By Shenali D Waduge
April 21, 2015
Let us get down to the crux of the matter. Sri Lanka is a small
nation but it is a small nation with a very long recorded history and a
longer civilizational history. The nation was built with a history and
the hela people today make up over 70% of the population. If elsewhere
it is an internationally accepted right that the will of the majority
prevails why should it be different in Sri Lanka? Ever since 1505
attempts have been made to dilute the powers of the Sinhalese through
various ways. An article by Presidents Counsel Manohara de Silva titled
‘Proposed 19a to the Constitution – Who’s Purpose’ clearly raises alarm
bells for all Sinhalese. What Sinhalese need to pass on to their
legislators in Parliament is that the position and decision making
rights of the majority Sinhalese must remain 70% say in all matters
while the minorities can battle it out between them for the remaining
30%.
Attempts to dilute the powers of the Sinhalese
The crafty manner in which the 19a has tried to take away the inalienable sovereignty given to the people who exercise their power to vote for the President and transfer that to the now selected PM is a selfish and undemocratic manoeuvre. Article 3 and Article 4 have for over 20 past verdicts always held this inalienable right and a case in 2002 wherein Shibly Aziz attempted to separate the 2 articles was clearly not permitted.
We also need to understand at this juncture that the present President has found himself in enviable situation. Windfall to be the President cannot provide the leadership needed to govern and it is perhaps a shortfall that he allowed powers given to him to appoint to be taken by the selected PM though that power lies with only the President. We see by the appointment of UNP MPs into key roles that the President’s powers have been usurped by the selected PM.
Mr. Manohara de Silva also highlights clauses in election criteria that are ad hominem with malicious intent at disqualifying enemies from contesting.
The article also highlights the ‘independence’ of the proposed 10 member ‘Constitutional Council’ in which the PM, the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition are permanent. Of the 7, five are nominated jointly by PM and Opposition Leader. The 6th is appointed by the President and the 7th via an agreement of the majority of MPs who do not belong to political parties of the PM or LO. This means the 7th position is secured only for the minority. What happens is if the PM or Opposition Leader are Sinhalese the 5 members (whom they choose with or even without consultation with their parties) are chosen out of the 7 minority ethnic groups identified by the census department which leads to the Constitutional Council ruled by the minorities. Since the Speaker does not have a vote 5 out of 9 will decide the decisions of the Constitutional Council. What is likely to happen is that the PM and Opposition Leader who represents only 2 districts will decide on behalf of a President who is elected from the whole island by all the communities. The Constitutional Council abdicates the bulk of the voice of the MPs to the choice and decision of the PM and Opposition Leader – under the current set up anyone can see the hara kiri. From 50-50 demands made during colonial period the 19th amendment through Sinhalese lascoreens and sepoys postulating before Western rulers are out to deny the role of the majority Sinhalese legislatively.
The 19th amendment appears to be a very crafty effort to prevent the majority of MPs representing the majority community from participating or having a say in the process of governance. What the present MPs in Parliament need to ask themselves is why the PM / Opposition Leader or Minority appointees are more ‘independent’ than the appointees of the President who is voted by over 50% of voters (made up of all communities).
Mr. Manohara de Silva shows in his article that contrary to the present constitution which does not say the IGP is under President’s control, under the 19th amendment the supposed DIC of the Provincial Police is under the control of the Chief Minister. The 19th amendment craftily clips the Presidents ability to appoint Police Intelligence Officers because the National Police Commission which is under the control of the Chief Minister is responsible for appointments, promotions, transfers, disciplinary control and dismissal of all officers of the National Police Force. Let us also keep in mind there is a supreme court case challenging the constitution of ITAK claiming it is confederal and not federal – therefore under the present provisions these spell dangers for Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity in both North and East.
The 19th amendment’s proposed Finance Commission which consists of the Governor Central Bank, Secretary to the Treasury and 3 members of the 3 major communities also raises eyebrows in the light of the biggest fraud that has taken place by a non-Sri Lankan Governor appointed by the very government now introducing the 19th amendment. As per present composition the will of the Tamils prevail in all matters of finance! Here again a population of 70% Sinhalese will get only 1 slot!
