Another official in Washington told AFP that US diplomats had been working behind the scenes to encourage Rajapakse to be cautious, warning that an arrest of Fonseka without legal grounding would have serious effects on relations.
On Friday, diplomats said that the European Union had decided to suspend preferential trade status to Sri Lanka - a major source of garments - because of its human rights record.
The Tamil diaspora has pushed Western nations to take a harder line with Sri Lanka, leading Rajapakse's government to turn increasingly on nations such as China and Iran for support.
One community leader in Canada, which has the West's most politically active Tamil diaspora, hoped that Fonseka's arrest would lead to renewed pressure on Sri Lanka.
"If they can court-martial a top general who polled about 40 per cent in a presidential election, that means they can do anything to a Tamil citizen," said David Poopalapillai, national spokesman for the Canadian Tamil Congress.
"The carrots-and-sticks approach that the international community has been following has to be put to an end," he said. "The time has come to go strong on this country and bring some diplomatic and economic sanctions."
Amnesty International said the election had offered Rajapakse a chance to improve human rights.
"Instead, we are seeing less and less tolerance for criticism," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific director.
On Friday, diplomats said that the European Union had decided to suspend preferential trade status to Sri Lanka - a major source of garments - because of its human rights record.
The Tamil diaspora has pushed Western nations to take a harder line with Sri Lanka, leading Rajapakse's government to turn increasingly on nations such as China and Iran for support.
One community leader in Canada, which has the West's most politically active Tamil diaspora, hoped that Fonseka's arrest would lead to renewed pressure on Sri Lanka.
"If they can court-martial a top general who polled about 40 per cent in a presidential election, that means they can do anything to a Tamil citizen," said David Poopalapillai, national spokesman for the Canadian Tamil Congress.
"The carrots-and-sticks approach that the international community has been following has to be put to an end," he said. "The time has come to go strong on this country and bring some diplomatic and economic sanctions."
Amnesty International said the election had offered Rajapakse a chance to improve human rights.
"Instead, we are seeing less and less tolerance for criticism," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific director.
