Sri Lanka's ex-Army Commander Sarath Fonseka's dock statement following conviction

"If any authorized person ordered the killing of surrendering LTTE cadres, he should be brought before the law.

I am not content with the Court’s ruling and not at all surprised with the verdict. I, along with the masses, hoped that the trial would mete out justice.

Before publishing a string of lies, people should have been informed. Fredericka Jansz had recently given an interview to the Daily Mirror and the journalist from that paper is ready to testify in public.

On the basis of this, can a journalist be punished? The duty of the judiciary is to probe into the matter. Punishing the common candidate, at the last presidential election, due to a statement, cannot be admitted. My answer to a query posed by a female Journalist in an interview has been misinterpreted and published. In this back drop, punishing me is not the trait of a democratic nation. I say, according to my knowledge such modalities are in place only in nations where dictatorships reign and this I abhor.

I, with my subordinate officers, conducted the war in accordance with the international rules, observing human rights.

Twelve thousand surrendering LTTE cadres were safely accommodated.

In the event any one gave an order on the contrary, why should he be not brought before law? Comments were made in respect of such heinous crimes viz. the Embilipitiya student killings and the murder of Krishanthi Coomaraswamy. Those who commented were not subjected to prosecution. But those who were found guilty were punished. I don’t advocate inciting masses. Those who commit such crimes should be punished. If people speak about two laws, they would be liable to be jailed. Is that justice? Mistakes should be rectified someday by the judiciary or else they would continue. I hope there would be not a questionable black mark."