'Fonseka was scared to accompany President to Killinochci'
Colombo: As Sri Lanka braces for a tough
fight in the upcoming Presidential elections, a campaign to
run down former Army chief and war hero Sarath Fonseka appears
to have begun with allegations made that he dithered to
accompany President Mahinda Rajapaksa on a visit to
Kilinochchi frontlines in the thick of war.
An official website claimed that after Lankan troops
had cleared Tamil Tigers from their political capital of
Kilinochchi, President Rajapaksa wanted to tour the city and
asked Fonseka to accompany him.
But Fonseka had shown reluctance saying that the war
with the LTTE was still on and no risks should be taken and
this the website construed that the former Army chief did not
have the courage to go to the frontline.
"A recent statement by retired General Sarath Fonseka
that he has never been defeated in his military career and was
a fearless man has come in for severe criticism in defence
circles which are aware of his fear to accompany President
Mahinda Rajapaksa to Kilinochchi this year before the
conclusion of the LTTE war," a government website claimed
today.
"Gen Fonseka had warned the President to give up the
idea as he (Fonseka) had fear to go to Kilinochchi as the war
was yet on and had confessed he too had not been there for a
long time," the website said.
PTI