Victims up in arms over Maithripala & co. delay to compensate

13 July 2023 06:07 am - 26 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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-Former president Sirisena has so far paid only Rs. 15 million. Sirisena requested the Supreme Court for an extension to pay the outstanding amount of 85 million rupees through a series of ten equal instalments until 2033

-The national intelligence chief and former IGP have paid about 4.1 million rupees while the former defense secretary has paid only one million rupees

Claiming that those whose negligence caused the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 had shown no remorse by compensating them as ordered by court, several family members of the victims of the attacks who spoke to the Daily Mirror made a fresh call for justice for their lost loved ones.

President of the Welfare Society, which is a collective body of victims’ families at St. Sebastian's Church, Katuwapitiya told Daily Mirror, “It is not surprising that these people had not paid the compensation on time as they are so used to neglect things.”

“It is no big deal for those people who deliberately neglected the multiple warnings of a series of attacks to take a ruling of the Supreme Court for granted,” he said.

Leslie, a family member of a victim said, “We won’t get our loved ones back. However, those responsible should pay the price for their negligence. At least they will feel the pain with the amount of money that they have to pay as compensation.”

Sudara Fernando, who lost his father Sudeera to the attacks, said, “These politicians and other responsible individuals are acting as if they had nothing to do with the Easter Attacks, which is in fact disgusting.”

“I won’t get my father back. We don’t need this money but those responsible persons should feel the agony we are going through at this way,” he said.

W.P.A.W. Perera whose husband, M.J.Densil Fernando died in the Easter carnage, shared her views in tears saying, “We don’t want a rupee from the people who are responsible for the loss of life of my beloved husband. I feel ashamed of them and I don’t want to hear their names nor their faces.

Rupika Rosairo, the mother of a child who lost her life in the blast,said that she has no faith that justice will be meted out.

“I will never see my daughter again. Little else matters when you’ve endured loss like we have,” she said.

Meanwhile, speaking to Daily Mirror, Director of the Archdiocesan Mass Communication Centre Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha Fernando said, “The failure of the individuals to pay the respective compensation is a disgrace to those who died and who were injured in the Easter bombings.”

In a verdict on January 12, the Supreme Court ordered former President Sirisena to pay a sum of Rs. 100 million while former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former SIS director Nilantha Jayawardhane were ordered to pay Rs. 75 million each as compensation, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando was ordered to pay Rs. 50 million and former National Intelligence chief Sisira Mendis was ordered to pay Rs.10 million within four months from January 12.

Accordingly, the total amount of Rs. 310 million was to be deposited with the government's Office for Reparation within six months, before July 12.

However, none of them have fully settled the compensation before the due date.

Former president Sirisena has so far paid only Rs. 15 million. Sirisena requested the Supreme Court for an extension to pay the outstanding amount of 85 million rupees through a series of ten equal instalments until 2033.

Among the others, the national intelligence chief and former IGP have paid about 4.1 million rupees while the former defense secretary has paid only one million rupees.

The Court held that these respondents had violated the fundamental rights of petitions filed over the Easter Sunday attacks.

The Easter bombings, the worst attacks in Sri Lanka since the civil war ended in 2009, took place on Easter Sunday in 2019, targeting three churches and three luxury hotels across Sri Lanka, killing 270 people and injuring over 500. (Sheain Fernandopulle)

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Comments - 26

Eranda G Thursday, 13 July 2023 06:25 AM

The main culprit has not paid a cent.

Neel gamge Thursday, 13 July 2023 11:35 AM

True 100% correct.

Tissa Fernando Thursday, 13 July 2023 06:27 AM

They are waiting for money , at least something fir their loved ones, Sira please pay, you have money to pay 10 times more than this amount. Don't be a stingy man.

C.K.Lankaputhra Thursday, 13 July 2023 06:58 AM

Why cant the justice imporse huge interest for any delay. Then they will make these paymenrs swiftly.

Punchi Thursday, 13 July 2023 07:08 AM

Why don’t they solicit funds using the go fund me platform. I am sure that there are true patriotic Buddhists worldwide who see the virtues of their actions and are willing to contribute to pay off the incorrectly imposed compensation claims

Sambo Thursday, 13 July 2023 07:13 AM

All those who neglected the incident should have been behind bars. But you know one law for the politicians and another law for the general public. But remember God is watching very carefully.

