afp,  Mon Feb  8 18:49:03 EST 2010

    WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States on Monday voiced concern about Sri Lanka's arrest of the defeated opposition presidential candidate, fearing it would worsen divisions as the island recovers from war.
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_________________
- The Academic

The Academic wrote:

afp,  Mon Feb  8 18:49:03 EST 2010

    WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States on Monday voiced concern about Sri Lanka's arrest of the defeated opposition presidential candidate, fearing it would worsen divisions as the island recovers from war.
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So the Rajapakse boys are a bunch of cowards after all..

Arresting SF is not a politically smart thing for MR and he may pay a political price for that. Then again what can a responsible government do in a situation like this, where a former Senior Officer of the government, who sat at the “SECURITY COUNCIL”, keeps threatening to reveal “HIGHLY CONFEDIENTIAL” state secrets? And how do you deal with an ex-army head who had already exposed his former boss and one of his commanding officers through a newspaper interview for potential war crimes?

If anything of this nature happened in a country like America, where “NATIONAL SECURITY “is considered as “the # 1” thing of the state, you will see a massive uproar. Last time anything remotely similar to this happened was when Karl Rove (George Bush’s political guru) and Vice President Dick Cheney’s staffer Lewis (Scooter) Libby were accused of exposing an undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame through a journalist. As a result of this betrayal Libby (Scooter) was convicted and sentenced to 30 months in jail.

Anyway, since nobody gives a . about “National Security’ in Sri Lanka (including the Prime Minister of the country) , government should come to a plea bargain with SF and get him to sign an affidavit promising that he will not divulge any more state secrets, and if he does, he is to face court martial. And in return SF should be pardoned but should restrict his overseas travels.

This is a win-win situation for both SF and the government.

Chandana wrote:

If anything of this nature happened in a country like America, where “NATIONAL SECURITY “is considered as “the # 1” thing of the state, you will see a massive uproar. Last time anything remotely similar to this happened was when Karl Rove (George Bush’s political guru) and Vice President Dick Cheney’s staffer Lewis (Scooter) Libby were accused of exposing an undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame through a journalist. As a result of this betrayal Libby (Scooter) was convicted and sentenced to 30 months in jail.
.

Chandana

Point taken. However just to point out the fact that Karl Rove or Scooter Libby were never dragged by their arms and legs to a waiting jeep
and humiliated in the process. There was an independent counsel who investigated the matter and charged Scooter for obstruction of Justice
and ( lying to the grand Jury) and not for exposing Valery. Besides Scooter never spent a day in jail since his sentence was commuted by W.

However there was an incident during the 1st Gulf war where the US Air Force commander shot his mouth about the war plans. He was summarily dismissed
but never humiliated by sending a third rate Major General to arrest him.

I suppose we Third world types have third rate ways of handling dissent.. Judging by the justifications we see in this forum it seems we
are perfectly ok with availing ourselves of Due Process in our adopted countries but are reluctant to extend that right  to our fellow countrymen
in Sri Lanka however imperfect they may be .. solely based on our political inclinations..


_________________
There are no minorities in Sri Lanka. --- Dr.Percy Mahinda Rajapakse Ph.D

This was best handled by civilian authorities.  However one of the most bothersome questions was why SF was already negotiating with the JVP and UNP while in uniform in office.  Is it correct that India gave information to MR’s regime on how he went secretly to JVP party HQ while he was CDS.  Why did SF do this or rush to the USA?

Yes Namdev we are so typical feudal pathetic third world nations. To think 9 months ago the victory over terrorism was celebrated; and there was still an air of optimism before the Presidential election was held. On one hand we had a vindictive egotistical General and the current President. They were both part of the same gang that conducted the war. They all probably knew who attacked Keith Noyahr for writing against the General and they all probably knew who killed Lasantha Wicrkremetunge. Only after they fell out there was a sudden urgency to their investigations.  and now the General threatens to leak state secrets. That is a serious offense. SO best is, as Chandana says let him affirm his promise to uphold the state secrets, give him a pardon and IF and IF really there is evidence, present it to the people of Sri Lanka and give him a FAIR trial. I am afraid that will not happen and even if SF won, he would not have done the same. There seems no love lost between the General and Gotabaya now. Were they partners in the attacks?  Or did SF carry it out with the secret team under him with quiet approval?

THIS is terrible news for Sri Lanka's image. We get ranked next to nations like Zimbabwe now. MR needs to come back from Russia and face it like a man and get this General released and give him access to legal council. This cannot be done like the Military Tribunals the US uses in Guantanmao. This is not  an Islamic terrorist or a Tiger terrorist, this is the man who gave the military leadership to back the political leadership and defeated the Tigers. If there was evidence why wait till now? DUE PROCESS AND LEGAL ACCESS IS A SACRED RIGHT THAT MUST BE UPHELD. Those living in the west need to stop their double sgtandards. You want rights, miranda rights etc in the US but no rights to a war hero?

