Guest Comments by Anoma Fonseka

Editor’s Note: The following is a letter to Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa from Anoma Fonseka, the wife of General Sarath Fonseka, the man who last year led military forces in defeating the northern Tamil Tigers. After a “falling out” with Rajapaksa, the general dared to challenge him in a national election, but lost the vote and was arrested for vague “military offences”.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Your Excellency, I was shocked and saddened to note the contents of your interview with the Singapore Straits Times newspaper in which you called my husband a “politically immature” fool. It was ironic since less than a year ago, he was, in your eyes, the world’s best army commander.

After last year’s unprecedented victory over the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), you and your government had nothing but praise for the clear vision and leadership that my husband gave to the armed forces and for his superior war-craft. As my husband shared with me, your confidence was so pronounced that you wanted him to cut the cake of celebration, marking the war’s end. With deep sadness, I see that you chose to forget all that, even before the glow of war victory has gone from the people’s hearts.

Why do you fear someone as “politically immature” as my husband and frame him under false charges? I believe your behavior toward a war-hero, who gave unyielding leadership in a conflict that had beleaguered our nation for 30 long years, is unbecoming of a president and statesman.

My husband was arrested, along with many people who supported him, based on false charges. Now most have been released, reaffirming their innocence. Clearly, my husband remains held because you fear that if he proves charges of fraud in the presidential election, then your government would lose.

Although the Singapore-based newspaper pressed you to specify the charges against my husband, you failed to present an acceptable answer. Yet you keep terrorists openly identified with shocking outrages and crimes against humanity close to your bosom, rewarding them with positions.

Given the circumstances, I’m not surprised that you refuse to pardon my husband who bled for the nation, carried his own bowels in his arms when he faced the terror of an LTTE suicide bomber and came back to lead the nation to victory.

No doubt, your conscience will convict you for the injustice meted out to my husband, now kept in an almost airless, sealed room. I’ve never heard of a war hero being treated this way elsewhere. Will anyone want to serve the nation like my husband did, given how your government has mistreated him? The injustice that you cause my husband to suffer isn’t his alone, but that of the entire nation.

My husband promised that the Sinhala and Tamil New Year of 2010 would be celebrated within a united, peaceful Sri Lanka. He kept that promise. While the entire nation and your family can celebrate the New Year thus, it’s very unfortunate that you’ve denied my family the same sense of celebration.

Your Excellency, Sri Lanka’s independent judiciary ensures the rule of law. But when you tell the Singapore newspaper that you won’t grant a pardon to an accused in a case yet unheard, you tell us loud and clear that you’ve already delivered the judgment.

Please be assured that my husband never will seek your pardon because he has done nothing wrong that would qualify him to seek such a pardon.

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