Sarath Fonseka

This article is about a Sri Lankan army officer. For other people, see Sarath (disambiguation).

Field Marshal
Sarath Fonseka
RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
සරත් ෆොන්සේකා
சரத் பொன்சேகா
Fonseka at a press conference, 2010
Minister of Wildlife and Sustainable Development
In office
1 May 2018 – 26 October 2018
PresidentMaithripala Sirisena
Prime MinisterRanil Wickremesinghe
Preceded byRavindra Samaraweera
Minister of Regional Development
In office
25 February 2016 – 26 October 2018
PresidentMaithripala Sirisena
Prime MinisterRanil Wickremesinghe
Preceded byOffice Established
Succeeded byS. B. Nawinne
Chairman of Samagi Jana Balawegaya
In office
10 February 2020 – 9 August 2024
Member of Parliament
for Gampaha District
In office
20 August 2020 – 24 September 2024
Majority110,555 Preferential Votes (2020)
Member of Parliament
for National List
In office
9 February 2016 – 3 March 2020
Preceded byM. K. A. D. S. Gunawardana
Member of Parliament
for Colombo District
In office
22 April 2010 – 7 October 2010
Succeeded byJayantha Ketagoda
Majority98,456 Preferential Votes
Chief of the Defence Staff
In office
15 July 2009 – 30 November 2009
Preceded byDonald Perera
Succeeded byRoshan Goonetileke
Commander of the Army
In office
6 December 2005 – 15 July 2009
Preceded byShantha Kottegoda
Succeeded byJagath Jayasuriya
Personal details
Born
Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka

(1950-12-18) 18 December 1950 (age 73)
Ambalangoda, Dominion of Ceylon
(now Sri Lanka)
Political partyNew Democratic Front (2009–2010)[a]
Democratic National Alliance (2010–2013)
Democratic Party
(2013–2016)
United National Party
(2016–2020)
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (2020-2024)
SpouseAnoma Fonseka
Children2
Alma materDharmasoka College
Ananda College
OccupationPolitician
Military officer
Military service
Allegiance Sri Lanka
Branch/service Sri Lanka Army
Years of service1971–2009
Rank Field Marshal
UnitSri Lanka Sinha Regiment
CommandsSecurity Forces Headquarters - Jaffna
Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni
Commander of the Army
Chief of the Defence Staff
Battles/warsSri Lankan Civil War,
Insurrection 1987–89
Awards

Field Marshal Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka (born 18 December 1950) is a retired Sri Lankan army officer. He was the eighteenth Commander of the Sri Lankan Army, and under his command the Sri Lankan 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.[1] 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.[2][3][4] 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.[5][6][7][8]

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 Ceylon 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 States. 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.[9][10][11] 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.[12][13][14] 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.[15] He has been described as Sri Lanka's most successful army commander.[4][16][17][18]

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.[19][20] 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".[21][22] He was convicted for corrupt military supply deals and sentenced to three years in prison.[23] After serving more than 2 years in prison, Fonseka was released amidst local and international pressure on 21 May 2012.[7][24] 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.[25][26]

On 29 June 2024, Fonseka launched his own written book titled The Army Commander’s Promise to the Nation – I will not leave this war to the next Army Commander.[27]

On 25 July 2024, he had announced his candidacy in the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election.[28]


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  1. ^ General G. S. C. Fonseka RWP RSP VSV USP rcds psc Archived 7 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Ministry of Defence, Retrieved 29 March 2015
  2. ^ Prosecuting and persecuting the war hero – General Fonseka Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine, By Somar Wijayadasa, The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 29 March 2015
  3. ^ Sarath Fonseka becomes Lanka’s first field marshal Archived 30 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine - The Times of India, Retrieved 29 March 2015
  4. ^ a b Fonseka to become first Sri Lankan Field Marshal, Khaleej Times (UAE), Retrieved 29 March 2015
  5. ^ Gen. GSC Fonseka elevated to the rank of 'Field Marshal' Archived 5 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 29 March 2015
  6. ^ Sarath Fonseka to be bestowed with Field Marshal Title Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine NEWS.LK (The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka), Retrieved 29 March 2015
  7. ^ a b General Fonseka Made Field Marshal - P.K.Balachandran, The Indian Express, Retrieved 29 March 2015
  8. ^ Shihar Aneez (23 March 2015). "Sri Lanka promotes former general who defeated Tigers to field marshal". reuters.com.
  9. ^ The taking of Elephant Pass Archived 29 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, D.B.S. JEYARAJ Frontline (magazine), Volume 17 - Issue 10, May. 13 - 26, 2000, Retrieved 29 March 2015
  10. ^ Army Commander revisits early beginnings Archived 10 October 2024 at the Wayback Machine, Shanika SRIYANANDA, Sunday Observer, Retrieved 17 May 2015
  11. ^ Nation Salutes War Veteran, General Sarath Fonseka (Retd) Conferring Field Marshal Rank Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine, army.lk, Retrieved 25 March 2015
  12. ^ Sri Lanka's top general wounded in suicide attack Archived 30 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine, The Sydney Morning Herald, Retrieved 29 March 2015
  13. ^ Medical battle that saved the Army Commander Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine By Chinthaka Fernando, The Sunday Leader, Retrieved 29 March 2015
  14. ^ "Mia Bloom – What the Tigers Taught Al-Qaeda". Washington Post. 24 May 2009. Archived from the original on 18 December 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  15. ^ Three Service Commanders promoted: news.lk. Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order, Retrieved on 18 May 2009
  16. ^ Sri Lanka rehabilitates ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka Archived 10 October 2024 at the Wayback Machine, Charles Haviland, BBC News, Retrieved 29 March 2015
  17. ^ Mehta, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Raj K. (2010). Lost Victory: The Rise & Fall of LTTE Supremo, V. Prabhakaran. Pentagon Press. pp. 13, 118, 330–338, 360–8, 377, 380, 401–11. ISBN 978-8182744431.
  18. ^ Review - Gota’s War -Final- revised Archived 17 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine By Major General (Retired) Lalin Fernando, Asian Tribune, Retrieved 18 May 2015
  19. ^ Haviland, Charles (16 November 2009). "S Lanka army head leaves abruptly". BBC News. Archived from the original on 19 November 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  20. ^ "Sri Lanka military chief resigns". BBC News. 12 November 2009. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  21. ^ Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka in military custody, Media Center for National Security
  22. ^ THE NIGHT THE AMBALANGODA LION ROARED DEFIANCE Archived 13 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine - D.B.S. Jeyaraj (Daily Mirror) Retrieved 14 February 2016
  23. ^ Sri Lanka jails ex-army chief Fonseka AFP – 17 September 2010
  24. ^ Ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, jailed for treason, made field marshal in Sri Lanka Archived 10 October 2024 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, Retrieved 29 March 2015
  25. ^ "Sarath Fonseka acquitted of all charges". www.news.lk. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  26. ^ "Sri Lanka rehabilitates top general". BBC News. 21 January 2015. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  27. ^ "President chief guest at Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka's book launch". island.lk. 29 June 2024. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  28. ^ "Sarath Fonseka announces Presidential candidacy". www.dailymirror.lk. 25 July 2024. Archived from the original on 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.