Gotabaya gave no advice on war – Fonseka
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential hopeful is not qualified to make statements on national security even though he talks so much about it, Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka said at a press briefing held last week in Colombo.
The Army chief who led land troops in the final war against the LTTE said he never received any advice from Gotabaya Rajapaksa with regard to the war in his capacity as Defence Secretary.
“In January 2008, I deployed a battalion from Welioya to go towards Mullaitivu. At that time Gotabaya asked me about the possibility of deploying a separate battalion between Mannar and Vavuniya. It was a time when the war was intense in the Mannar front. However, my plan was not to go forward from those ends. But Gotabaya did not understand those plans and he still does not” Fonseka said.
Fonseka said neither Gotabaya Rajapaksa nor others knew the war strategy against the LTTE.
“Until we captured Kilinochchi and were leading to Puthukudiyiruppu, no one knew what my plan was” he said.
If his plan was revealed even at the Security Council, it could have been given publicity by the top officials, the Field Marshall explained. “I used to travel to the East, Vavuniya and Jaffna every week during the war. Gotabaya once accompanied me to Jaffna. But as he tells his plans to everybody before hand, the terrorists knew we were coming and started firing artillery to Palaly when we tried to land. So we had to turn back” he said.
He said, “I saw Gotabaya’s comments recently on the war that having an army of more than 500,000 and attacking the LTTE from the four sides was the secret behind the war victory. It is an answer even a waiter in a military base would give. The army never reached 500,000. It was mere 350,000 including the Tri-Forces, Police and the Civil Defence Force all together while the Army was only about 200,000”. Fonseka assured that he will work for the victory of the New Democratic Front Presidential candidate, Sajith Premadasa, even if he is not given the Ministry of Defence in a future government under Premadasa. “It never was my request. I think he (Sajith Premadasa) has identified that we cannot be satisfied with the current security level of the country” Fonseka said.
(Source: Sunday Observer)
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This bugger wont be even field Marshal if not for Gota and Mahinda. They are not exports on war but and their responsibility was to take the right decision and appoint suitable people to execute the plan. Without the right decision this bugger would have been another head of army who fought against LTTE. There is no doubt on abilities military however other than that i haven’t seen such a cheapest person in my life. These sort a fellows cannot do anything in civil society where poeple do not listen to the shit.
The language is atrocious.
No living person including the Great Field Marshall deserves to be called ‘bugger’ and ‘fellow’.
Please respect the high standards of journalism in ONLANKA and use diplomatic language that will serve as examples to the younger generation.
Fareena. BUGGER is too good a word to him. He is a bloody disgrace. The way keeps changing his tune each day makes one wonder if he is suffering from dementia.
So if he did not receive any advice from GR or MR during the last stages of the war then why is he not charged for the so war crimes??? He likes the glory but don’t like the blame. He is a hypoxic and nut job.
Of course, GR was a mere adiminstrator as the Secretary, Ministry of Defence.
His beloved brother was the Minister for Defence who was responsible for setting policies on the ‘WAR’.
GR was just implementing the Defence Ministry Policies.
He did not have to demonstrate a brain.
In fact MR and GR are the mother and father of the Pariah State that we live in, today.
Hey Andrada.
Let’s agree that Gr8 & MR were puppets. So as I mentioned before why is then GR facing war crimes when SR has openly stated that GR never had any input to the last stages of the war and SR who was the commander is clear of any war crimes. Remember the UN and the Tamils are claiming that thousands of innocent civilians were killed in the last days of the war. What have you Rajapakse heaters have to day about that.
The Minister for Defence (MR) was responsible for setting policy related to the conduct of the war. As a Minister, the policy is subject to Cabinet and Parliamentary approvals.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence is responsible for implementing policy related to the war; he should have undertaken this task by informing all Commanders of Govt policy and set-up a framework for monitoring and reporting on policy implementation.
In the war which culminated in 2009, there appears to have been no policy. For instance, in the last days, there were people who surrendered to the forces holding white flags. There appears to have been no policy or procedure relating to that incident. The Commanders contacted the Defence Secretary by phone for instructions.
The war appears to have been conducted without policy or adherence to any international norms.
Hence the accusation.