Grace Thursday, 13 July 2023 07:13 AM

My3 recent visit clearly indicates that he is seeking votes from Northern people in the next president election. He will keep delaying payment untill then. If he wins with the secret understanding of Rajapkshes, he will get himself freed.

Eper Thursday, 13 July 2023 09:02 AM

Send all of them for life imprisonment as their negligence is unforgivable and a repetition will never occur

Citizen Silve Thursday, 13 July 2023 09:05 AM

How come MY3 cant pay the compensation when he bought the Property at albert Crescent and built a 4 story building. The property he built a palatial House for his son, Sell all and pay the compensation. The courts should not give any payment plan to him for siding Gota to kill all these innocent people

What justice Thursday, 13 July 2023 09:43 AM

These five persons may have jointly decided to wait until they reach the six month period to pay token sums, and then offer various excuses to waive off paying the balance fines ?

Canada Citizen Thursday, 13 July 2023 09:44 AM

Justice will never be meted out as the entire episode seems a planned game to obtain political power and therefore the justice system will never pave the way for justice. Anyway, the whole world knows the weakness of the justice system in your country.

Analyst Thursday, 13 July 2023 10:04 AM

But the R's who virtually ruined us by looting are scot free courtesy Ranil. No pay back.

Don Thursday, 13 July 2023 10:09 AM

Isnt this contempt of court? They should be behind bars in jail now, not out in the open. Will a common man get such leniency.

Donkey Thursday, 13 July 2023 10:17 AM

Pathetic and joke we know how our country values us very sad

Rev. Earnest John Samarasekera Thursday, 13 July 2023 10:23 AM

Only alternative is if they cannot pay the amount detailed by the courts in full, they should go to Jail..

BuffaloaCitizen Thursday, 13 July 2023 11:09 AM

But courts will do that to you and me but not to them, even in this case where it is negligence of duty and criminal dereliction. That is why this country has two laws.

Bernard Jayatilake Thursday, 13 July 2023 11:13 AM

It is an affront to the verdiict of the judiciary to postpone payment of compensation to the victims' families and they should remember that this is not something like arrears in loan instalments due to banks and the only place they should land is jail for their failure to honour the judgement.

Dinesh KT Thursday, 13 July 2023 11:15 AM

@ Citizen Silve: You are a nice creator of stories. Maybe you are working as a fiction writer. How can u say Gota was involved in Easter attacks... man , be pragmatic and use brain before u express or else don't exert ur finger tips. Will Muslim extremists sacrifice their lives and souls on behalf of Gota..and wt about Easter attacks that happened world wide, is Gota involved... our Pandits are very clever in accusing while never helping the country they pretend to be in love with.

Amarapala Rambanda from Polanaruwa Thursday, 13 July 2023 11:15 AM

Former President Sirisena has approximately 450 Acres Land just kept un-cultivated, if he can sell this land, it will be useful to poor farmers, and he also can come out from this Easter Sunday Attacks curse without being selfish.

Sampath Thursday, 13 July 2023 11:20 AM

You can't put a price on innocent lives

Equal Scale of the blinded lady Thursday, 13 July 2023 11:35 AM

If the law allows instalment payments to any citizen, then these few also will be treated equally by the law. If the process is unfair we must agitate to change the laws. Besides, a presidents monthly pension is LKR 97,500 (or US$325) so naturally he will ask for an installment plan.

Alasaya Thursday, 13 July 2023 12:05 PM

Two colors of the graphical representation must be interchanged to indicate dues. They were that much of redish racketors..

ANNECUNT Thursday, 13 July 2023 12:12 PM

Mr SIRISENA HAS 14 MILLION DOLLARS, PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A FACT

Karalasingam Sivalingam Thursday, 13 July 2023 03:25 PM

Karmic effects will follow the wrong doers, those who were in politics could easily pay this sum but they cannot bring back to life those who died due to dereliction of duties, Maithri got a chance to be the president which he would have never dreamt of it. "Fortune smiles only once", failure to make use of it will have to regret for ever.

True Justice Thursday, 13 July 2023 07:55 PM

They seem to belittle the SC by their actions. They have not shown much regard for the order of the Court. Now if the SC decide to impose Rigorous Imprisonment on them, they and their families, will rush to pay up their fines as they would not like to spend their lives with the IRCs in the prison. Moreover, they would not like such an event in the eyes of the world.

Tuan Friday, 14 July 2023 07:05 AM

As long as MR is a alive , MY3 and his clans will prolong the payments or go Scot free.

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Victims up in arms over Maithripala & co. delay to compensate

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