Sarath Fonseka calls for mental health tests

• Suggested psychological evaluations for Parliamentarians and President
• Says such tests are done in other countries 
• Reiterates claims that 2010 presidential elections were rigged  

By Ashwin Hemmathagama, 

Our Lobby Correspondent



Criticising President Maithripala Sirisena’s actions UNP MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka yesterday proposed to move a Bill in Parliament to check the mental health of lawmakers, including the President.

“The US President goes for an annual mental health check. Not only the US President, but senior officers undergo such tests. These are the officers who keep the security codes for the atomic weapons. Fortunately, we don’t have such weapons here. Otherwise, I am sure the President would turn it to my side and blast me. I request the House to bring in provisions to check the mental health status of one who would cripple the country,” said MP Fonseka, challenging President Sirisena’s mental health.

Field Marshal Fonseka, highlighting instances when the President has acted unusually, challenged the results of the Presidential Election 2010. According to MP Fonseka, the political leadership at that time violated election laws and prevented the conducting of a free and fair election.

MP Fonseka requested that Speaker Jayasuriya take action against the President to prevent him from criticising Parliament on different platforms, and stated that a written complaint has been made and is awaiting action.

Reading two letters State officials had written during the Presidential Election 2010, he said: “During the recent meeting the President had with the Party Leaders, he held that if I won the Presidential Election in 2010, no discussions would have been allowed. Well, I have two letters written by Returning Officers and the Elections Commissioner, highlighting the adverse conditions that prevailed at the time of elections and when the counting took place. These letters will give you an idea about the election results, and whether I won the Presidency.”

According to MP Fonseka, the first letter is from the Returning Officer of the Anuradhapura District, H.M.K. Herath, sending a fax on 27 January 2010 at 2.02am to the Deputy Inspector General of Police – North Central Province, highlighting election law violation and requesting follow-up action.

“In this letter, Herath has informed that the counting is taking place at the Anuradhapura Central as planned. However, he also states that an elections officer was assaulted by thugs on the road. Not only the officer, but the police officers who got there were attacked by these thugs, operating under the blessings and support of the political leadership in the area. According to this letter, the said group of thugs had started pelting the vehicles moving on the road. Herath, now having noticed a delay in action to control the above situation, demanded that the DIG take control to avoid affecting the counting process. Unless Police arrested these thugs by 3am, Herath informed that the counting of votes would stop,” said MP Fonseka, providing proof as to who could have been the President if a free and fair election was held in 2010.

Reading the 2nd letter the then-Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake had written to the Police headquarters, Field Marshal Fonseka held that he was the actual winner, but his victory was changed by illegal activities.

“On 27 January at 3.44am, the Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake has faxed Police Headquarters, requesting to increase security in counting centres in Anuradhapura and Matale Districts. In his letter, the Elections Commissioner has cited forceful unauthorised entry of thugs to counting centres, and assaulting staff, with some being hospitalised due to injuries. The Elections Commissioner has stated that if Police failed to control the situation within the next 30 minutes, that he would be compelled to stop the counting and to mention it in media,” added MP Fonseka.

Establishing the fact that he was the winner, MP Fonseka stated that he would not continue to be a President who would be the eye of a storm that destroyed the entire country. “So, according to these letters, it is quite visible who won the Presidential Election 2010. If my victory was accepted, I would not do third class work such as violating the Constitution, would not step on the sovereignty of the people, and would not put Parliament to this crisis like a madman. I would not make use of the UNP to win, but join the other side as the leader, and later hit the UNP. If UNP was behind my victory, I would continue to rule the country with the UNP. If I won I would not bring back the loser who was crying holding on to a window at Medamulana, and appoint him as the Prime Minister,” he said.

Criticising the actions of President Sirisena in Parliament, MP Fonseka highlighted abuse of power and waste of public money for useless causes. “I would not go abroad once in every two weeks. I have never used public money to go abroad as a Minister during the last two and half years. I used my private vehicle for 10 months after being appointed as a Minister. I will not go abroad using public money during the next 1 and half years if I continue to be a Minister. I went abroad recently using my private money and, on another instance, sponsored by the Government of India, to address a seminar. I would not have allocated Rs. 12 billion to the district I was born when no other district in the country was allocated at least Rs. 100 million for development. I would not say one thing in the morning and say something completely different in the evening. I would not be a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” held Field Marshal.

“I would not get somebody to write a book about me and publish the same as written by my daughter. At least he should have put the name of the person who wrote it. And I would not continue to repeat wherever I go that somebody will kill me. Living in fear of life is a mental illness. I would not give calls saying Range and try to rob MPs. If I ever became a President I would never fall into such a poor state. I would not go to beautiful places such as Moragahakanda and do photo-shoots in sunglasses. I would not keep my wife by my side and try to become an actor. My time to be an actor is past,” he added.