Hello my friend; who is a fool?

By S. de Silva
Letters to the Editor

(March 23, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) This morning I read a statement by the President of Sri Lanka referring to General Sarath Fonseka ' a fool!" As a friend of Sarath Fonseka, as a patriot who was involved in anti LTTE activities for over 30 years and above all as a Sri Lankan,I take umbrage for this irresponsible and unbecoming statement, coming from the head of state of Sri Lanka. In a democracy even if we do not agree with our opponent, we have to respect his right to harbor any opposing views. If we do not want others to contest against you, why do we hold elections and also call them free and fair elections?

In 1970's I attended a meeting for Mahinda Rajapaksa and listened to a speech by Prof. Vinnie Witharana and came home galvanized by the idea of electing young men to the parliament. After a resounding victory of the SLFP, Mahinda Rajapaksa became the youngest MP of the parliament. I was truly happy for two reasons. First of all he was the brother of Basil Rajapaksa, who was my classmante at Ananda College. He was also a close friend of late Gamini Fonseka, who subsequently became a dear friend and virtually a mentor and father to me.

Gamini Fonseka had a property in Weerawila called "Senasuma" and he was unable to get a telephone connection as he had campaigned for the UNP during the 1970 elections and it was Mahinda Rajapaksa using his influence who got the telephone for this facility. In his usual way Gamini never forgot this favour and continued the frienship until his death.

In 1989 Gamini contested the Matara district on the UNP ticket and I ran the campaign for him. During the campaign and even after the victory Mahinda rajapakse used drop in at our Matara residence/office on his way from Beliatta to Colombo. Those were dangerous times as there was a huge threat against candidates of all parties. I still remember how on the first day of our Matara campaign a UNP supporter called "Kalu Mahaththaya" was murdered in Wimal Weerawansa's hamlet. All these things happened 20 years ago and yet the memories are fresh. I also remeber how Gamini used to entertain his friends such as Dm Jayarathne, Jeyaraj Fenandopulle, S. B. Dissanayake and Mahinda Rajapaksa in Deputy Speaker's office although they belonged to the opposition. I remember Gamini appealing to Ranjan Wijerathne on behalf of his opposition friend's security matters.

My thoughts go back to pur A/L class at Ananda College nearly 40 years ago.

I was in the same class with Basil Rajapakse, Rajitha Senarathne, Bandula Padmakumara and Ananda Wickramasinghe, the present Consul General for Sri Lanka in California. I was the only one who took part in any sports activity out of four of us. I played for the soccer team with Dr. Sunil Wimalawansa who is an eminent epidemiologist in New Jersey today. We had Ananda Jayathilake who played for the Ananda cricket team and Tissa Ekanayake who was a cadet and an athlete. I played soccer and did athletics. Bandula Pathmakumara even then was involved in film industry and I remember him winning a competition for young journalists conducted by the "Wisithura" newspaper.
Sarath Fonseka was my roommate and we became very close to each other. He was a born leader even then and could function extremely well under tremendous pleasure. In a short period of time, after joining Ananda from Dharmasoka college, he became the sergeant of the Ananda Cadet platoon and led his platoon to a glorious victory beating Royal - a formidable opponent. He was also an exemplary swimming captain who brought so many accolades to Ananda College.

I personally think that through competitive sports, we test ourselves, mould our character and learn more about who we are. These lessons do not always come easily. Sometimes we win; just as often we lose. After all sports merely reflect life. Sports teach the aspect of teamwork to achieve the same goal. It makes you not worry about what you are doing. It teaches you to work together to get done what needs to be done. I think that is what Sarath Fonseka did in defeating the LTTE terrorism.

After my school days for the first time I met Basil Rajapaksa at the funeral of Rajitha Senarathne's father. He gave me his visiting card and we started exchanging greeting cards. We strated talking to each other very often when he was living in California. He has been always graccious to me and his wife Pushpa Rajapaksa has helped me in an official matter when she was the legal officer at the UDA even without knowing that I was a classmate of Basil. (At that time I too did not know that she was basil's wife.) I have tremendous respect for both of them and I would never utter a bad word against them because there is no reason for me to do that. even today when people bring up unsubstantiated allegations against them, I defend them to the hilt. If the presidential candidate was Basil Rajapaksa, I may not have taken sides during the last presidential elections.

I also must say a speacial word about that wonderful human being Ananda Wickramasinghe, who is the Consul General for Sri Lanka in California. Although I never had any contacts with him until November 2009 after leaving school I know what an honorable gentleman he is. It saddens me to think that I am on the other side now. However, he should have been our ambassador here in Washington as he has all the qualities that is needed in the tactful art of diplomacy. I sincerely wish the President would restore the honor of this august institution that represents our beloved motherland, Sri Lanka by sending him here.

