The US government has given an assurance that it would make representations to the Sri Lankan Government to release Mr. Sarath Fonseka from prison if there were over 25,000 signatures on the online petition, which is currently available on the official website of the US White House.

Kumara Alagiyawanna, the convener of the People’s Movement to Free General Sarath Fonseka, said that, Apsara Fonseka the elder daughter of Mr. Sarath Fonseka had, in an effort to rescue her father from prison, begun an online petition on the official website of the US White House. “We were informed that the US government would make representations to the Sri Lankan government on releasing Fonseka from prison if there were over 25,000 signatures,” said Mr. Alagiyawanna.

“There are a large number of people both locally and abroad who had extended a great deal of support to free General Fonseka. Sri Lankans in US, Australia, Italy and other parts of the world have carried out public protests in this regard,” he said.

The online petition which was begun on November 20 had got over 14,700 signatures up until yesterday. The petition will end on December 23. Ms. Fonseka who has US citizenship had appealed to the US government to support her family in their efforts to release Fonseka. The US White House website reads: “We feel Gen. (Ret) Sarath Fonseka’s incarceration is illegal, and goes against all that Sri Lanka should achieve as a democratic nation. The manner in which Gen Fonseka was charged and sentenced goes against the norms and previous practices of the law of Sri Lanka.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka