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Fonseka rails against 'injustices' at opening of Sri Lankan parliament
General Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka's opposition leader and former army chief, demanded his freedom and called for democracy and the rule of law today in his first public appearance since being arrested in February.General Fonseka, who led the Army to victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels last year, is in the midst of a court martial trial that he says is his punishment for challenging the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, in a presidential poll in January. But he was allowed to attend the opening of parliament today after winning a seat in parliamentary elections two weeks ago as he has not yet been convicted of any charges. "The protection of democracy must begin here in parliament," General Fonseka told lawmakers after being escorted into the chamber by guards. President Rajapaksa's ruling coalition won 144 of 225 seats in the new parliament, leaving it just six short of the two thirds majority it needed to change the country's constitution. Mr Rajapaksa says he will use the strongest mandate since the late 1970s to rebuild Sri Lanka's economy -- especially the tourist sector -- and address the concerns of the ethnic Tamil minority after 26 years of civil war. Opponents accuse him of prolonging emergency rule to suppress political dissent, and planning to change the constitution to extend his own rule beyond the end of his second term in 2016. They also accuse him of trying to establish his family as a political dynasty. His older brother, Chamal, was unanimously elected today as the Speaker of Parliament -- a powerful post that gives him control of the legislature's agenda and to decide whether an impeachment motion can be brought against the President. The President's 23-year-old British-educated son, Namal, was also sworn in as an MP for the first time after winning a seat in the Rajapaksa clan's home district of Hambantota. President Rajapaksa's youngest brother, Basil, also retained his seat in parliament and continues to act as a presidential advisor. Another younger brother, Gotabaya, is not an MP but is in charge of all security issues as Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security and Law and Order. Gotabaya Rajapaksa has accused General Fonseka of plotting a coup, and betraying the Army by planning to testify to an international investigation into alleged war crimes during the civil war. General Fonseka was taken back into custody at the naval headquarters in Colombo after the opening of parliament, according to one of his key political allies, Tiran Alles. But Mr Alles told The Times that the General, as an elected MP, would be allowed to attend parliament whenever he wanted until he was convicted. "That could take three to four years once the appeals are heard," he said. "If there is justice in this country, I'm sure the courts will send him home on bail before then." Posted by: Steve White 2010-04-22 |
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