The United States on Monday voiced concern about Sri Lanka’s arrest of the defeated opposition presidential candidate, fearing it would worsen divisions as the island recovers from war.

“We are following the situation closely and we have concerns that any action be in accord with Sri Lankan law,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told AFP.

“There is a tremendous need for the government of Sri Lanka to work to overcome the fissures that exist within its society,” he said.

“It has to be very cautious that any actions it takes are designed to heal the split within Sri Lankan society, not to exacerbate it,” he said.

Troops on Monday arrested Sarath Fonseka, a former army chief who lost presidential electionstwo weeks ago. State media said he would be charged with unspecified “military offenses.”

The January 26 election was Sri Lanka’s first nationwide vote since troops last year defeated Tamil Tiger rebels, ending a bloody 37-year ethnic insurgency that was among Asia’s longest-running conflicts.

“Whatever the government does has implications for how democratic institutions are perceived in the future,” Crowley said.

“It’s an unusual action to take right on the heels of an election,” he said of the arrest.

Another official earlier told AFP that US diplomats had been working behind the scenes to encourage President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government to be cautious in its treatment of the opposition.

Fonseka holds USresidency, although officials said it did not affect their position toward him.

Fonseka and Rajapakse each tried to cast himself in the election campaign as the man who defeated the Tamil Tigers. Fonseka also enjoyed support of some Tamil groups who hoped for more conciliatory steps toward the minority.

Western governments said they found the election credible, although Fonseka had vowed to challenge the result at the Supreme Court.

AFP