'Recuperating the wages of Treason'

Wanasinghe and Ranatunge have both appeared on the stage of Sarath Fonseka.This was the duo that made advances to Velupillai Prabakaran by gifting him with truck loads of weapons and ammo and explosives and cash in 1989. Their love for Velu blinded them to commit treachery.

'Those 2 darling pals of Velu P, Wanasinghe and Ranatunge Siri'

It was Fonseka as army commander who said that the reason the forces could not defeat the LTTE earlier was because of the weapons and ammo supplied by these two but cunningly dod not name them.What was the reason? Fonseka had other things on his mind and did not care.

The Asian Tribune of 25th January ran a story of how Wanasinghe's security firm Gajasakthi was given the contract to supply the army with boots and shoes on Fonseka's watch. Apparently Wanasinghe's security manager is Thilekeratne (also retired from the army) whose son Dhanuna has made waves with his arms deals while his father in law Fonseka was army commander.

Wanasinghe was earlier charged before the Bribery Commission and as reported in the Sunday Times the case was dismissed on a technicality. Fonseka and Ranatunge knew but did not care. Why?

Thilekeratne senior was in command of Kayts when Generals Kobbekaduwa and Wimalaratne together with Rear Admiral Jayamaha and 6 others were killed in a land mine explosion there. It was alleged that Thilekeratne preferred to remain stuck like fablon to his quarters and had never stepped out of it either to inspect his area of command or even to go to his own office.All mines buried in Kayts went undetected by default.This was the nature of petrified command that enabled the LTTE to gain ascendancy.

After the great tragedy, SLN sources said that had Thilekeratne been in the Navy he would have been court martialled. The army hushed up the investigation for other reasons.

Wanasinghe (senior) also has a son in the army.During the 'war' (under SF's watch) Col WASS Wanasinghe remained safe and warm throughout the duration of Eelam 4 war in Diyatalawa as CO Sniper Training School courtesy of 'commander' Fonseka.

Wanasinghe junior earlier attended officer cadet training at SLMA Diyatalawa. He came 17th out of 20 in the mid course rankings . A vacancy then occurred for a SL Officer Cadet to attend the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England. The selection was to be made amongst the first 3 cadets in the order of meritas was the form.

Wanasinghe (snr) was Army Commander. He changed the rules and ordered that the first 17 be considered. Wanasinghe (jnr) as was to be expected, was selected over the first three.

At Sandhurst Wanasinghe junior was a total and abject failure. What did he do? He ran away (Deserted) as he could not put up with the training. He was brought back home and instead of being punished was commisioned as a second Lieutenant. He had started a new trend for officers in the SL Army.Fonseka the 'disciplinarian' knew and did not care.

Who was it that spoke of corruption and nepotism not being on Fonseka's watch?

Gen (retired) Cyril Siripala Ranatunge too got on the stage with Fonseka at Kegalle earlier. He was GOC and later Secretary defence when Wanasinghe was army commander.Together with late Gen Attygalle, the 3 cravenly and treacherously supplied weapons to the LTTE in 1989.

By allowing these 2 traitors to get on the stage with him Fonseka was tacitly forgiving them for the deaths and disablement of thousands of soldiers who served in the army with him. His concern for the troops who paid the true price of the war was obviously completely hollow.

Fonseka who did not fight in the Vadamarachchi battle has often also said that Vadamarachchi was an unnecessary battle. According to him Ranatunge attacked Vadamarachchi which Fonseka says was thinly held, as Ranatunge was afraid to attack Jaffna, the bastion of the LTTE.

Fonseka's intention was clearly to belittle the famous battle commanders Kobbekaduwa and Wimalaratne and the 4 battalion commanders who fought the battle which included, Lt Col Gotabaya Rajapakse but not Fonseka.

One of Ranatunge's sons was appointed a pilot in Sri Lankan Airways/Air Lanka. He is an asthma case.International rules prohibit people suffering from asthma from piloting aircraft but that rule was not enforced for Rantunge junior. Why? Was it corruption and nepotism?

Had not Ranatunge senior made his way post haste back to Airport and Aviation Services from the post of Defence Secretary (after being offered and refusing Field Marshal rank in an army of 15,000 so he says-making that claim the biggest joke soldiers have ever heard about a retired army Brigadier!) to make sure his son got that appointment as pilot and kept it despite what should have been a crippling disqualification. Junior is now an instructor of pilots.

Corruption and Nepotism's' and Traitor's Godfathers are firmly with the now always failing would be saviours of SL who wanted more than anything to 'abolish' the executive presidency to solve SL's problems.

SL's biggest probem is that the English educated city and town professionals, who are completely out of step with the masses, consider treason as mother's milk. They believed their fantasies and supported Fonseka just asthey invested their ill gotten money with Kotelawela's Golden Key scam.They will never learn.

- Asian Tribune -