When Sri Lanka’s Chief of Defense Staff General Sarath Fonseka received a call from an officer of the United States Department of Homeland Security for a ‘voluntary interview’ and was told that the intension of the ‘interview’ was to discuss alleged human rights violations committed by Sri Lanka’s Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa instead calling his government for advise, counsel and guidance he turned to a lifelong friend and the friend’s attorney for advice.
It took almost two days (48 long hours) for him to inform Sri Lanka ambassador in Washington and his immediate superior Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
By the time he informed the embassy and the defense secretary in Sri Lanka, Fonseka had already given his consent to meet the officials of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at its Oklahoma office on November 4.
He immediately received a written confirmation. The DHS office in Oklahoma was arranged because General Fonseka maintains a house and his two daughters and the son-in-law reside there.
General Fonseka arrived in the United States on October 24 on an official visit to meet with officials in the State Department and the Department of Defense. As State Department assistant secretary Robert Blake was indisposed Sri Lanka ambassador to the U.S. Jaliya Wickremasuriya accompanied him to meet with Pentagon officials.
The question raised is while General Fonseka is on an official visit here when the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit of the Department of Homeland Security invites him for an interview, most notably to discuss the alleged human rights violations of Sri Lanka’s Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as to why he failed to contact the Defense Ministry in Colombo to get advise and consent.
What made Fonseka to agree to the ‘voluntary meeting’ for 4th of November, 48 hours before he intimated Ambassador Wickremasuriya and his ministry in Colombo?
Why did he contact his lifelong friend Sanath de Silva and his attorney when the Sri Lanka embassy already has Patton and Gibbs lawyers who had the competency to professionally advise Mr. Fonseka?
In fact, it was this Sanath de Silva who organized the religious ceremony to invoke blessing on General Fonseka at the Washington Buddhist Vihara at which he declared that if his nation does not take the correct path he is not reluctant to shed his uniform to get on to the road.
The next question is why is General Sarath Fonseka so eager to give this ‘voluntary interview’ to the officials of the Department of Homeland Security?
Asian Tribune understands that Mr. Fonseka is enthusiastic about meeting with US Department of Homeland officials.
It is the Human Rights Violations and War Crimes Unit of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that has invited General Fonseka for this ‘interview’.
In pursuing foreign war crimes or human rights abuse suspects, ICE is uniquely situated to employ its combined authorities under both criminal and immigration law. Under existing federal criminal statutes, where the United States can exercise jurisdiction over the actual foreign offenses (such as torture, genocide, war crimes or the use of child soldiers), the Human Rights Violations and War Crimes Unit closely works with U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to seek prosecutions.
Is Sarath Fonseka who is a resident alien (green card holder) and qualified to become a citizen in less than a year, with his interests mostly in the United States having his two daughters settled in Oklahoma City, wanted to protect that status, acquired wealth and interests implicating the administration he still serves and high ranking officials such as defense secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for human rights violations and atrocities?
The Asian Tribune investigations have found that General Sarath Fonseka has a lot to explain as there are many serious questions raised in his story.
Foremost, Fonseka did not have the courtesy, and execute his obligation and commitment to notify his government and his government’s representative in the United States about the invitation he received from the officials of the Human Rights Violations and War Crimes Unit of the ICE in the Department of Homeland Security when he was clearly told that the ‘voluntary interview’ was connected to alleged human rights violations of Sri Lanka’s Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
In a possible implication of Mr. Rajapaksa for war crimes, atrocities and human rights abuses what does Mr. Fonseka endeavor to personally achieve is the next vital question Asian Tribune will answer.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
Among some Sri Lankan expatriates in DC, there were no political
Among some Sri Lankan expatriates in DC, there were no political intentions to use General Sarath Fonseka as some trying to highlight.