The very nations the denounce racial and ethnic elements are promoting the inclusion and preference only for appointments to be according to racial benchmarks no different to how things functioned under colonial rule where favouritism was given to minority groups and the rights of the majority was deliberately quelled. Such mathematically calculated provisions of the 19th amendment is detrimental to the peaceful coexistence of the people. Let us remind the minorities at this juncture contrary to living peacefully with the majority they have at most times created mono-ethnic political parties, segregated themselves by their own behaviour, aligned themselves to political slogans, groups and organizations that openly attempt to divide and carve out pieces of Sri Lanka and declare it independent and are eternally pointing fingers without questioning their own shortcomings and actions. Therefore, like it or not it is the majority that wish to keep the country together while minorities are guilty of aligning to attempts to separate. The TNA though pretending to shirk links with LTTE have a history that if investigated will find them guilty – the Tamil people by voting for them repeatedly show they do not care for this fact. Similarly, the Muslim Congress appears to be following a similar course by demands for a Muslim only area in the East.
What needs to be also accepted is that while minorities have functioned under agendas relevant to only themselves the majority have only attempted to keep the country together. Taking lessons from colonial rule we realize that the West’s preference for minorities and sepoys/lascoreens or ready-to-be-slaves of the whites among Sinhalese were with the purposeful objective of getting control of lands to further plunder them. With the neo-colonial efforts in place it requires the nation to be alert to all mechanizations at place in particular the manner in which regime change took place and the manner the 19th amendment is attempting to suspiciously and craftily take away the powers of the majority and enthrone in constitutionally to the minorities.
Sinhalese should be more alert to the attempts being made and realize that Sinhalese are just 14.8m as against a world Tamil population of 76million and a Muslim population of 1.3billion.
The 19th amendment is too dangerous for Sri Lanka.
The 70% position of the Sinhalese must be allocated to the majority in all decision making and at all times. The 30% only should be allocated amongst the minorities as they see fit.
Attempts to dilute the powers of the Sinhalese
- Dividing the Sinhalese Buddhists into Catholics & Christians
- Under all 3 colonial rulers Sinhalese were massacred, their livelihoods destroyed, females raped, agriculture crops destroyed to kill them by denying food and water (Uva-Wellassa and the exploits of butcher Brownrigg the British Governor is just one example)
- Liquor was introduce to destroy the Sinhalese
- Creating amongst the Sinhalese lascoreens/sepoys – people ever ready to denounce national heritage and history in preference and worship of all that the white man does. These were the ones that ceded the nation to colonials and helped them kill Sinhalese and these are the one’s who played a role in regime change in exchange for power, money and perks!
- Introducing ‘punchi pawula raththaran’ by a foreign NGO to reduce the numbers of Sinhalese having children (a concept introduced during President Premadasas’s rule)
- Dividing the Sinhala politicians into varied political groups thereby dividing the voters while the Tamils keep to Tamil themed political parties and Muslims follow same pattern.
- Present constitutional reforms that sheepishly attempts to enable minorities to have the last say.
- Human weakness for money manipulated to influence MPs to make legislative changes to dilute the majority voice
- International support generated towards minorities who are ever ready to align to foreign agendas in a horse-deal of ‘give and take’.
- International campaigns eternally making Sinhalese feel they are the fault for all ills in Sri Lanka and constant name calling and ridiculing via international and locally paid media.
- Tapping pseudo Buddhist clergy and leading them astray thereby projecting disgust for Buddhism amongst Buddhists. Denigrating Buddhism in contrived ways often with false flags.
The crafty manner in which the 19a has tried to take away the inalienable sovereignty given to the people who exercise their power to vote for the President and transfer that to the now selected PM is a selfish and undemocratic manoeuvre. Article 3 and Article 4 have for over 20 past verdicts always held this inalienable right and a case in 2002 wherein Shibly Aziz attempted to separate the 2 articles was clearly not permitted.
We also need to understand at this juncture that the present President has found himself in enviable situation. Windfall to be the President cannot provide the leadership needed to govern and it is perhaps a shortfall that he allowed powers given to him to appoint to be taken by the selected PM though that power lies with only the President. We see by the appointment of UNP MPs into key roles that the President’s powers have been usurped by the selected PM.
Mr. Manohara de Silva also highlights clauses in election criteria that are ad hominem with malicious intent at disqualifying enemies from contesting.
