Bhikku Front to support General Sarath Fonseka
By Olindhi Jayasundere
The National Bhikku Front (NBF) said yesterday that they will be supporting General Sarath Fonseka in the forthcoming presidential election and will not extend any support to the President as he has not kept his promises to the people of the country.
The Bhikku Alliance’s General Secretary, Aththanale Samitha Thero said that when President Rajapaksa competed in the last presidential election, they supported him on the basis of five conditions that the President was expected to fulfill. However, he has not kept his promise as expected, he said.
“Before we extended our support to the President in the last presidential election we asked to end the war, to eradicate terrorism, to prevent barriers between races and religions, to implement the 17th amendment, to abolish the Executive Presidency,” he said.
The President said that he would fulfill these commitments. “Only one has been accomplished, and even that one accomplishment has not been fully achieved by him alone, but through the commitment and hard work of others,” he said.
NBF member, Professor Aththangale Rathanapala Thero said that General Sarath Fonseka kept his promise to the nation when he was the Army Commander by fulfilling his commitments to the country by eradicating the war. “He is the ideal candidate for Presidency and he does not have any ulterior motives as the politicians of today,” he said.
He said that the Bhikku Front is saddened by the state of discipline in the country and would like to see General Fonseka coming into office as President. “Look at the state of things in the country today. For instance, the Police Force. Look at the level of discipline they have. They do what they like because they know they can get away with it.
This is not right, we need to develop a law-abiding society. It is only then that we will be in a position to develop the country,” he stressed.
Prof. Rathanapala Thero said that if the country continues to spiral downhill as it has been for a long time, then we will all be shedding tears whilst watching it fall. “We must not let this happen. Therefore we must all think carefully before we select the candidate each of us want to vote,” he said.
He added that there are certain monks that support the President but that is only due to their own ulterior motives. “I can assure you that certain monks are being paid at least Rs. 50,000 in order to ensure that their support still remains with the Government. It is not necessarily for any other reason,” he said.
When asked what the NBF thought about Opposition leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe possibly becoming the Prime Minister, he said that all politicians have their own motives and if that is to be it is fine by the NBF. “General Fonseka is important to the country because he can do a lot for the people.
It does not matter what his position is, as long as he is given a fundamental role in any area of politics that will allow him to give his best to the country,” he said.
By Olindhi Jayasundere
The National Bhikku Front (NBF) said yesterday that they will be supporting General Sarath Fonseka in the forthcoming presidential election and will not extend any support to the President as he has not kept his promises to the people of the country.
The Bhikku Alliance’s General Secretary, Aththanale Samitha Thero said that when President Rajapaksa competed in the last presidential election, they supported him on the basis of five conditions that the President was expected to fulfill. However, he has not kept his promise as expected, he said.
“Before we extended our support to the President in the last presidential election we asked to end the war, to eradicate terrorism, to prevent barriers between races and religions, to implement the 17th amendment, to abolish the Executive Presidency,” he said.
The President said that he would fulfill these commitments. “Only one has been accomplished, and even that one accomplishment has not been fully achieved by him alone, but through the commitment and hard work of others,” he said.
NBF member, Professor Aththangale Rathanapala Thero said that General Sarath Fonseka kept his promise to the nation when he was the Army Commander by fulfilling his commitments to the country by eradicating the war. “He is the ideal candidate for Presidency and he does not have any ulterior motives as the politicians of today,” he said.
He said that the Bhikku Front is saddened by the state of discipline in the country and would like to see General Fonseka coming into office as President. “Look at the state of things in the country today. For instance, the Police Force. Look at the level of discipline they have. They do what they like because they know they can get away with it.
This is not right, we need to develop a law-abiding society. It is only then that we will be in a position to develop the country,” he stressed.
Prof. Rathanapala Thero said that if the country continues to spiral downhill as it has been for a long time, then we will all be shedding tears whilst watching it fall. “We must not let this happen. Therefore we must all think carefully before we select the candidate each of us want to vote,” he said.
He added that there are certain monks that support the President but that is only due to their own ulterior motives. “I can assure you that certain monks are being paid at least Rs. 50,000 in order to ensure that their support still remains with the Government. It is not necessarily for any other reason,” he said.
When asked what the NBF thought about Opposition leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe possibly becoming the Prime Minister, he said that all politicians have their own motives and if that is to be it is fine by the NBF. “General Fonseka is important to the country because he can do a lot for the people.
It does not matter what his position is, as long as he is given a fundamental role in any area of politics that will allow him to give his best to the country,” he said.
it sound like a fighting unit.
