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Beaten Sri Lankan general considers asylum in Australia
By South Asia correspondent Sally Sara for AM
Posted 8 hours 1 minute ago
Updated 6 hours 13 minutes ago
Former army chief and beaten presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka
Accused of assassination plot: Former Sri Lankan army chief General Sarath Fonseka (AFP: Indranil Mukherjee)
* Video: Sri Lanka's opposition will challenge the result of the country's presidential poll (ABC AP APNC)
* Video: Sri Lankan president declared winner (ABC News)
* Audio: Defeated Sri Lankan opposition leader may seek asylum in Australia (AM)
* Related Story: Tension escalates after president wins Sri Lankan election
* Related Story: Opposition slams Christmas Island 'visa factory'
Beaten Sri Lankan presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka says he could consider seeking asylum in Australia.
The former army chief lost Tuesday's presidential election and is coming under increasing pressure from the Sri Lankan government.
General Fonseka fears for his safety and his officials have already approached several embassies in Colombo about possible asylum.
He says he would also consider seeking asylum in Australia, but Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith says there has been no official request as yet.
"No such approach has been made," he said.
"I think it is very important that General Fonseka be provided with two things - that he be provided with freedom of movement and he be provided with security, personal security in the circumstances that he is in."
The Sri Lankan Government is accusing General Fonseka of planning to assassinate the President Mahinda Rajapakse.
Government spokesman Lakshman Hullugale says General Fonseka and several former army officers were involved in the plot "to assassinate his excellency the President Mahinda Rajapakse and his family members, and also to enter into the defence ministry and assassinate the defence secretary".
General Fonseka has rejected the allegation, which came only a day after he labelled members of the government as murderers and said they were trying to assassinate him.
Career in limbo
Centre for Policy Alternatives executive director Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu says it is unclear whether General Fonseka should stay and fight or flee abroad.
"I suppose General Fonseka has to consider whether he wants to continue in a political career and if he's going to do that, the general election is the next sort of watershed event," he said.
"Is he going to come forward as a candidate and if so, on which party's platform?"
Mr Rajapakse is expected to dissolve parliament and hold the general election before it is due in April.
He is still celebrating his strong win in the presidential poll, and says it is an answer to his critics.
As for opposition activists, they are looking for answers of their own as to why General Fonseka lost.
Liberal Party deputy federal director James McGrath has been in Sri Lanka as a special adviser to the opposition and General Fonseka's campaign.
"He lost for a variety of reasons - he lost because of the abuse of government resources, he lost because of voter fraud and intimidation, and he lost because the Tamils in the north were unable to vote," he said.
SF para balla lankava chater karanava loketama .... mama me news eka news.com.au eke mulapituve mama dakke news.com.au kiyanna Australia vala vadiyenna balana news site eka .... tamil un mehe lankava somaliyavata samana karanava ... dan me PARA ජෙනරාල් ekamakaranava ...
===========================
Beaten Sri Lankan general considers asylum in Australia
By South Asia correspondent Sally Sara for AM
Posted 8 hours 1 minute ago
Updated 6 hours 13 minutes ago
Former army chief and beaten presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka
Accused of assassination plot: Former Sri Lankan army chief General Sarath Fonseka (AFP: Indranil Mukherjee)
* Video: Sri Lanka's opposition will challenge the result of the country's presidential poll (ABC AP APNC)
* Video: Sri Lankan president declared winner (ABC News)
* Audio: Defeated Sri Lankan opposition leader may seek asylum in Australia (AM)
* Related Story: Tension escalates after president wins Sri Lankan election
* Related Story: Opposition slams Christmas Island 'visa factory'
Beaten Sri Lankan presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka says he could consider seeking asylum in Australia.
The former army chief lost Tuesday's presidential election and is coming under increasing pressure from the Sri Lankan government.
General Fonseka fears for his safety and his officials have already approached several embassies in Colombo about possible asylum.
He says he would also consider seeking asylum in Australia, but Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith says there has been no official request as yet.
"No such approach has been made," he said.
"I think it is very important that General Fonseka be provided with two things - that he be provided with freedom of movement and he be provided with security, personal security in the circumstances that he is in."
The Sri Lankan Government is accusing General Fonseka of planning to assassinate the President Mahinda Rajapakse.
Government spokesman Lakshman Hullugale says General Fonseka and several former army officers were involved in the plot "to assassinate his excellency the President Mahinda Rajapakse and his family members, and also to enter into the defence ministry and assassinate the defence secretary".
General Fonseka has rejected the allegation, which came only a day after he labelled members of the government as murderers and said they were trying to assassinate him.
Career in limbo
Centre for Policy Alternatives executive director Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu says it is unclear whether General Fonseka should stay and fight or flee abroad.
"I suppose General Fonseka has to consider whether he wants to continue in a political career and if he's going to do that, the general election is the next sort of watershed event," he said.
"Is he going to come forward as a candidate and if so, on which party's platform?"
Mr Rajapakse is expected to dissolve parliament and hold the general election before it is due in April.
He is still celebrating his strong win in the presidential poll, and says it is an answer to his critics.
As for opposition activists, they are looking for answers of their own as to why General Fonseka lost.
Liberal Party deputy federal director James McGrath has been in Sri Lanka as a special adviser to the opposition and General Fonseka's campaign.
"He lost for a variety of reasons - he lost because of the abuse of government resources, he lost because of voter fraud and intimidation, and he lost because the Tamils in the north were unable to vote," he said.
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