The article also highlights the ‘independence’ of the proposed 10 member ‘Constitutional Council’ in which the PM, the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition are permanent. Of the 7, five are nominated jointly by PM and Opposition Leader. The 6th is appointed by the President and the 7th via an agreement of the majority of MPs who do not belong to political parties of the PM or LO. This means the 7th position is secured only for the minority. What happens is if the PM or Opposition Leader are Sinhalese the 5 members (whom they choose with or even without consultation with their parties) are chosen out of the 7 minority ethnic groups identified by the census department which leads to the Constitutional Council ruled by the minorities. Since the Speaker does not have a vote 5 out of 9 will decide the decisions of the Constitutional Council. What is likely to happen is that the PM and Opposition Leader who represents only 2 districts will decide on behalf of a President who is elected from the whole island by all the communities. The Constitutional Council abdicates the bulk of the voice of the MPs to the choice and decision of the PM and Opposition Leader – under the current set up anyone can see the hara kiri. From 50-50 demands made during colonial period the 19th amendment through Sinhalese lascoreens and sepoys postulating before Western rulers are out to deny the role of the majority Sinhalese legislatively.
The 19th amendment appears to be a very crafty effort to prevent the majority of MPs representing the majority community from participating or having a say in the process of governance. What the present MPs in Parliament need to ask themselves is why the PM / Opposition Leader or Minority appointees are more ‘independent’ than the appointees of the President who is voted by over 50% of voters (made up of all communities).
Mr. Manohara de Silva shows in his article that contrary to the present constitution which does not say the IGP is under President’s control, under the 19th amendment the supposed DIC of the Provincial Police is under the control of the Chief Minister. The 19th amendment craftily clips the Presidents ability to appoint Police Intelligence Officers because the National Police Commission which is under the control of the Chief Minister is responsible for appointments, promotions, transfers, disciplinary control and dismissal of all officers of the National Police Force. Let us also keep in mind there is a supreme court case challenging the constitution of ITAK claiming it is confederal and not federal – therefore under the present provisions these spell dangers for Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity in both North and East.
The 19th amendment’s proposed Finance Commission which consists of the Governor Central Bank, Secretary to the Treasury and 3 members of the 3 major communities also raises eyebrows in the light of the biggest fraud that has taken place by a non-Sri Lankan Governor appointed by the very government now introducing the 19th amendment. As per present composition the will of the Tamils prevail in all matters of finance! Here again a population of 70% Sinhalese will get only 1 slot!
The very nations the denounce racial and ethnic elements are promoting the inclusion and preference only for appointments to be according to racial benchmarks no different to how things functioned under colonial rule where favouritism was given to minority groups and the rights of the majority was deliberately quelled. Such mathematically calculated provisions of the 19th amendment is detrimental to the peaceful coexistence of the people. Let us remind the minorities at this juncture contrary to living peacefully with the majority they have at most times created mono-ethnic political parties, segregated themselves by their own behaviour, aligned themselves to political slogans, groups and organizations that openly attempt to divide and carve out pieces of Sri Lanka and declare it independent and are eternally pointing fingers without questioning their own shortcomings and actions. Therefore, like it or not it is the majority that wish to keep the country together while minorities are guilty of aligning to attempts to separate. The TNA though pretending to shirk links with LTTE have a history that if investigated will find them guilty – the Tamil people by voting for them repeatedly show they do not care for this fact. Similarly, the Muslim Congress appears to be following a similar course by demands for a Muslim only area in the East.
What needs to be also accepted is that while minorities have functioned under agendas relevant to only themselves the majority have only attempted to keep the country together. Taking lessons from colonial rule we realize that the West’s preference for minorities and sepoys/lascoreens or ready-to-be-slaves of the whites among Sinhalese were with the purposeful objective of getting control of lands to further plunder them. With the neo-colonial efforts in place it requires the nation to be alert to all mechanizations at place in particular the manner in which regime change took place and the manner the 19th amendment is attempting to suspiciously and craftily take away the powers of the majority and enthrone in constitutionally to the minorities.
Sinhalese should be more alert to the attempts being made and realize that Sinhalese are just 14.8m as against a world Tamil population of 76million and a Muslim population of 1.3billion.
The 19th amendment is too dangerous for Sri Lanka.
The 70% position of the Sinhalese must be allocated to the majority in all decision making and at all times. The 30% only should be allocated amongst the minorities as they see fit.
