Global InformationSarath Fonseka information
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Hon. Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka RWP RSP VSV USP MP | |
|---|---|
| සරත් ෆොන්සේකා சரத் பொன்சேகா | |
 | |
| Minister of Wildlife and Sustainable Development | |
| In office 1 May 2018 – 26 October 2018 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Ravindra Samaraweera |
| Minister of Regional Development | |
| In office 25 February 2016 – 26 October 2018 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Office Established |
| Succeeded by | S. B. Nawinne |
| Chairman of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 10 February 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Office Established |
| Member of Parliament for Gampaha District | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 20 August 2020 | |
| Majority | 110,555 Preferential Votes (2020) |
| Member of Parliament for National List | |
| In office 9 February 2016 – 3 March 2020 | |
| Preceded by | M. K. A. D. S. Gunawardana |
| Member of Parliament for Colombo District | |
| In office 22 April 2010 – 7 October 2010 | |
| Succeeded by | Jayantha Ketagoda |
| Majority | 98,456 Preferential Votes |
| Chief of the Defence Staff | |
| In office 15 July 2009 – 30 November 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Donald Perera |
| Succeeded by | Roshan Goonetileke |
| Commander of the Army | |
| In office 6 December 2005 – 15 July 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Shantha Kottegoda |
| Succeeded by | Jagath Jayasuriya |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka 18 December 1950 Ambalangoda, Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) |
| Political party | New Democratic Front (2009–2010)[a] Democratic National Alliance (2010–2013) Democratic Party (2013–2016) United National Party (2016–2020) Samagi Jana Balawegaya (since 2020) |
| Spouse | Anoma Fonseka |
| Children | Aparna & Apsara |
| Occupation | Politician Military officer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Sri Lanka |
| Branch/service |  Sri Lanka Army |
| Years of service | 1971–2009 |
| Rank |  Field Marshal |
| Unit | Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment |
| Commands | Commander of the Army Chief of the Defence Staff |
| Battles/wars | Sri Lankan Civil War, Insurrection 1987–89 |
| Awards |
|
Field Marshal Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP (Sinhala: ගාර්දිහේවා සරත් චන්ද්රලාල් ෆොන්සේකා, Tamil: சரத் பொன்சேகா; born 18 December 1950), commonly known as Sarath Fonseka, is a retired Sri Lankan army officer and politician. He was the eighteenth Commander of the Sri Lankan Army, and under his command the Sri Lankan Army ended the 26-year Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009, defeating the militant group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; he thereafter briefly served as the Chief of Defence Staff.[1] After retiring from the Army with the rank of General, he entered politics as the common opposition candidate in the 2010 presidential election contesting against President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Following his controversial defeat in the presidential election he was elected to Parliament in the general election that followed. Soon after he was made a political prisoner and lost his parliamentary seat.[2][3][4] Fonseka supported Maithripala Sirisena in the 2015 presidential election and following his victory, the newly appointed President Sirisena gave Fonseka a full pardon reinstating his civic rights, military rank and decorations. Later he was promoted to the newly created rank of Field Marshal on 22 March 2015 becoming the first Sri Lankan Army officer to be promoted to the rank.[5][6][7]
On 9 February 2016, he was appointed to Parliament as a national list candidate and served in the Cabinet of Ministers from 2016 to 2018 as Minister of Regional Development and thereafter as Minister of Wildlife and Sustainable Development until the 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis.
