The international community has raised concerns over the arrest of retired Gen. Sarath Fonseka.

Arrested by military police last evening (Feb. 08), he will face a military tribunal on the charges that he had plotted with the opposition when he was Army commander and chief of defence staff to topple the government of president Mahinda Rajapaksa, said Lakshman Hulugalle, head of the Media Centre for National Security.

He had also created divisions within the Army, said Mr. Hulugalle.

Gen. Fonseka unsuccessfully contested the January 26 presidential polls, which re-elected incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa for a second term.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has told the media that he urged Sri Lankans to adhere to the electoral laws and to avoid provocative acts.

"The peaceful conduct of the first post-conflict national election and its aftermath is of the highest importance for long term peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka," he has said.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley has said the US feared the arrest of Gen. Fonseka would worsen divisions as the island recovered from war.

"We are following the situation closely and we have concerns that any action be in accord with Sri Lankan law," he has 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 has 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," the US spokesman has said.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International said the arrest escalated post-election repression.

"After the military defeat of the LTTE and a major election victory, President Rajapaksa should steer the country toward a better human rights record. Instead, we're seeing less and less tolerance for criticism," said Sam Zarifi, AI's Asia-Pacific Director.