7 comments:
INDEED, the 19th Amendment is an Attempt to DIVIDE and Dilute the RIGHTFUL power of the Sinhalese Majority!
Furthermore, the 13th Amendment poses a MORTAL DANGER to the INTEGRITY & UNITY of the Nation.
Say NO! to the 19th Amendment, and
REPEAL the 13th Amendment and DISSOLVE the Provincial Councils as an unnecessary BUREAUCRATIC ECONOMIC BURDEN and a MEANS by which Sri Lanka's enemies will hope to DIVIDE & RULE our Motherland!
KICK OUT the YAMAPALANAYA government of Foreign Puppets and RESTORE the PREVIOUS PATRIOTIC Government of Sri Lanka composed of PATRIOTIC Leaders of the PEOPLE of Sri Lanlka, ELECTED to Power by the PEOPLE of Sri Lanka, and working FOR the BENEFIT of ALL PEOPLE of Sri Lanka!
All those overt and covert traitors, Facebook Lorenzo at LankaWeb among them, who demonized Mahinda Rajapaksa and supported the treacherous Yamapalanaya activists seem to have vanished from LankaWeb .... at least temporarily .... no doubt biding their time to repeat the act of stabbing Motherlanka in the back ....once again .... at the critical time. They are no doubt plotting grand designs to resurrect their defunct Eelam and the Divide and Rule by the Minorities that prevailed in Sri Lanka before SWRD's Blue Revolution.
Fear not my friend, the cleansing storm clouds that will wash away all of these TRAITORS by leaf, branch, trunk and root are gathering once again ... even as we speak.
When that TSUNAMI of RIGHTEOUS Sinhala ANGER at the plots and designs of these Deshadrohiyas comes thundering, boiling and churning ashore, all that was held back by MR's UPFA GOSL the in the name of UNWISE RECONCILIATION with traitors and enemies of Lanka, will be swept away, never to return .... for the LESSON of January 8th, 2015 will be idelibly etched in our minds.
Then, MotherLanka will resume her inexorable unstoppable march toward that Shining Vision of becoming the New Wonder of Asia as ONE Indivisible Nation, of ONE Inseparable People, sharing ONE Indestructible National Destiny no matter what her enemies, internal and external, overt and covert, will say or do.
We, the Sinhala Buddhist Patriots of Sri Lanka, will ENFORCE that.
HAVE FAITH and STAY the COURSE!
May the Noble Triple Gem, the Lord Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, and the Hararawaran Guardian Dieties of Mother Lanka, Bless, Protect and Guide her Patriotic Sons and Daughters toward ULTIMATE VICTORY to Save, Preserve and Protect our Resplendent Motherland!
Don Suraweera’s advocacy of saying “Sorry To Tamils” …. those very same Tamils who cheered on “Our Boys” of the LTTE as they slashed, burned, bombed and blew to bits tens of thousands of our fellow Sri Lankan citizens during 30 years of Tamil mrder and mayhem … is LUDICROUS and LAUGHABLE!
Here is ONE MORE CONGENITAL IDIOT preaching appeasement of terrorists and their conniving bretheren to us! There were MORE of this kind of LILY-LIVERED CALLOW IDIOT in the past, and there will be EVEN MORE in the future as well! Consign them and all their ilk to the DUSTBIN of Sri Lanka’s History, and expunge them from our midst!
Today, under the Yamapalanaya Government murderous terrorists are being hoisted on the long suffering people of Sri Lanka as “Reconciliation” and are being “rehabilitated” as “Innocent Victims”!
When has “Reconciliation” with diabolical murderers worked to usher in peace and amity? Is that how the Western Nations who advocate this Reconciliation drivel to us acted when their own necks were under the guillotine of the Fascist Powers during World War II, or even now as they confront Al Quaida and the Islamic State? Hypocritical Balderdash and Despicable Double Standards, I say!
There must NEVER be “Reconciliation” with Terrorists and the dogs who supported them then and now, and we should NEVER FORGET their CRIMES and the National SACRIFICE it took to restore the SECURITY of all of our People! That History must never be forgotten or deliberately hidden under the carpets!
The Divide and Rule Strategy of the minorities, that held sway in Sri Lanka priior to achieving independence and SWRD’s Blue Revolution, returned the anti-national minorities to power as the Yamapalanaya government on that DAY OF INFAMY: January 8, 2015.
