Sri Lanka’s top general quits: military source

November 12, 2009 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's top general, Sarath Fonseka, the architect of the army's victory over Tamil rebels who was switched to a more ceremonial position, quit Thursday, a military source said.





Fonseka declared during a visit to the United States last month that he was willing to shed his uniform and take up "social work" if politicians did not take advantage of the end of the decades-old separatist conflict to ensure economic revival.

The source said he had asked for his resignation to be effective from December 1.

Sri lanka is set for parliamentary and presidential elections before April 2010.

The government announced it would bring forward the presidential election in a move to gain from strong public support after its defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels in May.

Fonseka, who is widely tipped to challenge President Mahinda Rajapakse in elections next year, submitted his resignation as chief of defence staff after a ceremony welcoming Myanmar's junta leader at the airport, the source said.

"He gave his letter of resignation this afternoon and expects the government to ensure his security because he was the main figure responsible for crushing Tamil Tigers," the source close to