(Lanka-e-News- 23.March.2015, 11.50PM) For the first time in Sri Lanka , a field marshal was appointed. This is the highest rank in the forces and that rare honor was bestowed yesterday (22) on former army commander Sarath Fonseka. This ceremony officially took place at the defense ministry premises under the patronage of president Maithripala Sirisena , the commanding chief of the forces.
A field marshal is entitled to five stars , and Fonseka ‘s official vehicle will carry a five star flag. It is noteworthy that Fonseka will no day be sent on pension. A field marshal is eligible to all privileges of a cabinet minister , and some are even in excess of those. Accordingly , he will be entitled to a special security convoy, and a permanent office . Moreover , a field marshal only salutes the State leader , and none else not even the leader of government .
It is also the first time in the world the field marshal title has been awarded to a war hero who won a war fighting against rebels of his own country , for anywhere else in the world field marshal elevation is awarded only to a war hero showing exceptional skills in his efforts to rescue his country from foreign invasion.
Moreover , it is only a King or a State engaged in a war that confers the honor of field marshal on its special hero , and never before any King or State that was not involved in the war has conferred such an honor. Yet no one is objecting to such an honor being conferred on Gen. Fonseka after the war . It is not because of the torment and pain of mind that was inflicted on him by the then vindictive rulers who held the reins during the war , but rather because of political reasons going beyond military considerations.
Fonseka was injured on three occasions in the battle field , yet even after half of his bowels were removed consequent upon those attacks, he bravely bore the sufferings and returned back to win the war . The rulers who punished him by sending him to jail just because he engaged in politics are brutes and beasts , no doubt. Just a week after he had polled 4.8 million votes of the people , those ruthless rulers were in such a demented condition they arranged to abduct him from his house , and jailed him. With the sole and whole aim of imprisoning him , the former rulers stooped to such sordid levels of injustice even as to equate a military court to a normal court of justice.
When a government that was not involved in the war bestows a field marshal honor on Gen. Fonseka ,despite controversies militarily , these controversies get drowned politically , and such controversies must indeed be subordinated.
With the field marshal title being fastened on former army commander Fonseka , the media reported , there are requests to similarly elevate the air force commander and naval commander of the war period too as air force field marshal and navy grand Admiral ( equivalent to field marshal in the army ) respectively . This request of course is deserving only of derision and ridicule .
It is an acknowledged truth that it was a group of few boys and immature youths who initially robbed some T 56 weapons from the security divisions which grew into an armed force owning submarines, all because of the external support they received, and weapons procured by the sea route. Finally , all these had to be captured by the army that operated terrestrially. In those circumstances , to bestow an honor of grand Admiral on such an inefficient navy commander who could not provide ocean security to the country will be the biggest joke of the century.
In addition , by now he is also tainted with charges of abducting and killing innocent students after collecting extortion monies . He did these after enlisting a group of his and the white van . There is cogent and copious evidence testifying to those crimes. In the whole wide world there is not a country that had bestowed honor of Grand admiral on an individual against whom there are charges of war crimes.
The Air force commander is no better. It was the army that operating from ground that identified 7 enemy air runways. Until then the air force was not aware that the country’s enemy was in possession of them. Besides , the air force was unable to destroy even a single enemy plane or in its flight when it invaded the air space on several occasions entering the capital city and escaping after launching aerial attacks, let alone providing aerial security to the country. Hence, decorating such an air force commander with the title of Field marshal will be most ludicrous and ridiculous.
In any event with the appointment of Sarath Fonseka as the field marshal , a number of questions have cropped up. They are as follows :
Fonseka who gave up his uniform and became a layman to enter politics has again worn the uniform from today . This is not just a uniform but what he will wear until his death and is a military uniform. That is he is a military officer. After wearing that sublime uniform , it is a question how lawful is it if he takes to politics as a civilian.? How far is it in conformity with ethical norms ?
An individual of that lofty position when engaging in civilian politics cannot be the same as the other civilian politicians. Therefore with Fonseka becoming a field marshal he should quit the post of leader of the Democratic party. Moreover , a new government has been installed after a 30 year old war , to heal the old bruises and to reconcile the ethnic communities in the Lankan society, and create harmony.
In that context , when a chief of the forces who fought the war is being honored , steps must be taken to buoy the hearts of every civilian who was a victim of the war too. It is not pampering the extremists but rather encouraging the Tamil civilians who are in distress and dire straits. Like how the war chief is being honored , the war criminals too should be punished. That is what, not only the Tamils of the north , but even the Rathupaswala Sinhalese and the Muslims of Alutgama are desiring and looking forward to.
In much the same way as adorning the field marshal with a new uniform , every member of the forces wearing uniform who engaged in politics most degradingly and disgracefully must compulsorily be punished. That is the ultimate desire and hope of every Sinhalese , Tamil and Muslim . That must be well and truly understood .
By Wimal Dheerasekera
Translated by Jeff
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by (2015-03-23 22:56:06)
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