With reference to the above article in the Asian Tribune by Mr. Gamage, as a person who participated in the event held for Gen. Fonseka at the Washington Buddhist Vihara, I would like to bring the following:
1) It was COSLA (Coalition of Sri Lanka Americans) who organized this event for General Fonseka, with the view of honoring war heroes, dead & alive, and also to award scholarships to the children of dead and disabled soldiers. The invitations were emailed by Maharagama Dhammasiri Thero and when the event started it was the Thero who made certain remarks to Gen. Fonseka to which he very promptly responded. I am really puzzled at the comment reference to Sanath de Silva as the organizer of this event and would like to know who gave him this erroneous information. We know Sanath as a very committed patriotic member of the Sri Lankan community in the Washington metropolitan area and also as a person who had been actively campaigning against LTTE terrorism since early 1990’s. I do not think Gamage’s source or even certain diplomats, who came on board around 2008, do really know the contributions made by Sri Lankan expatriates here from the very inception. Some of them, as far as we know, have been fighting their own battles, for example deportation proceedings against them!
2) Due credit was not given to Gen. Fonseka’s speech and to the important points he mentioned about resettling of IDP’s, helping the IDPs’ and other war victims but an effort has gone to investigate the administrative procedure that should have been followed by Gen. Fonseka.
3) I am also puzzled at commented credibility of evaluating Gen. Fonseka’s ability to lead the nation politically. There are so many schools of thought about this issue and some Politicians and their paid journalists are certainly not scholars who can put forward an intellectual argument.
4) Also it comments: “It took almost two days (48 long hours) for Gen to inform Sri Lanka ambassador in Washington and his immediate superior Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa”. On the other hand, then what about SL authorities taking one month (720 long hours) to inform Gen about possibility of these type of questioners from their own previous experience?
I am convinced that this journalist has written all this to please his master hence I consider his voice to be “His Master’s Voice.” No wonder people ridicule this sacred profession of journalism!
More complaints on Gamage's journalissm ethics
Concur. Daya Gamage goes way overboard with his often errorneous assumptions and also his emotionally based rantings. I too believe that Gen. Fonseka was unfairly and harshly critized in this article by Gamage. Be it Fonseka, Robert Blake or anyone that Gamage disagrees with, he appears to aggressively attack them - often bordering on a personal nature. This is very unprofessional - especially for a journalist with supposed American training.
Gen Fenseka is a true war
Gen Fenseka is a true war hero. But maintaning it will be even harder. Let us hope that Gen Fonseka knows what he is doing and will not betray motherlanka and its people at the expense of wealth in distance land. Come what may, majority citizens of srilanka shall protec Gotabya, Fonseka, Karannagoda, Roshan and rest of the war heras forever. We shall not be moved by diplomatic stunnes by West, political manuvers by brankrupt oppositon and desperate actions stage by tamil diasspora. There is one plain truth that is "Eelam and Prabhakaran are in the history"
The above article indicates
The above article indicates that Gen Fonseka did not have the courtesy to inform the GoSL that he had been summoned for an interview by the U.S. Department of Homeland security. Was this failure on the part of Fonseka due to his being snubbed, in some manner, by the GoSL, DESPITE HIS SERVICES TO THE CURRENT GoSL. Based on all the reports in the news media, it seems Fonseka is not too happy with the GoSL. If so, why? Asian Tribune should try to explore all aspects of a story instead of narrowly focusing only on certain aspects of issues such as the one question.
Wow... Interesting....! Don't
Wow... Interesting....! Don't be in a hurry Mr. Thamby7. Let the General to come back and explain on what has happened....! It is clear that General SF is not that happy with some of the useless politicians who sell the War victory for their own benefits. But still General has not said anything against the GOSL. So it's too early to say that General SF has problems with the GOSL.
Sometimes people jump in to conclusions without evidences, driven by their innermost feelings and wishes due to sudden excitements!!!!!
American Justice
This might be the real test of metal for the battle hardened Army Officer. On the one hand his long term interest to settle down in the USA and the other to lead the nation against the ruthless terrorists will tell the real storey. However, coercing a would be citizen of the USA to this type of questioning is against all norms of juries prudence. Perhaps this may be part of American Justice.
