In a special statement, Bishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera said the manner of the arrest and detention of General Sarath Fonseka has disturbed all Sri Lankans who value dignity and order in public affairs. Once the reasons for the arrest and detention are clarified, the people will be able to assess the information, judge the seriousness of the issue, and draw their own conclusions, the statement added.
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| Bishop de Chickera |
“Whatever opinion people may have of General Fonseka, militarily or politically, all fair-minded Sri Lankans are disappointed with the way a highly rated former Army Commander and his associates have been treated. It is a blot on the democratic, cultural and religious traditions and image of our country,” the statement said.
The statement stressed that if General Fonseka was arrested for planning a coup and the assassination of the President, which are very grave charges, the people should know the basis for this allegation. “In either case, he should be entitled to his rights, including appropriate medical care and the right to defend himself with due access to lawyers and legal advisers,” Bishop Chickera said.
The statement pointed out that the people were confused by several, and even conflicting, reasons given for the arrest of General Fonseka. If there have been violations of the military code, it must be left to the military to handle the matter professionally; meanwhile, the people had a right to clear information regarding such a serious matter concerning such a prominent personality.
“In the event that the prevailing confusion is not clarified and a transparent judicial process is not set in place, this action is likely to be interpreted as an attempt to humiliate a Presidential candidate who fought a hard campaign, or an attempt to obstruct him from campaigning and participating at the forthcoming general election; or both,” the statement said. |
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