en (retd.) 's infamous treacher- Gous statement that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rjapaksa had ordered the LTTE surren- dees should be shot dead appeared in the Sunday Leader when I was holidaying in . I got this news before I could read the Sunday Leader, because a friend of mine in Australia who had seen the website of the newspaper before Sri Lankans even woke up had called me. The friend was obvi- ously agitated and said that the pro LTTE diaspora members had already started to spread the word that the Defence Secretary and military leaders could be brought before an international tribunal and charge them with war crimes as "now we have a solid wit- ness".

The following few days were very hard for the Sinhala activists and the members of SPUR as they were highly demoralised by the treacherous state- ment of Gen Fonseka. They were angry and frustrat- ed while he LTTE activists were upbeat on Gen Fonseka's act of betrayal.

By then I had heard Gen Fonseka's several state- ments over various television channels and websites and I was convinced that Fonseka was telling lies to get political mileage. In fact, as a person who had fol- lowed the elections for 78 years, starting in 1931 as a tiny tot, I must confess that the Presidential Election of 2010 takes the cake for untruths, lies and fabricat-

Furthermore, Gen Fonseka publicly stated that immediately after assuming office tices of Mrs Bandaranaike. However in the then. The only occasion President Rajapaksa managed to get a message across to the vot- as President on January 27, mandate of the Commission there was no mention about the alleged addition of a zero ers through Rupavahini was when he he would imprison his opponents. because the government had learned by then addressed the women of Sri Lanka at a func- He asked them to that Mr E L Senanayake's accusation against tion held at Swarnamali Balika Vidyalaya. He keep mats and pillows ready Mrs Bandaranaike was false. said that women should get more than equal to go to prison. rights as women are more precious to a society However, the Commission than men. He pointed out that went ahead with other inves- even your country is called ed stories and most of them were on websites. tigations and on its findings, Mother Lanka. Mrs Banadaranaike's civic To give an example I quote from Lankadeepa, which rights were suspended for Apart from the above instance, had published two denials on the same day after seven years, thus removing I can say that the Rupavahini, publishing two false stories quoting Mr Mangala the main political contender ITN and Lake House media Samaraweera. The first one was that the Rajapaksa against President J R failed to make a noticeable family had bought the Obeysekara Walawwa and the Jayewardene. Jayewardene, impact on the voter. second was that Mr had taken over who took over the leadership the Swarnavahini television channel. A member of of Non-aligned Movement President Rajapaksa has won the Obeysekara family had sent a letter to from Mrs Bandaranaike after the districts of Kandy, Matale, Lankadeepa stating that the Obeysekara family was her defeat in 1977, did not Kegalle and Badulla too this not poverty ridden to warrant a sale of their ancestral change his decision to sus- By S Piyasena time, although he had lost place. Mr Jeevaka Edirisinghe, Managing Director of pend Mrs Bandaranaike's those districts in the 2005 Swarnavahini said that he had no intension of selling former Deputy High civic rights despite the call Presidential Election. the television station. Commissioner in Chennai made by many NAM leaders and other heads of states. What is noticeable is that Furthermore, Gen Fonseka publicly stated that imme- Sarath Fonseka succeeded in winning 25 elec- diately after assuming office as President on January In 1982, the UNP government has arrested toral constituencies where the minorities - 27, he would imprison his opponents. He asked them several opponents including the present Tamils and Muslims - are in majority. However, to keep mats and pillows ready to go to prison. Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake he could win only 10 electorates where and Vijaya Kumaratunga, husband of Mrs Sinhalese are the majority. Now a campaign to gain sympathy over the detention Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga who of Mr Fonseka has been launched by the UNP-JVP became the President 12 years later. Mrs PS unholy alliance and unfortunately a section of the Chandrika Kumaratunga had to seek Buddhist monks have also supporting this political In 1934 as a 12 year old student I enjoyed the President Jayewardene's permission to visit campaign. day when the Ananda team won the Herman her detained husband who was kept in soli- Loose cup for Cadetting. 75 years later end of tary confinement at Mahara prison. As many persons of eminence including legal lumi- May 2009 I was very happy to watch naries have pointed out that nobody is above the law. Anandians honouring most distinguished The allegation that the misuse of state media Anandian war heroes of 2009. was a reason for the victory of President UNP leader should under- Mahinda Rjapaksa is not a valid or relevant They were Gotabhaya Rajapaksha - Secretory stand this not only as a mature politician but also as argument. In 1982 Presidential Election and for Defence, Sarath Fonseka - the Army a lawyer, though he has not practiced law except for the referendum that followed there were no Commander, Wasantha karannagoda - Navy a taken appearance at the bar. Furthermore, the UNP private television stations and the private Commander and Sarath Weerasekara - is the last party that can argue on behalf of a deten- newspapers such as Upali group and Commander of the Civil Defence Force. tion and political victimization. Lankadeepa (Vijaya) Group, in addition to the They were contemporary Anandians of my state media, supported the UNP. In 1977, the then Agriculture Minister E L sons. Senanayake alleged that Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike In 2010, though the state media was used by However it's a great tragedy within few months had added a zero to a legal document to submit a the government, it was counter productive as one of them broke ranks and betrayed tall thee wrong claim. Subsequently a Commission of Inquiry the Lake House newspapers, Rupavahini, others as well as the country. was appointed to inquire into the alleged malprac- ITN and SLBC had lost their credibility by