This is just a beginning
This is just a beginning only. Once General Fonseka gets the permanent residency, he will be bound with US law and order. Then US government can do whatever they want to. LTTE supporters are waiting for numerous law suites against for him. It is better that General Fonseka go back to Sri Lanka and live with human dignity as a war hero. I cannot understand that why General Fonseka so desperately looking for US Green Card which will put him another dangerous trap
General Fonseka and the DHS
The US report by the State Dept., has already acknowledged that the Sri Lankan army conducted itself in an exemplary manner during the 2006-2009 period which is the period under review. Does the US/DHS really expect to unearth information from the General that they could use to implicate the Sec/Defense (since his name has been mentioned as the target of the questions), in some hitherto unknown actions relating to 'war crimes' ?
This interview appears to have been snidely introduced, and it seems to have taken the General unawares and into a situation that to many, appears to be a 'trap'. Furthermore, it has been so designed that it puts to the test his loyalty to his government and to the nation as well as to the soldiers who stood behind him...all this will sadly be brought into question even after his tremendous performance to deliver a victory over the terrorist LTTE that had held the nation hostage for decades to its suicide violence.
The Sri Lankan nation remains confident that he would act wisely and well now, just as he did when he commanded the military effort that has earned for him a very special place in the annals of Sri Lankan history.
AML
war crimes
We should be deplomatic in this instance.If this is a volentary statement against the GOSL it is clear that it is a trap.The wars all over the world is a business to acheive political ambitions of the western countries.They make money out of wars all over the world in all possible ways.The minorities all over the world are providing the trump cards to such super powers by betraying their country people.They always win.The best example is Iraq.
The fact we ordinary folks
The fact we ordinary folks know is that the last war in Lanka was conducted by the GoSL in the most humanitarian way possible. The armed forces behaved in the most exemplary manner. That is why the Army lost so many soldiers & the war took so long to conclude. It was the LTTE that shot the fleeing IDPs and killed quite a number of them. If the armed forces of Lanka 'carpet bombed' the ltte held areas like the super power did in Iraq, then the war would have finished in a week or so and not taken over 2 years to finish ! These are the true facts.
Gen. Fonseks is no fool
Gen. Sarath Fonseka is no fool to walk into a trap. My gut feeling is that it is a cover up job for cleaning the stables of the US State Department, which is at present littered by front organizations of Tamil Terrorists operating in the US.
Require Good Diplomacy to Face This Threat
The US Government is at the receiving end of accusations by UN and the Pakistanis of Drone attacks. The US reply to UN has been that in matters of armed conflict, human rights investigators have no role. The vulnerability of all countries fighting terrorism to such accusations provides an opportunity for Sri Lanka to cooperate with USA, Pakistan, India, Russia, China and all the other countries threatened by armed conflict, to get a resolution approved by UN that in matters of armed conflict human rights investigators have no role.
The services of Dayan Jayatilleke who did a good job in Geneva, the former UN Under Secretary Jayantha Dhanapla and Palitha Kohonne are required to support the competent officers of our Foreign Ministry to mount the diplomatic strategy to overcome this threat.
Gen. Fonseka Owes an Explanation to the Nation
This is incredible stuff. I hope the Gen. has not walked into a trap laid by the enemies of Sri Lanka. One wonders what transpired between Ranil and Gen. in the alleged satellite phone conversation. I wish it was a rumor. Anyway, now on the rulers of SL ought to be wary of the External Intelligence agencies which are working overtime, with the traitors in SL, to make a regime change. As for the right-thinking people of Sri Lanka, which is the majority, it was the political will and the rare courage of the SL rulers, namely the Rajapakses, that ensured the defeat of the LTTE. That's final. Anyone who believes in the contrary will know what the country believes at the forthcoming election.