Those who had been accused of war crimes must be punished irrespective of their posts and statuses if found guilty, Regional Development Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said today.
While speaking to the media at the Malwatte Maha Viharaya after meeting the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters at their respective temples in Kandy, Field Marshal Fonseka reminisced how an Army Major was sentenced to death after he was proven to have passed information to terrorists.
The Minister during his meetings with the Malwatte Mahanayake the Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera and the Asgiriya Mahanayake the Most Ven. Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thera explained the development projects in Kandy and other areas.
Accusing that allegations of war crimes had been leveled against the Army after the former ruler and the former Defence Secretary had brought politics into the Army, Minister Fonseka observed that there was no policy of turning a blind eye to the crimes or offences in the Army, except for the instances, where the former rulers had a policy of defending their offending henchmen.
He stated that no allegations of war crimes would have been levelled against the Army had the Army was allowed to maintain discipline among its rank and file.
“There was no threat of electric chair against the former President, but he instilled fear among the people by always talking about such a threat. It was we who commanded and fought the war, it was we who would have been sent to the electric chair, if actually there were such a threat.
“If the former President was taken to the electric chair, that would be a disgrace even to that chair,” he said.
He argued that though the former President could bring thirty or fifty thousand people for a public meeting, he would have to muster support of 6.2 million people to topple a Government that has a mandate of 6.2 million voters.
The former Army Commander also reminded that that Karuna Amman, who lined up and killed 600 Policemen when he was in the LTTE, had been appointed Vice President of the SLFP by the former President.
Courtesy: Daily Mirror
