Video is on YouTube
This is craptastic camera work, but I think this is the meat of the press con. Basically, he rejects the election result. This comes as the Elections Commissioner just got off State TV saying result and that parties had their chance to challenge at the polling station. I think we are at a bit of an impasse. Sarath Fonseka is under siege at the Cinnamon Lakeside while Mahinda is trying to get these results affirmed. Added the Sinhala introduction below
Sarath Fonseka Press Conference (Video)
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“I think we are at a bit of an impasse.”
Very funny!
HE is at an impasse.
WE the people have moved on.
Protest!… I’m afraid about it.
BBC and CNN please book your plane tickets.
BTW. Dear fellow journalists, You should be more concerned about your “security” these Days…
Sorry. No impasse here.
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The President of India congratulates President of Sri Lanka on his re-election
The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil has congratulated the President of Sri Lanka, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa on his re-election in yesterday’s Presidential elections.
In her message, the President has said, “Please accept my heartiest congratulations on your electoral victory. I am confident that under your continued leadership, Sri Lanka will attain greater heights and find lasting peace.
India and Sri Lanka share historically close and friendly relations. I wish to assure you of India’s commitment to further deepen our relations with Sri Lanka. We look forward to working with you, towards this end for the mutual benefit of our two peoples.”
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http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=57349
The result is not true.
yes we have to protest. we all know MR cheated using small group of disgusting army officers. this election result was manipulated by Basil and Namal. We all see Election Commissioner is crying while reading the numbers….
EVERY ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO REBEL!…
LETS PROTEST FOR OUR RIGHTS..
There’s no chance to pull off an ‘Iran’ in Sri Lanka. Some people will still try.
This election is as good as it. Few months ago the country was at war. Imagine holding elections in Germany 8 months after WWII. That is what it feels like here in some parts.
Now everyone exepcts Sri Lankan elections to be as cool as as the the Swedish.
Is there a bias here or what?
GW Bush got elected with 500 odd votes in 2000. For a country that size it is not even the margin of error. But he got 8 years at the top.
In US there is always an acceptable level of corruption and manipulation in every election. Minorities are systematically disenfranchised in inner cities for example.
Nobody talks about that. Not CNN, nor BBC not even New York Times.
When it comes to Sri Lanka, everybody knows what is best for us, except us Sri Lankans.
The more I see of his response to his resounding loss, the gladder I am that the people rejected him!
Rajeev, just because the masses disagree with you doesn’t mean your rights have been violated. It certainly doesn’t give you a right to rebel. Grow up.
The elections commissioner is tired, disgruntled and clearly unhappy about his lack of sleep – hardly surprising because he has been unable to retire since 2002, when the UNP messed up and legislated him into law.
If there was rigging, why haven’t the monitors complained? What were the party representatives doing in the counting centres? This is utter nonsense being uttered by people with no clue about Sri Lanka’s electoral processes. There’s nothing fraudulent about the election.
Besides, if the government is skilled enough to manipulate the verdict in such a way that the international monitors, local monitors and party representatives (including Ranil last night) are satisfied that there was no manipulation, then it clearly has magical powers and can’t be removed from office without everyone turning into pumpkins or something.
LOL. Brilliant reply!!
Well to add a lil to what Tikiri Nilame said,
Firstly there are representatives of all candidates/parties which will be at the polling centers to check if there are any violations of casting your vote. Then there will be the same procedure for the transportation of the boxes from the polling station to the counting center.
the counting centers are made so that there is only artificial lighting at all times. i.e. – if it’s a class room then it’s fully covered and only artificial lighting is use. as there is very little air circulation in this instance every candidate is allowed 2 of his people to monitor every vote being counted per counting station to work on a roster basis.
then after the counting is completed per box it’s recorded again in front of all the representatives.
the totals for a particular counting center is also recorded infront of the above mentioned personnel.
therefore i believe this was a free and fair election. so i think firstly SF and then who ever else who says the election is not fair should do a bit of reading on how things are carried out.
I believe it’s a simple question of fairness. I don’t think the votes were hugely rigged on the day apart from what was done preventing people from voting in the N/E. However the use of the state media and resources to create a propaganda juggernaut was just ridiculous. It maybe ‘what everyone does’ but that’s a sorry sorry excuse.
Yes this is true. (Sahodara Samagama) Brother’s Organization has obtained 2nd chance to earn some more to their family. Mahinda will never do something to Sri Lankans. He will earn more & more to his sons & brothers. Go ahead Maha Raja we know your democracy
An allegation of fraud is meaningless without proof. One of the text messages that was doing the rounds was that the elections commissioner was under house arrest and then later forced to certify the ‘false’ results. But at his press conference, he didn’t look like a man forced to say anything. In fact, he had a long litany of complaints against the state. He looked relaxed though tired as he read the final results. Though there were obvious flaws in this election, none of them were serious enough to have affected the verdict. I accept that MR won. And I am disappointed that the General could not be gracious in defeat. He, of all people, should know that a battle lost is not the end of a war. He could have fought another electoral contest sometime in the future. Alas, with his comments and the standoff at Cinnamon Lake, I think his short political career is over before it really began.
well said couldn’t have said it better,
so lets pull up our socks and start working for him and help him pile up more money for his family of bullies,
what the hell man are you blind not to see the corruption?????
well one thing that is evident is that this government took corruption to another level, unfortunately proovin this is a bit of a hard task. as you can see this is their game and they always win no matter what, but think you and the self elected president gets what is deserved!!!!!!
Dear Br /Sis
Actually now srilanka going to king governing. Sinhalese people thinking only war, ltte no more knowledge of economic that’s big problem. now iam living at doha qatar i watched election online untill 5pm bec my country need change nothing change will meet this problem our younger brothers and child
i totally agree with you,
i wasn’t surprise to hear about todays activities, after all it a family affair and they cant afford to lose!!
it’s very obvious that most people don’t see the bigger picture coze the big man always blinds them with his red scarf.
‘the big picture’ that’s the first question i asked my self when i first heard about the elections. There were many descriptions of the big picture, from the excuse of rebuilding a country to refresh a failing popularity and so i heard many.
but lets face it, as evident as it may be we always settle for a deceiving surface created by ‘the family’.
This election is a standing example of an attempt to crush an opposition that will always bring a second opinion to the political table of the country.
we’re playing a game that ‘the family’ will never lose, no matter what they always win and a party that’s working towards a monopoly in politics
so lets see the bigger picture and protest against diminishing an oppression that played fair…….
I can go on and on but think it’s not worth the effort,
I’ll see al of you in hell!!!!
Election results are True. SF is a person who even not humble enough to accept his defeat. We Sri Lankans wont allow any IRAN drams to happen in our Streets. Loosers, the game is over.
Thanks.
how you say?even election commisinor not say like you.i know your hope is gain something from president.continiue your foolish comments future you will recieve SOMETHING