I really do not remember Gotabhaya Rajapaksa or Dudley Rajapaksa in school. Neither of them took part in any sports activities and unless they have been in your class it is hard to remember them. I have spoken to Gotabhaya via a video conference at a gathering for "Api Wenuwen Api" and also at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, DC. I hear that Dudley is a wonderful gentleman who never throws his weight around. If the President needs loysl people, Dudley Rajapaksa should be a candidate.

We started this anti LTTE activities in the US nearly 25 years ago. I have never seen this present representative taking part in a demonstration or contributing a penny for the anti LTTE campaign. Shakespeare said that some are born great and some get greatness thrust upon their heads. For Jaliya, this job was thrust up on his head and with his meekly smile and his love of being photographed with powerful people and also paying for journalists to write hosannas about him has become his passion. Well, we can understand the psychology behind it - for a man whose service was terminated at MJF exports for misappropriation and also once deported from the United States this is an absolute honor - especially when he has not even passed his GCE A/L exams! Then we have his second in command who has once been the ambassador to Israel. Now he plays the second fiddle, disgracefully to cement his life here. We are determined to deal with these two as they only discredit our country.

I also wish to write a few words about wonderful people such as Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera who was a superb soccer player at Ananda and also went on to play for Sri Lanka. He is contesting in Amapara district and I only wish him well in whatever career he chooses. I feel sorry that I missed his lovely daughter Sulochana's wedding although I was in Sri Lanka during that time. The other people who were involved in sports activities at Ananada College such as present DIG PKP Pathirana, DIG SarathChandra , the Commandant of the STF, Jayantha Alwis, Major General Gamini Goonasekera, AVM Channa Gunarathne and Col. Lalith Gunarathe are a few names that come to my mind.

When I was there in Sri Lanka during the last presidential campaign I organized the old Anandians get together at General Sarath Fonseka's office and about 500 Anandians attended. At the conclusion when we sang " Jaya Jaya Anandapa Matha" I cried shamelessly. An old Anandians get together was organized by the President's campaign a few dates later. Many people confided to me that they too were invited. My response was " please attend!" and those were General Fonseka's instructions to me.

This letter is not written as an apolgy to the President of Sri Lanka. General Fonseka will never apologize because he never committed anything wrong. Neither would I because I never did anything illegal by taking part in General Fonseka's campaign. Whether the President of Sri Lanka choose to pardom him or not, it is his prerogative. However I want to tell this. President Rajapaksa"s baseless statements agains a man incacerated has no value. We have fought against the LTTE for 30 years using our own resources. We will continue to do that for General Fonseka until we die. We are not frightened. Further you are challenging the UN and IMF in Sinhala and in English, you plead with them. We will not allow you to get the second installment of the loan from the IMF. Your ambassador and his deputy have no clout here in Washington, DC although the ambassador has surrounded himself with some people who change the color of their neck tie and embrace whoever is ambassador who will be on duty - whether he represents the UNP or the SLFP.

This Prof. G.L. Peiris - I have met him three times here in Washington, DC representing three different administrations and three different opinions. I do not know which view of his to be accepted or believed. This legal eagle has become a shameless person. This was the same person who wanted to compromise our HSZ's! Today he has become the legman for our president and if Ranil becomes the President he would be the first man to somersault into his administration!

I have tremendous respect for Mr. Champika Ranawaka but if he thinks that UN has no right to scrutinize a member nation. If that is the case Sri Lanka should leave the United Nation. If the Executive President does not respect the judiciary we as citizens of Sri Lanka should have a place to go. That is why we have chosen the UN to lobby our grievances and ask for redress. Mr. Ranawaka, what have you got to say about the police overriding the judiciary - as you know that Maj. Gen. Sunil Silva was arrested although he was granted anticipatory bail by the judiciary?

I have been Sarath Fonseka's friend for over 40 years and we have been true friends to each other. When Jaffna was threatened under Kumaranathunge government he appealed to me on behalf of Maj. Gen. Gamini Hettiarachchi to supply certain items. I did that - as a matter of fact I air lifted them and that helped the army to repel the LTTE terrorists. I did that at my expense.

When he became the Commande of the army I did not even try to supply a towel to the army. I still remain a poor person here who doesn't even own a house although I have lived here for over 20 years. Sarath and I have never discussed business although we have been extremely close friends.

I am really proud that I took part in his campaign and I know he meant well for Sri Lanka. I will never give up my exercise to expose the injustices committed in Sri Lanka against this war hero. I do not want Sri Lanka to become another Iran or Burma.