Please, I am not jumping on the probable dinnung paththe. This letter was meant to be written long ago, immediately on hearing the prediction that Sarath Fonseka would contest the presidential election. I wanted to express my opinion mostly because everyone was advising Fonseka not to contest; to keep his dignity intact and desist from entering the fray. Why ever not; why not contest the incumbent president? Fonseka is a hero and should not be allowed to fade away as most soldiers are expected to do. Also he has every right to come forward for an election, even the mother of all elections, in this democratic country.

He saved the country by spearheading the defeat of the LTTE. So why not he come forward to save the nation, is my contention shouted out to friends and relatives who would listen to me. I meant to shout it out through a letter to the Editor weeks ago but failed to do so for no particular reason, least of all wanting to see how the wind blew, what Fonseka’s decision was. As I just said, he saved the country, so let him have a go at saving the nation. In my contextual reckoning, country is a geographic entity while a nation is a peopled country and in our case a suffering, exploited nation by members of its own population.

General Fonseka seems to genuinely want to improve matters in the land; not aggrandise himself. He feels for the nation; that is obvious. In his public interviews so far, he emerges with high marks. He is able to express himself in both English and Sinhala. He conveys the idea strongly that he is sincere, that he has the nation at heart and wants to serve it to improve it. He is not really eloquent and that too makes him poles apart from a glib crowd pleasing politician. He however is quick and accurate with his replies. And sensible. Not for him to bring in a ban on alcohol; not for him to overcrowd the public sector with unemployed graduates but to remove impediments from the private sector since this sector is the engine of economic growth.

He is tall, slim and handsome. ’Lean and hungry’ some would say. I say thin and showing signs of military discipline and having suffered a horrendous bomb attack. Exhibits a mite of, shall we say, shyness which adds to the charm.

So let’s have a clean contest, we earnestly appeal to the powers that be. Protect this man who has every right to contest the Mightiest of the Land in a fair election. Reign in those trigger happy hooting leaders of thugs.