Mahinda was never in the war zones. In contrast, Fonseka was nearly killed by
terrorist bombs twice, but returned to the battlefield, against medical advice,
as Army Commander. Dinesh and Wimal who scream about the war victory and war
heroes have never stepped into war zones. They look like Lilliputians in the
presence of Fonseka who is a Gulliver.
In such a backdrop, the entry of Gotabaya into politics,
with Fonseka standing firm on the political scene, would look undervalued. If
Mahinda loyalists had written the war victory in their names 100 per cent,
Fonseka's entry would reduce it by half to go in favour of the Maithri-Ranil
Government and that cannot be prevented. That is why Gotabaya and Mahinda
loyalists fear Fonseka's entry into Parliament.
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