A former Sri Lankan army chief now in military custody suspended his hunger strike after being given a telephone to speak to his daughters, a relative said.
Retired Gen. Sarath Fonseka, 59 -- facing conspiracy charges after losing in the presidential election to incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa in January -- was allowed to speak to his daughters settled overseas using his wife's mobile phone, the Press Trust of India reported, quoting a close relative.
Fonseka, who began his hunger strike Sunday, wanted to use his wife's phone instead of the one provided by the military, the report said.
A report on the Sri Lankan government's Web site quoted the military spokesman as saying Fonseka "was given the chance to use a mobile phone since (Monday) on the condition that it be used to contact his two daughters only."
The government report said the summary of evidence about the charges against Fonseka has been submitted to the commander of the army, who may appoint a court martial. Fonseka, who has denied the charges against him, insists he can be tried only as a civilian as he had retired from the military.
Fonseka and Rajapakasa became public heroes after the military's victory last May that ended the 26-rebellion of the Tamil Tiger rebels for a separate homeland for the Tamil-speaking minority. Both, however, fell out and became bitter rivals during the presidential elections.
The detention of Fonseka has been widely criticized both at home and abroad, with demands for this release.
General elections in Sri Lanka are set for April 8 and Fonseka plans to contest. The Rajapaksa government is under U.N. pressure to set up an expert panel to look into alleged rights abuses during the civil war.
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