Namdev was 100% true about the Frog in the Well attitude of those living in the West. You want all the fair laws, and due process and shout about discrimination, but you are perfectly ok because of your political fealty to say hell with this man.  That sort of narrow idiotic views must end. We do not want JVP type and LTTE type Kangaroo courts. IF there is evidence, present it, and let the defendant counter them in open court.  We do not want to repeat the sins of JR who incarcerated Vijaya Kumaratunge on fake "Naxalite" charges and held him even without letting his wife see him.  NO CHARGES were ever filed and JR like the pariah he was, wanted CBK to beg him to get Vijaya released.  SHAME SHAME SHAME. WE DO NOT want that again.

Quote:

I suppose we Third world types have third rate ways of handling dissent.. Judging by the justifications we see in this forum it seems we
are perfectly ok with availing ourselves of Due Process in our adopted countries but are reluctant to extend that right  to our fellow countrymen
in Sri Lanka however imperfect they may be .. solely based on our political inclinations..

Namdev:

I guess it is safe to assume your much praised "DUE PROCESS" in the great west has no association with " ABU GHRAIB" and "GUANTANAMO BAY".

Chandana wrote:

Namdev:

I guess it is safe to assume your much praised "DUE PROCESS" in the great west has no association with " ABU GHRAIB" and "GUANTANAMO BAY".

[/quote]


Aiyo... Chandana Malli is that all you could come up with?? Why didn't you add the Vietnam war... My Lai.. and many many other atrocious things that the
west has done.. Remember the Nazi Germany??  The Gulag... mass extermination of Jews..Poles.. Russians etc..

So ABU GHRAIB is a perfectly reasonable answer to treating a one time war hero like a common criminal..

With bright bulbs like you no wonder we are such a great Third world country..


_________________
There are no minorities in Sri Lanka. --- Dr.Percy Mahinda Rajapakse Ph.D

How true again. Why try to always blame the west for our crap?  So when we need the West we go to them with the begging bowl; we ask them for special tariff rates etc and then when we do crappy stuff we blame them?  "He did it teacher teacher no no no he did it not i " does not fly.  Sure I am angry at the duality of morality by the  US but, that does not make it right when we behave the same way..NO ifthis is NOt a terrorist. And rule of LAW still applies in the west even to Presidents. See how Nixon had to quit.  See how Congressman Jefferson was convicted and he had 90,000 dollars in his freezer. the RULE OF LAW applies to all in the US who are citizens. That is the point; not about AbuGraib and Guantanamo where terrorist suspects are held because we did the same.

IF SF was as bad as you say he is , why wait until now? Why give an extension and promotion to  a man CBK referred to as a "cad who cannot be trusted; all the women in the army will not be safe; and  that man will want to sit in my seat"? That was allegedly when SF ran after CBK when he was about to be retired and wanted desperately to become Army Commander. So why now is this man evil? IF it is true try him in open courts. That is what Namdev and I  are saying.

In 1962, the Christian Pro western anglicized officers who launched the coup against Mrs. B were TRIED IN OPEN COURT under civil law. They  were found guilty and they appealed to the Privy Council in England a few of them got away(Sydney DeZoysa SSP and a few others including Gunawardene of the Navy) on a TECHNICALITY. In 71, those goons in the JVP were also  tried in civilian court. The charge was "waging war against Her Majesty's govt." because we were still a Dominion Republic then. They got a fair trial and some were acquitted but most were convicted and served their sentences. That buffoon JR released Wjeweera to spilt the left..



Last edited by RogerThis on Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:25 am; edited 1 time in total

Quote:

Aiyo... Chandana Malli is that all you could come up with?? Why didn't you add the Vietnam war... My Lai.. and many many other atrocious things that the
west has done.. Remember the Nazi Germany?? Japanese Prisons.. The Gulag...

So ABU GHRAIB is a perfectly reasonable answer to treating a one time war hero like a common criminal

Namdev:  
 
When bright Ayiyas like you become just a name calling partisan hacks, it becomes harder and harder  to understand the difference between how one becomes a  hero through ones professional career and then become a zero criminal in his retirement with his irresponsible uttering and criminal public conduct.

i backed SF, but i do not think he is a hero..He is not a saint but a vain glorious egotistical general with brilliant ruthless streak. He was ambitious always. But if there are real facts and evidence deal with him like how the 1962 coup was dealt with and how the 1971 JVP revolution was dealt with in courts after the battles ended.  

SF had support from the JVP terrorist leaders such as Somawansa and also Lionel Bopage.  That to me is the most worrisome. i think he was actually the JVP choice for President more than ineffectual and ineffective Ranil's choice. Ranil was railroaded into accepting him.