Fonseka had joined the Ceylon Army in 1970 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in June 1971 and rose through the ranks while completing training stints across South Asia and in the United Kingdom. He saw extensive action throughout the 26-year civil war and over the years acquired a reputation as a tough battlefield commander and was often in the thick of the action in fighting against the Tamil Tigers, culminating in a term as Commander of the Army from 6 December 2005 – 15 July 2009.[8][9][10] As commander, he oversaw the final phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War, which resulted in the total defeat of the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He also survived an assassination attempt when an LTTE suicide bomber attacked his motorcade in April 2006.[11][12][13] Following the end of the war Fonseka was promoted to a four star rank in the Sri Lanka Army, becoming the first serving army commander to hold a four star rank.[14][15] He has been described as Sri Lanka's most successful army commander.[4][16][17][18]
A few months after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, Fonseka was appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. While his new post was of a higher rank, Fonseka saw the move as an attempt to sideline him. Amid rumours of his desire to enter politics, he subsequently retired from the post on 16 November 2009.[19][20] On 29 November 2009, Fonseka formally announced his candidature in the 2010 Sri Lankan presidential election. His candidacy was endorsed by the main opposition parties, and Fonseka became the main opposition candidate challenging President Rajapaksa. He campaigned under the sign of a swan, and the slogan Vishvasaniya Venasak (A Credible Change).
Following his election defeat, Fonseka was arrested on 8 February 2010, and the government announced he would be court-martialed for committing "military offences".[21][22] He was convicted for corrupt military supply deals and sentenced to three years in prison.[23] After serving more than 2 years in prison, Fonseka was released amidst local and international pressure on 21 May 2012.[7][24] As per the pre-election statement, President Maithripala Sirisena, gave him the complete presidential pardon and acquitted him of all the charges against him on 22 January 2015, restoring his civic rights.[25][26]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ General G. S. C. Fonseka RWP RSP VSV USP rcds psc, Ministry of Defence, Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Prosecuting and persecuting the war hero – General Fonseka, By Somar Wijayadasa, The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Sarath Fonseka becomes Lanka’s first field marshal - The Times of India, Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ a b Fonseka to become first Sri Lankan Field Marshal, Khaleej Times (UAE), Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Gen. GSC Fonseka elevated to the rank of 'Field Marshal', Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Sarath Fonseka to be bestowed with Field Marshal Title NEWS.LK (The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka), Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ a b General Fonseka Made Field Marshal - P.K.Balachandran, The Indian Express, Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ The taking of Elephant Pass, D.B.S. JEYARAJ Frontline (magazine), Volume 17 - Issue 10, May. 13 - 26, 2000, Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Army Commander revisits early beginnings, Shanika SRIYANANDA, Sunday Observer, Retrieved 17 May 2015
- ^ Nation Salutes War Veteran, General Sarath Fonseka (Retd) Conferring Field Marshal Rank, army.lk, Retrieved 25 March 2015
- ^ Sri Lanka's top general wounded in suicide attack, The Sydney Morning Herald, Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Medical battle that saved the Army Commander By Chinthaka Fernando, The Sunday Leader, Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ "Mia Bloom – What the Tigers Taught Al-Qaeda". Washington Post. 24 May 2009.
- ^ Sarath Fonseka promoted Sri Lanka's first ever Field Marshal, NEWS.LK (The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka), Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Armed Force Commanders promoted to next higher ranks. Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order, Retrieved on 18 May 2009
- ^ Sri Lanka rehabilitates ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, Charles Haviland, BBC News, Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Mehta, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Raj K. (2010). Lost Victory: The Rise & Fall of LTTE Supremo, V. Prabhakaran. Pentagon Press. pp. 13, 118, 330–338, 360–8, 377, 380, 401–11. ISBN 978-8182744431.
- ^ Review - Gota’s War -Final- revised By Major General (Retired) Lalin Fernando, Asian Tribune, Retrieved 18 May 2015
- ^ Haviland, Charles (16 November 2009). "S Lanka army head leaves abruptly". BBC News. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
- ^ "Sri Lanka military chief resigns". BBC News. 12 November 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
- ^ Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka in military custody, Media Center for National Security
- ^ THE NIGHT THE AMBALANGODA LION ROARED DEFIANCE - D.B.S. Jeyaraj (Daily Mirror) Retrieved 14 February 2016
- ^ Sri Lanka jails ex-army chief Fonseka AFP – 17 September 2010
- ^ Ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, jailed for treason, made field marshal in Sri Lanka, The Guardian, Retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ "Sarath Fonseka acquitted of all charges". www.news.lk.
- ^ "Sri Lanka rehabilitates top general". BBC News. 21 January 2015.