Deputy Leader of main opposition party of Sri Lanka appeals people to join fight for democracy

Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) today appealed to all the people especially, to the Buddhist Clergy and leaders of political parties to join the movement against the dictatorial behavior of the current administration.

UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya said that September 30, 2010 was a day that marked a great victory for the terrorists, former Army Commander and DNA Leader Sarath Fonseka and his men fought to defeat in Sri Lanka's north and east.

"The present regime has incarcerated and neutralized the man who killed the dream of Eelam for the LTTE, the main architect of his war against the Tigers and the man Velupillai Prabhakaran himself was so desperate to dispose of General Fonseka is to be treated like any other prisoner at Welikada, engaging in hard labor and mingling with the hoi polloi of prison society, no doubt an insidious strategy to ensure that his life will be in constant danger and his enemies will have free access to wreak their vengeance upon him," Jayasuriya noted in a statement issued on Fonseka's arrest.

Referring to a BBC interview a few months ago, Jayasuriya said that the Defence Secretary claimed that he would 'hang' General Fonseka for daring to contradict the government.

"We the people are left wondering today if this incarceration is the first step in a process of 'hanging'," he said.

Jayasuriya says that current administration no longer has the legitimacy or moral high ground to represent the people.

"It has betrayed the people at every turn and now it has meted out cruel justice against Sri Lanka's greatest army chief, just because he dared to stand against the nepotism and corruption of this administration. I beg you, stand up now and take the fight to the government or prepare to lose everything you hold sacred in the very near future," he urged.