EXCLUSIVE: President’s reply on SF release was spontaneous

President Mahinda Rajapaksa was very spontaneous when he stated that Sarath Fonseka will be released within this month, claimed R.K. Radhakrishnan, Deputy Editor of the Hindu publication.

In an article released on the Hindu today, Radhakrishnan stated that jailed former Army Commander of Sri Lanka Sarath Fonseka, who led the Eelam war IV against the Tamil Tigers and helped win it, is set to be released shortly. “We will release him soon,” Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa told The Hindu on the sidelines of a function organised to launch a book, Gota’s War, on Monday (May 14).

Speaking exclusively to Ada Derana Radhakrishnan stated that when the question of Sarath Fonseka’s release had come up earlier with journalists, the President had clearly said that someone from Fonseka’s family needs to make an appeal to him first.

The President at that point had also stated that he did not see the point in appealing to US President Barrack Obama or the international community as a citizen of this country should appeal to its own President in the case of remission of sentence.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said that it was because of this earlier stance that he was taken aback by the President’s reply to his question regarding Fonseka’s release on Monday.

He further said that the President claimed that the country was at a juncture where it would be in its interest to release Fonseka.

In fact, he further quoted the President as saying that it would be “no problem” to release Fonseka within this month and that President Rajapaksa was only awaiting the arrival of Tiran Alles from London to discuss the details of the release.

Finally, Radhakrishnan stated that the Hindu had been very clear on its stance regarding this issue and had on numerous occasions expressed its support of the release of Sarath Fonseka and the need for him to get back to his political and public life.