They are now dismantling and carting away (eg. at Elephant Pass) the War Monuments honoring the Ranawuruwo who paid the last full measure of their devotion to their Motherland by sacrificing their lives for the nation and for us.
“Victory Day” has been DILUTED and DUMBED down as “Remembrance Day”, confusing the roles of murderers and victims, and allocating equal responsibility to both … all to appease the Tamil Separatists and their Foreign Backers still conniving to engineer the disintegration of our sovereign nation!
Foreign experts have now arrived in Sri Lanka from the United States and the United Kingdom to aid, abet, and supervise the fabrication of false evidence, and to indict, prosecute and imprison, the Rajapaksa Family and the War Heroes who ushered in an era of National Security, Integrity, Pride and Unparallelled Economic Growth never seen before in Sri Lanka!
Are we, the Patriotic Sons and Daughters of Sri Lanka to remain passively supine while they RE-ENSLAVE us to a Foreign Yoke, and Impose upon us Rule by our Internal Enemies? I say … HELL NO! NEVER!
RISE, O Patriots of Lanka! …. Rise in your MILLIONS against this DISMANTLING of your Motherland, the DENIAL of the fruits of peace, security and national integrity won by the sacrifices of your sons and daughters in their battle for National Salvation!
RISE in your MILLIONS …. to PROTECT and DEFEND the RIGHT of your People to live as a FREE PEOPLE in their Sovereign and Undivided Nation!
RISE … O Patriots of Lanka …. and VICTORY will be yours!
Sri Lanka’s former President and former Defence Secretary celebrate war victory
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
May 18, Colombo: Former President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa today participated in the event organized by a group of opposition parliamentarians to celebrate the victory of the war.
The event was held this evening at the Viharamahadevi open air theater. A large crowd joined the oil lamps lighting ceremony in remembering the war heroes.
The celebration was held at a time when the government has declared a remembrance day to honor all Sri Lankans, soldiers and civilians, irrespective of ethnicity, who had sacrificed their lives to end the terrorism and unite the country.
Former President has accused President Sirisena of aligning with the Tamil Diaspora and “changing the character of the Victory Day”.
During the Rajapaksa regime, May 19 was celebrated as “Victory Day” with an extravagant military parade.
The Remembrance Day will be held tomorrow in Matara and the President will take the salute of the country’s security forces.
The former president has not been invited for tomorrow’s Remembrance Day ceremonies organized by the Ministry of Defense, Ranaviru Seva Authority Chairperson Anoma Fonseka said today.
Tamils in northern Sri Lanka commemorate war dead despite ban
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
May 19, Mullaitivu: Despite a court order banning pro-LTTE commemorations in the former battleground of Mullaitivu District in Northern Sri Lanka, few politicians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and civilians paid tribute to the thousands of dead in the final stages of the war that ended on May 18, 2009.
Under heavy surveillance, TNA members of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) and local leaders lit oil lamps and offered flowers at a makeshift memorial in Mullivaikkal village in northeastern Sri Lanka, according to an Associated Press report.
On the request of Mullaitivu police, the Mullaitivu Magistrate issued an order banning people from holding any LTTE commemoration events remembrance events in the Mullaitivu police division for 14 days starting from May 18.
People have largely stayed away from the ceremony organized by the Northern Provincial Council while according to an AP report, intelligence agents and police were watching those attending the ceremony.
SF denies claim of 40,000 civilian deaths in Vanni
.. says his men paid heavy price by not using heavy weapons
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
May 19, 2015
Strongly denying accusations regarding the death of 40,000 Tamil civilians during the final phase of the offensive on the Vanni east front (January-May 2009), Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka on Sunday (May 17) said that the army had to pay a very heavy price for not having the liberty to use heavy weapons against the LTTE.
War winning Army Commander, the then Lt. Gen. Fonseka emphasised that the army had no option but to refrain from maximizing the use of powerful weapons at its disposal for about four and half months because of the civilian factor.
Field Marshal Fonseka was responding to Shan Wijetunga on a live Rupavahini interview to coincide with Sri Lanka’s sixth anniversary celebrations to mark restoration of peace and stability.
