WikiLeaks:UNP Is Playing A Dangerous Game Supporting General Fonseka

By Colombo Telegraph -

“The UNP party is playing a dangerous game supporting General Fonseka, because the Sri Lankan Presidency is very powerful, and it is unclear what economic policies Fonseka would support as President. The opposition focus on corruption indicates that it believes that neo-liberal reforms, such as privatization, are too toxic to publicly advocate. Sri Lanka,s economy could indeed benefit from both a good crusade against corruption and liberal reforms.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

The UNP party is playing a dangerous game supporting General Fonseka, because the Sri Lankan Presidency is very powerful

The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable fromWikiLeaks database, which details the opposition presidential candidate General Fonseka’s little knowledge on economic issues. The cable is classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and written by the Ambassador Patricia Butenis on January 4, 2010.

The ambassador wrote “The opposition presidential candidate General Fonseka is a military man who has publicly admitted that he has little knowledge of economic issues, and other than clamping down on corruption, he has no apparent economic program. General Fonseka has announced some populist measures to increase government employee salaries and increase public pensions. It will be extremely difficult for him to advance a coherent economic policy because the opposition parties supporting him have diametrically opposed economic views. Instead, Fonseka plans to focus on corruption, where President Rajapaksa is weak, and blaming corruption and government waste for the voters, tough economic times. While the economy is a high-priority for many voters, both campaigns have focused on personalities and and past performance rather than on a solid economic and political platform for the future.”

Read the cable below for further details;          Read More