AI: Arrest escalates post-poll repression

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Amnesty International says the Sri Lankan military's arrest of Gen. Sarath Fonseka, the ex-army chief, has escalated post-election repression in the country.

Fonseka, who lost to incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa in last month's elections, was arrested Monday for "military offenses" but the military gave no details.

"Sarath Fonseka's arrest continues the Rajapaksa government's post-election crackdown on political opposition," Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International Asia-Pacific director, said.

Both Fonseka and Rajapaksa are hailed as heroes in the island nation after the military defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in last May, ending the 26-year-old civil war for a separate homeland for minority Tamils. Fonseka and Rajapaksa fell out after the victory and became rivals in the presidential elections.

"After the military defeat of the (rebels) and a major election victory, President Rajapaksa should steer the country toward a better human rights record. Instead, we're seeing less and less tolerance for criticism," Zarifi said.

The release said the timing of Fonseka's arrest is troubling, as he had announced earlier in the day he was prepared to testify before an international court on war crimes charges against the Sri Lankan government. Amnesty International said since Fonseka's election defeat, several of his key supporters were arrested.

"Allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka should be subject to an independent international investigation," Zarifi said, adding Fonseka also should "be subject to investigation and accountability."

In an earlier report, international rights group said opposition supporters had been arrested, several journalists and editors received death threats and trade unionists and opposition supporters were harassed following the poll.