REFUGEE

Politics could estrange the most intimate bedfellows. The souring of relationship between President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and his former army chief, Sarath Fonseka, has been rapid. Falling apart less than six months after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, they are now headed against each other for the January 26 Presidential polls. ``Mother of all polls’’, it is being touted as.

In a matter of days since Fonseka resigned – citing humiliation as a driving reason – the chasm between the two ``brothers’’ is getting swiftly filled with allegations of large-scale corruption and brazen nepotism. Murky whisper campaigns circulating personal details are trailing in the air.

Government machinery scrambled in no time. State-run newspapers and websites either blacked out Fonseka – hailed as a hero till very recently – or are printing juicy stories about how corrupt his family was and his China-visit during the last seven days of the war.

Fonseka himself is not doing too badly. On Sunday he said while soldiers were fighting, politicians in Colombo were sitting in ``air-conditioned rooms.’’ It has suddenly dawned on him that ``one family’’ was trying to take credit for the victory. ``Can’t leave the country in the hands of a dictator,’’ he added.

Fonseka has indicated that the murder of and assaults against journalists were done at the behest of powerful men, neatly absolving himself of any responsibility.

Fonseka clearly is trying to project himself as a patriot and a victim of the Rajapaksa brothers’ paranoia of a powerful army chief, powerful enough to stage a coup.

On his part, Rajapaksa would want to portray Fonseka as a military man high on power and ambition; opportunistic enough to fight a poll on the platform of two diametrically opposite parties, the United National Party, and the Marxist JVP, with totally diverse views on economic issues and the India-initiated 13th amendment (on regional autonomy). The politics of necessity indeed has the power to bring to bed different ideologies as well.

Western Provincial Councilor A.J.M. Muzammil told a media conference on Tuesday (1) morning, “After the Southern provincial Council election, Maharaja decided to temporarily stop Rajapaksa relatives from entering politics. The king is now saying that he is the common candidate of the people. President Rajapaksa once said he made the larges alliance in the country. However, Rajapaksa’s largest financier at the last Presidential election, the JVP is no longer with him. The founders of the SLFP, the Bandaranaikes, are no longer with Rajapaksa.

Powerful SLFPers like Mangala Samaraweera have distanced themselves from Rajapaksa. He has now collected a few breakaway puppets from other parties

and is whining saying he is the common candidate. In shirt, Maharaja has now lost his powers.”

Muzammil also told the media at the Opposition Leader’s official residence that the government was spinning yarns due to its great fear of the common candidate.

“A large alliance called the UNF has been formed. Former Army Chief and Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka has accepted the invitation extended to him to become the common candidate. General Fonseka is not a political party leader. The UNF headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe and the JVP are helping his victory,” he said.

Muzammil also said, “General Fonseka is the true common candidate of the people. We saw how the people celebrated when he announced his decision to contest the Presidential election. No one has the strength to steal the line ‘the common man’s wish’ from the General. All parties have agreed to back General Fonseka in order to end the corrupt, dictatorial rule of Rajapaksa. The people will decide on the day of the election.
He observed that the government would have to take full responsibility if any harm was to befall General Fonseka. “Is the government trying to do same thing they did to Major General Janaka Perera?” he asked.

Muzammil finally said the government was trying various tactics to prevent General Fonseka’s victory.

“Ministers who sell drugs are given 30-40 vehicles. The Army Chief who saved the country has no security. We have to make our future decisions based on the need to establish the people’s right to life, good governance and a sound economy,” he said.