'West was trying to save Prabhakaran to destabilse India and Sri Lanka' says General Fonseka

(By: Walter Jayawardhana)

General Sarath Fonseka said in a television program by the state owned ITN that the last ditch effort made by certain countries in the West to impose a ceasefire on Sri Lanka in the guise of saving civilians was actually made to save Prabhakaran and his top men.

He said this effort was made, "with a long term view of destabilizing countries like India and Sri Lanka like the Middle East with a never ending problem."

General Fonseka said certain NGO's who were working in Kilinochchi have not built even a bathroom for the civilians and all their money and expertise have gone into the military effort of the terrorist organization, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE).

He said certain boats and submarines and the engines used for them had been done with NGO expertise and imported engines.

General Fonseka taking part in the Sinhala language program of 'Thulawa' by the ITN revealed that it has been now surfaced after the aftermath of the annihilation of the LTTE that certain security analysts and other media experts who were often demonstrating around the Lipton Circus for press freedom have been constantly in the payroll of the LTTE to the tune of hundreds of thousand of rupees per month.

All these people were writing obstructing the legitimate activities of the army. As soon as the LTTE collapse, when certain sources of the LTTE itself revealed the information to the security forces the culprits had fled the country General Fonseka said. To secure the future of the country, General Fonseka said the culprits should be prosecuted for treason.

General Fonseka further revealed that the cellular satellite phone used by Prabhakaran is in the hands of the government and the army has received highly important information from the phone. He said further information will be informed about the important contacts of Prabhakaran from the phone information.

He said the Western attired KP, who was the Interpol wanted arms procuring criminal who has thoroughly enjoyed life with the money collected by the Tamils seems to be the only senior LTTE leader trying to be the leader of the movement.

He is once again, also wanted in relation of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. He reminded that Prabhakaran built up his army when Sri Lanka Army was only 10,000 strong with help from India. Today India is very wary about the LTTE and the Sri Lanka army is 200,000 strong. It is going to be 300,000 strong very soon. So, it is not possible for KP to build up the LTTE again in Sri Lanka, Fonseka said.

General Fonseka said all top level and second level LTTE leaders have been destroyed by the army. It has been done according to an indigenous plan by the army. He reminded KP that it is not difficult for him to devise another similar plan to devastate if it starts operating once again in Sri Lanka or abroad. .

In an obvious reference to certain UNP leaders who insulted the army General Fonseka said they spoke like that because they were jealous and some hated the army for personal reasons. Referring to the man who said any fool could go to war, General Fonseka said that particular man's close relative had been discharged from the army. Referring to the man who said that army was going to Medawachchiya instead of going to Kilinochchiya Fonseka said he was trying to advise the army but he was not fit even to stitch underwear to the army as a tailor.

He said among the dead were 195 officers and 5224 soldiers. 5000 were fully disabled. He said the Army killed 22,000 LTTE cadres and 9000 LTTE cadres has surrendered to the army. During the fist phase 1,15,000 civilians have been rescued and later 80,000 have been rescued , he said.

General Fonseka said he had to reorganize the army according to abilities of the soldiers disregarding only seniority. He also had to change the way of fighting suitable to the indigenous conditions disregarding what is said in the text book.

Some people blamed the government for getting involved in the war when the LTTE used drinking and irrigation water as terrorist weapon and blocked the Mavil Aru sluice. Earlier against the war against the LTTE there had been no common plan.

Battles were waged to capture a road, a fortress etc. But this time he personally prepared a plan to capture all land under the LTTE within three years and it was completed within two years and ten months killing all top leadership of the LTTE. Earlier, in contrast, it was like running about the place trying to protect a heap of oranges, Fonseka said.

He said he was thankful to Prabhakaran for starting from Mavil Aru since it was the most convenient point for Sri Lanka to enter a war.