Even before any charge was filed Gotabaya Rajapaksa went on TV to say General will be convicted for 5 years

Court Martial Proceedings March 16 & 17

From Sarath Fonseka campaign

(March 14, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Today we email to illustrate the proceedings against the General on March 16 & 17. To request that anyone with any love for his/her nation try even in a small way to defend the supreme interests of this nation and not the petty interests of a small group.

The Executive, Legislative and Parliamentary arms have been equipped with powers to balance and counter balance each other. All three work for the people and are answerable to the nation.

Today we see the President, extend his executive powers to merge both the legislature and the parliament, destroying the very system created to safeguard the people who have put him in power.

The trial against the General is itself illegal. The Army Act does not apply to him. This has been established, and have been backed by important officials both in Sri Lanka and abroad including the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake in the US, and Shadow Defense Secretary Liam Fox in the UK. They have all urged due process of the law and more importantly - transparency.

Nevertheless, the government, not heeding it's own laws, nor the principles of common decency will press forward with this closed case, away from the eyes of the general public, away from the eyes of the media, and away from the ensuing public reprisal.

7 charges will be filed against the General - three alleging involvement in politics while being in military service and 4 alleging he did not adhere military instructions.

Whatever charges they allege they are bent on keeping him in detention.

The court martial is just a ploy to say he needs to be held longer, and to take him out of the general election taking place on April 8.

It is also a ploy to keep the trial from going public and up for questioning

The court martial judge panel is already biased given that they are all Presidential appointees.

In an Army controlled by Gotabaya Rajapaksa - there can be no fair trial. The fact that the public and the media are not able to witness the evidence they provide for their charges (which were collected after the arrest) will definitely make it easy for them. Furthermore, last month, even before any charge was filed Gotabaya Rajapaksa went on national television to say that the General will be convicted for 5 years.

Therefore, the government does not need a reason, nor proof to convict the General - and this mockery of Army law is just the cover up for them to make their judgement official.

According to the Military Spokesman, this trial will be concluded before the general election on April 8 - a fantastically short time for a trial in Sri Lanka.

The President's plan is to convict him so that he cannot participate in the election.

We know you all see through this government ploy.

They have already passed judgment

Their only fear is an ensuing public reprisal and that's why they are pushing for a closed case with a court martial.

Please assist us to bring this trial to a civil court for a fair hearing.

In a fair trial he can defend himself for he is NOT guilty of the things they accuse.