Fonseka in a gimmick to be on the limelight to emerge out of shadow

The Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has not given any direction or approval to Sarath Fonseka, who is in military custody, to use telephone to make international calls to his daughters living in America.

A reliable source in the Sri Lanka Amy emphatically told this to Asian Tribune when contacted.

The Army source reiterated that there was nothing as ‘rights’ that has been given by the Supreme Court to Sarath Fonseka to make international calls to his daughters.

But he clarified that it was the Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya who on humanitarian grounds offered that privilege to Sarath Fonseka to call his daughters on the mobile phone.

He added as the army suspect that he is abusing the privilege to surreptiously in touch with American intelligence agents and providing feedbacks to prepare dossier to try the Sri Lanka Army in an international tribunal on war crimes charges.

He said that suspicion has aroused as there was no way for the army to monitor, as who is receiving the calls on the other end? So it has been decided to do away with the privilege in the best interest of the country, he said.

He added that a privilege on humanitarian grounds has been wrongly construed as rights provided by the Supreme Court to mislead the general public to win sympathy in the forth coming parliamentary elections.

Yesterday, Anoma Fonseka, in a hastily convened Press Conference has publicly alleged that “The Court has given him the use of the phone.. “

She said that the Supreme Court had granted approval for him to use the facility, though the government ordered on Saturday night that the former Army Commander could not use a phone.

Addressing the media at Fonseka’s office at Rajakeeya Mawatha, she said that Fonseka wouldn’t give up the fast until he was allowed to communicate with his two daughters.

It is intriguing to note how Anoma Fonseka could substantiate her allegations in the absence of any such relief or concession granted by the Supreme Court.

The Army Sources told Asian Tribune that it is now the responsibility of Anoma Fonseka to prove that her statement was correct by providing the Supreme Courts version of 26 February that Sarath Fonseka has been given authorization to use phones to make international calls to his two daughters presently living in Oklahoma, United States of America.

Furthermore it is learnt that Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna has organized a march to the Campel Park today to protest against the arrest of Sarath Fonseka on the 08th of February – one month ago.

Source in the Army said this hunger strike is another gimmick to gain political mileage.

The source further said that Anoma Fonseka visited her husband at Army headquarters yesterday evening around 7.30 PM as usual, but she did not bring dinner to Fonseka.

It was further revealed that Army officers on duty at the Navy Headquarters where Fonseka was held in custody has pointed out to him that there was no directive from the supreme court to allow him to make use of phone to call his daughters in America. They also requested him to take his dinner.

But Fonseka maintained that Supreme Court has granted permission for him to make use of phones to call his daughters and insisted that as long as his right restored he is not going to take food.

- Asian Tribune -