A confidential US diplomatic cable dated July 15, 2009 signed by the then Geneva based US Ambassador Clint Williamson cleared the Sri Lankan army of crimes against humanity. The cable addressed to the US State Department was based on a confidential conversation Ambassador Williamson had with the then ICRC head of operations for South Asia, Jacque de Maio on July 9, 2009. Williamson said: "In fact, the army actually could have won the military battle faster with higher civilian casualties, yet they chose a slower approach which led to a greater number of Sri Lankan military deaths."
The tough talking Sinha Regiment veteran said that his army had been severely handicapped by the government decision to suspend the use of heavy weapons due to external pressure. "The army lost well over 2,000 officers and men during January-May 19, 2009, whereas a similar number died during the entire 2008. The unprecedented losses reflected the level of fighting under extremely difficult circumstances."
The army lost over 5,000 officers and men during the eelam war IV.
Referring to allegations as regards the execution of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s 12-year-old son, Balachandran, Field Marshal Fonseka said that the boy must have died during the fighting and his troops weren’t accountable.
Field Marshal Fonseka said that had the offensive killed over 40,000 civilians there would have been only skeletons left in former LTTE strongholds. The war veteran recollected the circumstances under which his army had rescued civilians trapped in the area held by the LTTE and nearly 12,000 LTTE cadres gave themselves up.
Declining to comment on the alleged killing of surrendering LTTE cadres, Field Marshal Fonseka insisted that a section of media discussed the so-called ‘white flag’ killings. The Field Marshal said that the alleged incident referred to as ‘white flag’ killings had taken place when he was away in China to finalize the acquisition of armoured fighting vehicles to the Mechanized Infantry.
Lt. Gen. Fonseka said that he returned to the country around 9 pm on May 17 after having left for China on May 11.
The leader of the Democratic Party (DP) said that in spite of his absence the operational staff assigned to him ensured specific instructions thrice a day to fighting formations. Field Marshal Fonseka said that by the time he left for China, the battle had been transformed into Sergeants and Corporals war due to the enemy trapped in 12 km long and 2 km wide area. The Sergeants and Corporals led a sustained advance into the enemy territory and the LTTE rump couldn’t have survived for more than two weeks.
....Continued.....
Asked by Wijetunga whether he had received a special message from US Secretary of State John Kerry when the DP leader met him at the Taj Samudra on May 2, Field Marshal Fonseka quoted the US official as having told him: "Now that you have won the war, it’s time to take a look back." Kerry was responding to Field Marshal Fonseka after Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera introduced the DP leader as the man who led the successful war against the LTTE.
The Field Marshal said that the US official meant that post-war reconciliation process should continue in line with international standards.
Responding to another query, the Field Marshal stressed that he always believed that the LTTE could be finished off within three years. The outspoken officer recalled him confidently assuring the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga of the possibility in bringing the war to an end in three years. Field Marshal Fonseka mentioned the names of three of the four officers who had been summoned by President Kumaratunga to ascertain their views. According to Field Marshal Fonseka, none of those present agreed with him. "One of them mentioned the Western powers losing to Viet Cong to justify his assertion that the LTTE couldn’t be defeated."
He had opposed a decision taken during the Norway-arranged Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) during 2002-2003 period to vacate Jaffna High Security Zones (HSZ) as such a course of action would have caused a catastrophic situation, he said. The Field Marshal said that he took a principled decision for the sake of the country, though it could have gone against him.
Field Marshal Fonseka said that President Kumaratunga had sought his response as well as the then Major General Shantha Kottegoda to the possible collapse of the CFA. "President Kumaratunga wanted to replace the then Army Commander Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle. The President inquired from me and Kottegoda what would our response be in case of resumption of hostilities. Kottegoda promised to ensure security of our bases until the resumption of talks, whereas I vowed to destroy the enemy. The President preferred Kottegoda because she accepted what he said."
The Sea Tigers had received a big boost courtesy the money received from the then UPFA presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa in the run-up to Nov, 2005 poll and the funds had been utilized to acquire attack craft for the Sea Tigers, Fonseka claimed.
The former army chief also strongly criticised President Rajapaksa for suspending operations for 48 hours on January 31 and Feb 1, 2009. The LTTE took advantage of the president’s move and launched a massive attack which caused debilitating losses on the army, both in terms of men and material. The Field Marshal alleged that truce declared under pressure from a section of the international community was meant to allow top Tigers to escape.
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