It is now official. General Sarath Fonseka has quit the top most military post in the country. All the indications are that he will contest against the incumbent to be the next Executive President in Sri Lanka.
Whether it is continued Mahinda Rajapaksa presidency or a new Sarath Fonseka presidency, of course the future does not look brighter.
Lanka News Web recently reported that he has approached Ranil Wickramasinghe to warn about the future of democracy in Sri Lanka if General Fonseka becomes next President.
But there is also a silver lining if indeed President Mahinda Rajapaksa is genuinely concerned about the future of Sri Lanka (not only about himself and his family).
All major opposition parties recently agreed to support any move to abolish the executive presidency. President Rajapaksa, who agreed in writing with the JVP to abolish the presidency, can seize the opportunity and end General Fonseka’s dream to be the next head of state.
The opposition, in that scenario, should allow the president to continue his two years in office and to contest a future election, if he wishes to be the next executive prime minister.
Until then, President Rajapaksa should immediately implement the 17 amendment, appointing a new Constitutional Council, paving the way for new bodies - including elections and police commissions - to be established.
He should allow the new Constitutional Council to make new appointments to the key positions including chief justice, senior judges and police chief.
Of course the Rajapaksa administration, including General Fonseka, is accused of many gross human rights violations.
President Rajapaksa, the former human rights campaigner turned violator, can make measures to rectify at least some of the wrongdoings, though many incidents could not be reversed.
He can at least offer a presidential pardon to journalist J.S. Tissainayagam and speed up investigations over (if there are any such investigations) murder of Lasantha Wickramathunga and the brutal assault on Poddala Jayantha.
Mr. Rajapaksa, as the head of state, should also shun his extreme nationalistic views and release all internally displaced people from detention camps and help them resettle in their own land.
Instead of ordering Minister Mervyn Silva to instigate campaigns against his political opponents, including Mangala Samaraweera and General Fonseka, the president should take action against Minister Silva for attack on Rupavahini and Sirasa journalists.
He should also be more accommodative towards democratically elected representatives, take steps to gradually replace military leaders in top government posts, in and outside Sri Lanka, with senior civil servants.
It is him, neither Ranil Wickramasinghe nor General Fonseka for that matter, who can re-establish democracy in Sri Lanka and, if he is genuinely worried, he should act now not tomorrow.
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