24 April 2019 07:09 pm
The Easter Sunday tragedy is a consequence of a weak government, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament today.
Speaking during the emergency debate in the House, Field Marshal Fonseka said people will not be able to get on with their day to day lives continuously if the government goes on in the way it is doing things today.
The MP, therefore, faulted President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Defence officials for the attacks last Sunday. “The whole government including the Cabinet becomes weak if the President is weak,” Field Marshal said.
“The intelligence reports which are sent to defence ministry clearly goes to President Sirisena as he is the Minister of Defence,” he said referring to the statement made by Mr. Sirisena who said he was also not aware of the intelligence reports beforehand.
“The President should have returned to the country from Singapore earlier than 12 midnight as there were Sri Lankan Airlines flights operating from Singapore to Colombo several times. Mr. Sirisena only sent a message of condolence,” he said.
“Those in our government is advising me not to fall out with President as I might be appointed as the Minister of Law and Order shortly. I have no personal issue with the President. President called me for a meeting after my name was sent to him proposing me as the Minister of Law and Order last year. The President informed me during that meeting that few DIGs, Buddhist monks and few State officials have advised him not to appoint me as a minister. I wonder whether Cabinet is appointed following the advice of DIGs,” Filed Marshal said.
He said the law and order ministers who were appointed earlier were not competent.
Faulting the Prime Minister he said one cannot get away saying he was not informed. “The Prime Minister had said he was not informed of the warning made by the foreign intelligence units. He should have either informed Parliament if he was not called for the Security Council meeting for the last six months. I also must mention that it took 48 hours for the Prime Minister’s office to invite me for a meeting, I should have been summoned to Temple Trees immediately after the Sunday’s bomb attacks as it is me who has more knowledge on defence” he said while highlighting that government should have made a better use of him.
Also he said State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene should have resigned from his post if he was not called for the security council meeting for six months.
Filed Marshal Fonseka also faulted the Opposition as well. “I suggested just after the war was concluded in 2009 that intelligence units should be strengthened but the then government turned a deaf ear for it. “The terrorist group is not one which had been formed recently and the suicide attacks on Sunday would have been planned at least eight years ago. “It took at least 12 years for the LTTE to plan suicide attacks,” he also said. The Field Marshal said this group might have already established a lead of Prabakaran’s calibre. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)