Country and Armed Services betrayed

Lakshmi de Silva

Opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka was quoted by a Sunday newspaper as making a statement betraying the country and the Armed Forces. He had referred to some incidents that he said had happened during the military operations against the terrorists when he was the Army Commander, Senior Attorney-at-Law Gomin Dayasri told a press conference at the Information Ministry Auditorium yesterday.

“Whatever statement Sarath Fonseka makes on any matter connected to the Armed Forces gives weight whether it was true or false as he was the Army Commander and the Chief of Defence Staff then.

Undoubtedly it had caused embarrassment to the Armed Forces. His statement may be hearsay but he is a presidential candidate and it was a time when some parties abroad were trying to discredit the Forces,” he said.

However, if Fonseka was misquoted by the newspaper or if he had not made the statement attributed him he should call a press briefing and deny the statement that was undoubtedly damaging the image of the Armed Forces and the country though it was too late, Dayasri said.

Attorney Kalinga Indratissa said this was the first time that someone had betrayed the country’s national security and national interests.

Quoting relevant sections from the Official Secrets Act No. 32 of 1955, he said it was a very serious matter of concern for the country as national security should be regarded as a primary duty. Senior Attorney M.U.M.Ali Sabry showing copies of past issues of the Sunday newspaper under reference said it had continued to espouse the cause of Fonseka for the past many weeks and published stories against the country’s defence establishment.

“Even if his motto was ‘Country before Me’ he had betrayed comrades in arms as well as his country,” Sabry said.

Attorney Kushan de Alwis said national defence was supreme and the Attorney General or the IGP could prosecute Fonseka under the law for betraying the country’s interests.