'Govt ordered Tigers' execution'

In an explosive interview to The Sunday Leader, Gen Fonseka said no information was communicated to him in the final days of the war that three key LTTE leaders— Nadesan, Pulidevan and Ramesh — had opted to surrender. He disclosed that Gotabaya instructed his field commanders that “all LTTE leaders must be killed.”

Fonseka, who will contest the elections against the incumbent president Mahinda Rajapaksa, said communications were confined between the LTTE leaders, Norway, various foreign parties, Basil Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament and the powerful senior adviser to the president and such information was never conveyed to him. Fonseka’s remark drew sharp reaction from the government which described it as a “great betrayal”.

Refuting Fonseka’s “damning” charge, Basil said: “The Norwegians never got in touch with me over this particular incident. I have been in touch with the Norwegians over various issues pertaining to the conflict but never once on this particular issue.”