CHARGE HIM in civil courts please.

Chandana wrote:

Quote:

Aiyo... Chandana Malli is that all you could come up with?? Why didn't you add the Vietnam war... My Lai.. and many many other atrocious things that the
west has done.. Remember the Nazi Germany?? Japanese Prisons.. The Gulag...

So ABU GHRAIB is a perfectly reasonable answer to treating a one time war hero like a common criminal

Namdev:  
 
When bright Ayiyas like you become just a name calling partisan hacks, it becomes harder and harder  to understand the difference between how one becomes a  hero through ones professional career and then become a zero criminal in his retirement with his irresponsible uttering and criminal public conduct.

If "irresponsible uttering and criminal public conduct" was the standard of definition for a "zero criminal" then i would say there are plenty of people in this govt who in the top of the list who should be arrested, charged and put in prison. If they follow the order they wont even have anyone to even give a press conference to accuse SF of anything. I am amazed that you cant see the politics of this whole episode. Its ironic that the person who was called the most inexperienced politician of this country is charged of doing politics while in uniform.


_________________
VOTER COORAY
"A nation is a collective enterprise - outside of that it is a gambling hall for the opportunism and adventurism of power."-Wole Soyinka

Chandana wrote:

 
When bright Ayiyas like you become just a name calling partisan hacks, it becomes harder and harder  to understand the difference between how one becomes a  hero through ones professional career and then become a zero criminal in his retirement with his irresponsible uttering and criminal public conduct.

Partisan Hack?? ha ha ha... So I bet you must be new around this place Chandi Malli.. .

So in your infinite wisdom you became the judge jury  and decided  one to be a  Hero or a Zero and "Criminal public conduct".. You must be some legal luminary in addition to being a bright bulb


_________________
There are no minorities in Sri Lanka. --- Dr.Percy Mahinda Rajapakse Ph.D

Sad situation made worse by silly stuff. The BEST course for Sri Lanka is civil courts. Otherwise it will smell like the Bhutto trial on false charges. I am afraid of what might happen to General SF then.

There's a real crisis here. One of credibility of a government that is demonizing the same man they used and praised and same goes for SF; he praised MR all the way until they fell out either over the arms deal with China or on other issues or the alleged plan to get into politics with the JVP while being CDS..

But really was there a plot? where is the evidence?

RogerThis wrote:

How true again. Why try to always blame the west for our crap?  So when we need the West we go to them with the begging bowl; we ask them for special tariff rates etc and then when we do crappy stuff we blame them?  "He did it teacher teacher no no no he did it not i " does not fly.  Sure I am angry at the duality of morality by the  US but, that does not make it right when we behave the same way..NO ifthis is NOt a terrorist. And rule of LAW still applies in the west even to Presidents. See how Nixon had to quit.  See how Congressman Jefferson was convicted and he had 90,000 dollars in his freezer. the RULE OF LAW applies to all in the US who are citizens. That is the point; not about AbuGraib and Guantanamo where terrorist suspects are held because we did the same.

IF SF was as bad as you say he is , why wait until now? Why give an extension and promotion to  a man CBK referred to as a "cad who cannot be trusted; all the women in the army will not be safe; and  that man will want to sit in my seat"? That was allegedly when SF ran after CBK when he was about to be retired and wanted desperately to become Army Commander. So why now is this man evil? IF it is true try him in open courts. That is what Namdev and I  are saying.

In 1962, the Christian Pro western anglicized officers who launched the coup against Mrs. B were TRIED IN OPEN COURT under civil law. They  were found guilty and they appealed to the Privy Council in England a few of them got away(Sydney DeZoysa SSP and a few others including Gunawardene of the Navy) on a TECHNICALITY. In 71, those goons in the JVP were also  tried in civilian court. The charge was "waging war against Her Majesty's govt." because we were still a Dominion Republic then. They got a fair trial and some were acquitted but most were convicted and served their sentences. That buffoon JR released Wjeweera to spilt the left..

whats funny is that they sent legal representation and diplomatic passage for SF to come back to Sri Lanka without harm when US authorities wanted to question SF. Now we find the same people putting him to prison for plotting to over throw the government. What i get from all this is the only people they are trying to protect is the interests of the Rajapakse family both financially and politically. Financially, they want to be traveling around the world, buy assets and be able to go back to US when ever they like using their citizenship and greencards. Politically they don't want all their corrupt deals to come out or their political dynasty to fail. Thats why i always thought that they can never afford to lose an election. All these grand dreams will fail if branded as  war criminals. Thats why they are trying to discredit the strait talking general so that what ever he says whether its true or false will not stand the test of public opinion.


_________________
VOTER COORAY
"A nation is a collective enterprise - outside of that it is a gambling hall for the opportunism and adventurism of power."-Wole Soyinka