Fonseka's behind bar protest in Sri Lanka Prez dissolves Parliament

Tensions mounted over the arrest of Sri Lanka's former army chief Sarath Fonseka with violent clashes erupting in the capital as his wife approached the country's highest court for his release, citing that she feared for his safety.Six people were arrested and 12 vehicles were damaged when Sri Lankan police dispersed a protest rally on Wednesday near the Sri Lankan Supreme Court Complex in Colombo. Opposition parties in the country also closed ranks behind the jailed defeated presidential candidate, demanding his release and saying that the authorities were framing him. Turmoil preavls in Sri Lanka as the former army commander Sarath Fonseka was arrested on Monday by military police on charges of engaging in politics against his president while still in uniform. Secretary-General,UNITED NATIONS, Ban Ki-moon "expressed his concern (to Rajapaksa) about recent developments in Sri Lanka," brought up Fonseka's arrest and "urged the government to respect the due process of law and guarantee (Fonseka's) personal safety." President Mahinda Rajapaksa is dissolving parliament, clearing the way for early elections, officials say. "The president dissolves the parliament with effect from midnight today," a senior official was quoted. As protests against the arrest spilled onto the streets, riot police used tear gas, water cannons and canes to break up thousands of clashing pro-Fonseka supporters and ruling party activists as the government said claimed that the arrest of the country's former four star general was not an act of vengeance. " As jailed Fonseka's fate remains uncertain, the authorities last night allowed his wife to meet him", a top military official said today. "Anoma Fonseka spent three hours at the place where Fonseka is and brought food from home for him last night," Military Spokesman Major General Prasad Samarasinghe told the news agency.The Minister of Media Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena charged that the opposition was trying to gain political advantages from the arrest of the general.He said Fonseka had been arrested under military act 57(1)for divulging secrets while in service and it did not amount of political vengeance. Abeywardena said that a possible court martial would flow from the summary of evidence being collected by the military