So much for freedom – it should be a time of reflection – Sarath Fonseka

After all the hoopla surrounding his freedom, ex General Sarath Fonseka seems to crave all the attention he can get. As if the time in prison was not enough, where his every uttering was planned and communicated in the media, it seems that before he can ascertain what his true freedoms are he has begun a series of interviews.

In my view while he has had a lot of time to contemplate his move whilst in jail, it is not the same as that when you are out. You plan on saying so much when you get out, but he had the chance of getting his every uttering out to the world whilst he was in and on his way to hospital or to the court house, a quite unique chance.

There has been no newspaper which analytically using the legal background explained all the processes of his release from withdrawing his appeals as an impediment to the release etc. and what exactly his 7 year rule is? Is it that he cannot contest any election for this period, which runs from the time of conviction or from the time of release. There was no proper explanation as to what exact form or release he obtained and what obligations and conditions go with it.

In that sense he can be mired in court proceedings for years, sapping his morale and health and eventually killing him. An option no doubt the person giving his freedom, MR has given full thought to. After all it was mentioned by MR in the recent meeting with the heads of institutions, that SF had committed cold blooded killings and could easily be white vanned by the aggrieved parties that have not forgotten his crimes.

It was ironic that the only real help anyone could really give SF was the working committee of the UNP at its meeting yesterday, which gave the go ahead for a committee of lawyers to draft a bill in parliament to restore all his rights, including civic and pension rights as well as all the medals that were taken away from him.

I trust after the initial euphoria has subsided, he decides to take an extended rest, recharge his batteries and redraw his political philosophy with his confidants. The interview to the BBC given soon after his release was unwarranted and in my opinion smacks of the same shoot from the hip Sarath. I trust this is an isolated incident which he will not repeat. To obtain maximum impact one must take time off and reflect on one’s past as well as the contribution one can give to society using the benefit of sympathy from the unfair conviction, on trumped up charges. So try and say as little as possible, as it is difficult when he used his mouth for most of the past few years, to entertain visitors in jail and come out and be quiet!