Colombo, Feb. 9: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Raj-apakse on Tuesday dissolved the country’s Parliament, paving the way for general elections two months ahead of schedule. The President’s move comes a day after the Army arrested Gen. Fonseka, who

had vowed to continue in politics despite his defeat in the presidential polls, and said he would face a court martial for plotting against Mr Rajapakse while in service.

Mr Rajapakse, who trounced his former Army Chief, Gen. Sarath Fonseka, in the January 26 polls, signed a decree dissolving Parliament with effect from midnight Tuesday, a senior government official said, adding that a gazette notification would be issued soon.

Mr Rajapakse signed the decree after his return from Russia, where he had gone on a visit.

Mr Rajapakse had advanced the presidential elections too by nearly two years. The move paves the way for general elections two months ahead of schedule. Soon after the announcement, reports said the elections are expected to be held on April 8 and nominations for the polls are to be called between February 19 and 26.

Sri Lanka claimed the charges against Gen. Sarath Fonseka were "serious enough" to warrant his arrest, raising a question mark on his participation in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. "The gravity of his offences will flow from the summary of evidence collected against the former general," senior Cabinet minister Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters.

The government’s clarification came as Gen. Fonseka’s wife, Anoma, said her husband’s whereabouts remained "unknown" and that she feared for his safety a day after he was hauled away from his office by military personnel. She accused the government of "abducting" her husband and issued an appeal for help to trace his whereabouts, charging that the authorities had cut him off from even his family.

"Fonseka may face a court martial even though he is not a serving officer," Mr Rambukwella said, adding that Gen. Fonseka’s participation in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, due in April, would depend on the election laws of the country. He indicated that Gen. Fonseka would have to remain in detention till the questioning process was completed.

"While he was holding the membership of the Security Council, he had many connections and links dealing with various political parties and leaders who have been working against the government and that could amount to treason," Mr Rambukwella said, adding that Gen. Fonseka had been arrested under "Section 58 (1) of the Army Act".

Meanwhile, the military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Prasad Samarasinghe, said Gen. Fonseka’s family had been granted unhindered access to him and that full medical assistance, as required, has been offered to him. He added that all facilities befitting his senior rank have been given to Gen. Fonseka, who was yet to decide on a lawyer to defend him. He said Gen. Fonseka’s wife has sought access to her husband and the defence authorities were looking into it.

Maj. Gen. Samarasinghe said any military official could be charged in cases even after six months of retirement and that this also applied to Gen. Fonseka. "The summary of evidence that will be collected will be put before Army lawyers who, after consultation, will then forward it to the attorney-general for a final decision on whether it warrants a court martial," he said.

But in an extraordinary step the Army issued a statement saying, "Any officer/soldier who commits any offence and thereafter ceases to be a person subject to military law may be taken into military custody and kept in military custody. He may then be tried and punished for that offence by a court martial under Section 57 of the Army Act."

But as the concern for the defeated Presidential candidate grew, a military official merely said the former Army Chief had been moved to an undisclosed military establishment ahead of facing disciplinary action.

Amnesty International has lambasted the Sri Lankan government for the arrest of Gen. Fonseka, saying it indicated that "the government’s post-election crackdown continues on political opponents".

T.V. Sriram

—PTI