On My Beat: United National Front disintegrating as Army goes ahead recording evidence

Army authorities have already started recording the Summary of Evidence in the case of Retired General Sarath Fonseka, Asian Tribune learns from a reliable source.

This is the final preparation according to the Army Act to Court Martial Sarath Fonseka.

Already his charges were read out by Provo Martial Brigadier Wijesri when they went to arrest him on February 8 evening, at his Rajkeeya office opposite to the Royal College in Colombo.

While recording the Summary of Evidence, it is learnt that Sarath Fonseka would be also seated there and he will be given the opportunity to cross examine the witnesses in case he prefers to do so. It is up to him to take up the opportunity provided by the Army.

Whether he agrees or not according to Army Act 57 (1) the Army is legally entitled to discipline him by bringing him to face the court martial.

Therefore his saying that Army has no authority over him does not hold water.

In the meantime, Gomian Dayasri, a prominent and leading lawyer and also a political analyst was highly vocal in criticism about Sarath Fonseka who went public saying that he was prepared to give evidence in an international court.

Earlier, Sri Lanka's former military commander said that he is prepared to give evidence in an international court on war crime charges against Sri Lanka.

General Sarath Fonseka speaking to journalists in Colombo on February 8 morning he said , "I am not going to save anyone who has committed war crimes".

He further added that "I am definitely going to reveal what I know, what I was told and what I heard. Any one who has committed war crimes should definitely be brought into courts," Gen. Fonseka said.

"Those who reveal the truth are not traitors," he added.

The leading Sri Lankan jurist Gomian Diasri speaking in Rupavahini TV which was also telecast in the ITN TV yesterday said, “this version of Sarath Fonseka should probably appear in the Book of Records as for the first time a Commander of the Army was prepared to give evidence before an international tribunal on an alleged war crimes against an army which he himself commanded.

“The remarkable fact is that with regard to war crimes the responsibility falls on the Head of the State and after Fonseka has been defeated by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Now Fonseka is targeting Mahinda Rajapaksa at an International Tribunal which will lead the country, its Security Forces, its President and the people for an international condemnation.”

Asian Tribune further learns that up to date the whereabouts of Danuana Tilakaratne, the arms dealer son-in-law of Sarath Fonseka, remains a mystery.

It is not clear why the police have so far not managed to bring him under their custody for questioning.

Already many authorities in the Defence Ministry has told Asian Tribune that they are not happy with the way the case of Danuana Tilakaratne was handled by the Criminal Investigation Department.

Asian Tribune learnt that there was a move to transfer the head of the Criminal Investigation Department with another DIG, but Asian Tribune pointed out the move was as good as making Sarath Fonseka himself as the head of the Criminal Investigation Department and subsequently the transfer was halted.

However, as no breakthrough in the case of Danuana Tilakaratne has been reported, it is important that Inspector General of Police take the issue seriously to bring Danuana Tilakaratne into custody, question and take him to courts for appropriate legal proceedings.

In the meantime Asian Tribune also learnt that the Criminal Investigations Department recently probed into the bank account details and safety deposit boxes maintained by Danuana Tilakaratne, the son-in-law of Sarath Fonseka being maintained at a private bank in Colombo.

Danuna Tilakaratne had allegedly earned money through commissions from weapons procurements he made for the Sri Lankan military. It is reported that the CID had probed the account and the safe for more than three hours.

Meanwhile it is learnt that the Tamil National Allaince will not be in the United National Front led by the UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe.

According to the sources in the TNA, they will go it alone and will not have any truck with Sarath Fonseka, whose New Democratic Front party is also a constituent party in the UNF led by Ranil Wickremasinghe.

- Asian Tribune -