Field Marshal Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka (born 18 December 1950) is a retired Sri Lankan army officer.

[1] After retiring from the Army with the rank of General, he entered politics as the common opposition candidate in the 2010 presidential election contesting against President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Fonseka had joined the Ceylon Army in 1970 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in June 1971 and rose through the ranks while completing training stints across South Asia and in the United States.

[9][10][11] As commander, he oversaw the final phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War, which resulted in the total defeat of the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

[4][16][17][18] A few months after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, Fonseka was appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

[7][24] As per the pre-election statement, President Maithripala Sirisena, gave him the complete presidential pardon and acquitted him of all the charges against him on 22 January 2015, restoring his civic rights.

During this time he underwent the Commando Officers Course (1973), Battalion Support Weapons Course (1976) and Counter Insurgency Jungle Warfare Course (1978) in India.

[1][32][33][34] The following year he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment in 1989.

In the First Battle of Elephant Pass, the Sri Lankan armed forces were able to beat back the LTTE owing to the tenacity of the besieged troops led by Fonseka and the grit with which they held on despite the overwhelming odds.

[9] Thereafter he was appointed as Center Commandant, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment at Ambepussa and next served as Staff Officer I at the Directorate of Operations at the Army Headquarters.

[46] Years later, in 2016 Fonseka requested President Maithripala Sirisena to take steps towards releasing the person imprisoned in connection with his attempted assassination.

[4][17][18][49][50] He abandoned conventional methods, matched the ingenious tactics and strategies of the LTTE, fully utilized the superior numerical strength and fire power of the Sri Lankan armed forces and kept up pressure on the enemy.

He broke tradition by insisting on the full deployment of naval and air power to aid the war on land and succeeded in getting the support of the other service commanders.

Fonseka broke army units into small groups and made these highly trained and motivated men who infiltrated Tiger-held areas, tracked down the fighting cadres of the LTTE and eliminated them.

[51][52][53] Fonseka changed the reactionary nature of the Army and formulated a plan that would end the war in a time frame of three years.

[41][55] He restructured the Army Intelligence Units which proved vital for the Navy and the Air Force to destroy LTTE ships, commanders and other targets.

He also reduced the burden on the government and the citizen by the effective management of the resources at his disposal and personally ensured the unimpeded supply of ammunition.

[63] Fonseka played a key role as Commander of the Army, and is considered as a national hero by the majority of Sri Lankans due to this achievement.

One of the articles explains it as follows, "General Fonseka launches political campaign – I will make a supreme sacrifice to defend my land against the politicos who ever they may be joining hands with India.

Immediately after declaration that Fonseka was ready for candidacy, President Rajapaksa called for new presidential elections two years before expiration of his term.

In December 2009, A news item was published in local newspaper "Sunday Leader" quoting Sarath Fonseka saying that during the final few days of the war against LTTE, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse (who is a brother of the President) gave orders to the army senior officers to execute three LTTE cadres who surrendered to the Army.

Media citing Sri Lankan military reported that a large number (about 400) of deserted army soldiers spent the night with General Fonseka at the hotel to enjoy the election results.

Fonseka's camp stated that there may be about 400 people in the hotel but were the leaders of parties supporting the common opposition candidate, and did not consist of any army deserters.

In August 2010, by proclamation from President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, he was cashiered from the army, having been stripped of his rank, medals and decorations.

[7][24][96][97][98] In September 2012, DNA MP Tiran Alles resigned from the post of Secretary of the Democratic National Party headed by Sarath Fonseka.

Alles was in the media spotlight as he held several rounds of discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa to secure the release of Sarath Fonseka.

[99] In October 2012, National Bhikku Front and DNA called for a movement for abolition of the executive presidency under the joint leadership of UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya and Fonseka.

Despite the fact that Jayasuriya requested the permission,[100] United National Party leadership ordered its members to boycott the rally which was scheduled to be held at Hyde Park Colombo.

Following his victory, President Sirisena gave Fonseka a complete presidential pardon and acquitted of all charges on 22 January 2015, restoring his civic rights.

The two leaders exchanged agreements for the Democratic Party to join the United National Front (UNF), the coalition led by the UNP.