Field Marshal Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, commonly known as Sarath Fonseka, is a retired Sri Lankan army officer and a member of the parliament. He was the eighteenth Commander of Sri Lanka Army, and under his command the Sri Lanka Army ended the 26-year Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009, defeating the militant group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; he thereafter briefly served as the Chief of Defence Staff. After retiring from the Army with the rank of General, he entered politics as the common opposition candidate in the 2010 presidential election contesting against President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Following his controversial defeat in the presidential election he was elected to Parliament in the general election that followed. Soon after he was made a political prisoner and lost his parliamentary seat. Fonseka supported Maithripala Sirisena in the 2015 presidential election and following his victory, the newly appointed President Sirisena gave Fonseka a full pardon reinstating his civic rights, military rank and decorations. Later he was promoted to the newly created rank of Field Marshal on 22 March 2015 becoming the first Sri Lankan Army officer to be promoted to the rank.On 9 February 2016 he was appointed to Parliament as a national list candidate and served in the Cabinet of Ministers from 2016 to 2018 as Minister of Regional Development and thereafter as Minister of Wildlife and Sustainable Development until the 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis.
Fonseka had joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1970 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in June 1971 and rose through the ranks while completing training stints across South Asia and in the United Kingdom. He saw extensive action throughout the 26-year civil war and over the years acquired a reputation as a tough battlefield commander and was often in the thick of the action in fighting against the Tamil Tigers, culminating in a term as Commander of the Army from 6 December 2005 – 15 July 2009. As commander, he oversaw the final phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War, which resulted in the total defeat of the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He also survived an assassination attempt when an LTTE suicide bomber attacked his motorcade in April 2006. Following the end of the war Fonseka was promoted to a four star rank in the Sri Lanka Army, becoming the first serving army commander to hold a four star rank. He has been described as Sri Lanka's most successful army commander.A few months after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, Fonseka was appointed
Chief of Defence Staff by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. While his new post was of a higher rank, Fonseka saw the move as an attempt to sideline him. Amid rumours of his desire to enter politics, he subsequently retired from the post on 16 November 2009. On 29 November 2009, Fonseka formally announced his candidature in the 2010 Sri Lankan Presidential Election. His candidacy was endorsed by the main opposition parties, and Fonseka became the main opposition candidate challenging President Rajapaksa. He campaigned under the sign of a swan, and the slogan Vishvasaniya Venasak (A Credible Change).
Following his election defeat, Fonseka was arrested on 8 February 2010, and the government announced he would be court-martialed for committing "military offences". He was convicted for corrupt military supply deals and sentenced to three years in prison.
After serving more than 2 years in prison, Fonseka was released amidst local and international pressure on 21 May 2012. As per the pre-election statement, President Maithripala Sirisena, gave him the Complete Presidential Pardon and acquitted him of all the charges against him on 22 January 2015, restoring his Civic Rights.
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Some of their strengths
Sarath Fonseka has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Generous, Intelligent, Energetic, Creative, Brave, Passionate, and Practical.
Adventurous and Independent
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Sarath Fonseka is someone who is an adventurous, independent, and energetic person, who is insightful, imaginative, generous, and honest. A person who is known for being a good communicator.
Warm and Caring
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Sarath Fonseka well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.
Courteous and Easygoing
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Sarath Fonseka as someone who is polite, modest, and diplomatic.
A person who tends to be socially popular, who loves intellectual or creative activities, who has a talent for communicating with and understanding the needs of others, and who seems to have a knack for getting recognized for their efforts.
Charismatic and Playful
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Sarath Fonseka is someone who is used to being the center of attention, and who has a playful approach to dealing with life.
They are also someone who is confident and creative, and who has a love for starting new projects, inventing new things, and giving back to the community.
Optimistic and Quick-witted
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Sarath Fonseka tends to be someone who is optimistic and spontaneous, and who has a clear and analytical mind. Who can be witty, with a happy-go-lucky- nature that makes others cheerful, and who possesses an adventurous zest for life.
Some of Sarath Fonseka's challenges
While Sarath Fonseka has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Sarath Fonseka can be Impulsive, Careless, Short-tempered, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Indecisive, and Materialistic.
Impulsive and Careless
One of Sarath Fonseka's key challenges is that they are someone who can be impulsive and careless.
Sarath Fonseka must also exercise caution as they can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Indecisive and Materialistic
Sarath Fonseka is someone who can be indecisive, indulgent, and materialistic, who can have difficulty focusing on a single career or profession, have difficulty following orders or respecting authority, and who can suffer from "analysis paralysis".
Irritable and Callous
Finally, Sarath Fonseka also can be short-tempered, childish, insensitive, and careless at times.
