The fact that Gen. Fonseka`s speech came in the backdrop of a dialogue he had initiated with sections of the United National Party (UNP) leadership - and the newly formed Common Alliance, made matters worse. Readers will see the last two paragraphs of the General`s statement. In the penultimate paragraph he echoes the theme-song of the Opposition Alliance - the need to re-settle the IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) in the Wanni camps. In the final paragraph he makes but a formal muted acknowledgement to President Mahinda Rajapaksa `for the leadership` - that`s all, and then to the Defence Secretary it is an even more muted acknowledgment limited only to the `necessary support provided` to the war.

President Rajapaksa had learnt the fuller details, as we disclosed last week, of such an interaction by his highest-ranking military officer with the Opposition through intermediaries. Most of it was via a UNP parliamentarian, who was once at loggerheads with UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

A local journalist, a staunch supporter of the CDS, had linked up Gen. Fonseka with this parliamentarian. He had carried messages between the two. Gen. Fonseka, as Army Commander, once assigned his commandos to protect this journalist and a few other colleagues. This was over claims of a threat from a group backed by a then Service Commander of a different security arm, a claim dismissed by that Service Commander as frivolous and fabricated.

The journalist boasted to close friends that he was playing the role of an important emissary. A businessman, another parliamentarian and a company director were among others who had been facilitating the dialogue at various times. Some lay dignitaries of a prominent temple in the suburbs of the City have been mentioned as having played a part in the developing episode. It is known that President Rajapaksa, Opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Gen. Fonseka have close links with the Temple.

From the Opposition side, Wickremesinghe has also apprised some leaders of constituent parties of the proposed United National Alliance (UNA), including the leader of the SLFP (Mahajana Wing), Mangala Samaraweera about the developments that have arisen over the Fonseka issue.

The Sunday Times has learnt General Fonseka had expressed displeasure over the way he was being treated since the end of the separatist war. He had pointed out the need for collective action in the national interest against incidence of bribery and corruption. He had also given his views on other issues related to the recently ended military campaign against Tiger guerrillas.

News blackout

On Monday, state-run television and radio networks completely blacked out all reportage relating to that morning`s parade and Gen. Fonseka`s speech. For any independent observer this appeared to be a clear indication that the Government was uneasy with Gen. Fonseka. Here was the Government that was justifiably proud of its Army for defeating the LTTE, and in which victory it was relying heavily to gain political victory, completely boycotting the very Army`s 60th anniversary celebrations. There was no mention in the official websites defence.lk, army.lk or the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS). On Tuesday, there was no reference in the state run print media either. Only a few private media outlets reported his speech, most of them playing down the critical elements in it. The black-out was all but complete, and indeed aimed directly at Gen. Fonseka.

- http://www.sundaytimes.lk/091018/Columns/political.html