ONLY REAL GENERALS CAN SPEAK

GENERAL FONSEKA’S LETTER OF RESIGNATION HAS DEMONSTRATED HOW BUREAUCRACIES WORLD OVER HAVE LEFT NO STONE UNTURNED IN TARNISHING THE IMAGE OF ARMED FORCES AND MISLEADING THE POLICY MAKERS.

Following are some the key notes taken from the letter of resignation (dated 13 November, 2009) sent by Chief of Defence Staff General Fonseka, Sri Lanka Armed Forces.

1. His Excellency the President, Through the Secretary, MOD, Public Security, Law and Order, Presidential Secretariat, Colombo. Dated 12 November, 2009.

2. Request to Retire from the Regular Forces of the Sri Lanka Army.

3. I would not be exaggerating to state that I was instrumental in leading the Army to this historic victory, of course with Your Excellency’s political support, which helped to materialize this heroic action. (Author stating victory over LTTE).

4. Nevertheless the course of action which initiated subsequently greatly depressed me which I have enumerated in the Annex hereto.

5. Annex and more, which I am privy to withhold, I am compelled to believe that Your Excellency and the Government has lost your trust and faith bestowed upon me for reasons best known to Your Excellency.

6. Thereby I have the honour to request that I be permitted to terminate my services and retire from the Regular Force of the Army with effect from 01st December 2009.

7. Furthermore I have the honour to request that on retirement Your Excellency would be kind enough to grant me sufficient security which includes trained combat soldiers…………………………………that I am considered as one of the highest priority targets by the LTTE, which they are yet capable of achieving.

8. I would also wish to quote an example in the case of the former INDIAN CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF GENERAL AS VAIDYA, INSTRUMENTAL IN LEADING THE INDIAN ARMY IN “OPERATION BLUE STAR” AGAINST THE SIKHS AT THE GOLDEN TEMPLE, AMRITSAR IN 1984, WAS ASSASSINATED WHILST ON RETIREMENT IN 1986 PURELY IN REVENGE OF HIS VICTORIES ACHIEVED.

The Reasons:

9. Various agencies misleading Your Excellency by stating a possible coup immediately after the victory over the LTTE which obviously led to a change of command in spite of my request to be in command until the Army celebrated its 60th Anniversary. This fear psychosis of a coup is well known the defence circle.

10. During the subsequent Service Commanders Meeting, the Secretary Defence was bold enough to state an unethical and uncalled statement by mentioning that “if operational control of all three services is granted to the CDS it would be very dangerous’, which indeed was a loss face to me in the presence of subordinate service commanders.

11. “Your Excellency too made a statement that a strong public opinion is in the making stating that the country is in the possession of a too powerful army.” I personally felt that Your Excellency has commented mistrusting your own loyal Army which attained the unimaginable victory just a week ago. Over these comments I felt disgusted as we even insulted those who made the supreme sacrifices by such comments.

(Complete letter would be posted soon)