The top court in Sri Lanka has ordered former president Maithripala Sirisena to pay compensation to the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attack by August 30 or face legal action. Source: UCA News.
Mr Sirisena told the Supreme Court during a hearing on July 15 that he had already paid 58 million rupees ($280,000) to the Office for Reparations and sought six years to pay the outstanding 42 million rupees ($203,000).
Mr Sirisena was fined 100 million rupees ($484,000), and former inspector general of police Pujitha Jayasundara and former intelligence head Nilantha Jayawardena were asked to pay 75 million rupees ($363,000) each as compensation to the victims, mostly Catholics.
Mr Sirisena was Sri Lanka’s president and defence minister when simultaneous bomb attacks by nine suicide bombers hit three churches and three luxury hotels on April 21, 2019, killing 270 people and injuring over 500.
The attack stirred a political storm as Mr Sirisena and then prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were blamed for their inability to prevent the bombings despite prior intelligence reports.
A British television report last year said a Sri Lankan intelligence officer helped engineer the attack to influence the 2020 national polls in favour of Mr Sirisena’s political opponents.
The Supreme Court told Mr Sirisena and others to complete the payment before August 30 or face legal consequences.
Mr Sirisena had sought an extension, citing poor financial resources.
Following a court order last year, the former president had asked the public to contribute to pay the compensation.
Hundreds of victims and their families are still waiting for justice more than five years after the terror attack took place in the South Asian nation.
Colombo archdiocese, headed by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, supports the victims. The cardinal said successive governments tried to cover up the truth behind the attack and sought an international probe into the bombings.
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Sri Lanka ex-prez, others told to pay Easter attack victims (By Rubatheesan Sandran, UCA News)
