Sri Lanka Arrests General Sarath Fonseka - Al Jazeera 08.02.2010
1:36 February 08, 2010
News & Politics
NoEalamInSL
Sri Lanka Democracy Under Attack!
They humiliated, disgraced our war hero infront of three democratic people's leaders! The terrorist who killed 600 surrendered police officers is sitttin on a ministerial chair! The General who freed Sri Lanka from terror was dragged from legs, fallen on the floor!
Release General Sarath Fonseka!
Protect Democracy In Sri Lanka!
Stop Political Harassments!
JDS:
According to eye witness over 100 military policemen led by Major General Sumith Manawadu had taken part in the arrest opperation. When General refused to cooperate he was dragged by his feet and was beaten up by soldiers. He was attending a meeting with three opposition party leaders, Rauf Hakeem, Mano Ganeshan and Somawansa Amarasinhe at the time of the arrest.
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Al Jazeera:
General Sarath Fonseka, the defeated candidate in Sri Lanka's presidential election, has been arrested at his office in Colombo for "military offences", defence officials have said.
General Prasad Samarasinghe, a military spokesman, said the arrest related to offences from Fonseka's time in the army, which ended in November when he quit and entered the presidential race.
"General Fonseka has been arrested on charges of committing military offences," Samarasinghe said in an official statement on Monday.
The former army chief "was dragged away in a very disgraceful manner in front of our own eyes", Rauff Hakeem, Sri Lanka's Muslim Congress leader, told the Reuters news agency.
'Coup plot'
Al Jazeera's Minelle Fernandez, reporting from Colombo, said: "The director-general of the media centre for national security, Lakshman Hulugalle, has confirmed the arrest of Fonseka by the military police.
"Hulugalle said there was evidence that General Fonseka has been involved in a conspiracy coup to topple the government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa while he was army commander and then chief of defence staff".
Many credit Fonseka with winning the war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May.
However, he fell out with Rajapaksa soon after and the pair fought a bitter election campaign.
Fonseka was defeated by Rajapaksa last month by six million votes to four million.
He rejected the results and vowed to challenge them in court.
Fernandez said: "General Fonseka had claimed that a witch hunt has been launched against him and his supporters."
Fonseka has been accusing the government of trying to frame him. Several senior military officials, close to him, have also been purged since his defeat in the election.
The government has been seeking legal advice to bring a court martial against the general on charges of plotting to overthrow the administration.
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THE CHAGRGES
Even though there are leading police personnel present along with the Army personnel, Brigadier Wijesri, the head of the Military Police says that they have come to make a military arrest and reads out charges against him.
The main charges are:
• Politicking whilst in uniform
• Conspiring against the Commander-in-Chief whilst in Service,
• Harboring more than 1,500 deserters whilst on service,
• And corrupt practices in relating to military procurements
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TIMES ONLINE: Sri Lanka opposition leader held for 'plotting coup'
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7019554.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1
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Release General Sarath Fonseka!
Protect Democracy In Sri Lanka!
Stop Political Harassments!
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