Sri Lanka, Feb. 12 -- Last week General Ratnayake met SJB leader Sajith Premadasa to extend his support to the party, after which he was given the position of Advisor on Public Policy to the SJB.

Opposition to the appointment came from prominent personalities operating on two different platforms - personal politics and human rights. The first volley was lobbed by Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, who opposed the appointment because General Ratnayake had been involved in the court martial proceedings against him. This could also be called personal enmity. The second came from Ambika Satkunanathan, former commissioner of the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission and human rights activist, on the grounds of human rights violations.

General Ratnay...