Fonseka assured privileges

21 July 2010 06:01 am

By Lakmal Suriyagoda

The Colombo Fort Magistrate today ordered the prisons commissioner to ensure General Sarath Fonseka’s right to his parliamentary privileges including attending parliament and advisory meetings. The judge sent a written order to this effect to the prisons commissioner.

General Sarath Fonseka yesterday requested Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to summon the Army Commander before the privileges committee of the House soon.

Raising a question of privilege in parliament Gen. Fonseka held the Army Commander responsible for the breach of his parliamentary privileges by not allowing him to attend a Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting on July 16.

He said he was now in the custody of the Prison Authorities according to a Court order. “The military should only give me security. Prison officials were ready to take me to Parliament on that day. However, military officers did not allow me to participate in these meetings,” he said.

Gen. Fonseka also recalled how the Speaker used his authorities, to give redress to him during times of such problems that arose earlier.