Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has instructed former President Maithripala Sirisena to complete the full compensation payment to victims of the 2019 Easter terror attacks by August 30. The court’s directive came after Sirisena informed that he had paid Rs. 58 million out of the Rs. 100 million ordered.
In April 2019, the island nation was rocked by a series of devastating suicide bombings orchestrated by local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat, linked to ISIS. The coordinated attacks targeted three churches and several luxury hotels, claiming over 270 lives, including 11 Indian nationals, on Easter Sunday.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had ruled on a fundamental rights petition, holding Sirisena and several others responsible for failing to prevent the attacks despite possessing credible advance intelligence. Alongside Sirisena, former defense secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former police chief Pujith Jayasundara, ex-National Intelligence Service chief Sisira Mendis, and former State Intelligence Services chief Nilantha Jayawardena were also implicated.
The court ordered Sirisena to pay Rs. 100 million in compensation, with Jayasundara and Jayawardena ordered to pay Rs. 75 million each, Fernando Rs. 50 million, and Mendis Rs. 10 million. The funds collected from these payments are designated for compensating the victims of the tragic attacks.
Originally, the deadline for completing these compensation payments was set for July 12, 2023. However, following Sirisena’s update that Rs. 58 million has been disbursed, the court has set a final deadline of August 30, 2024, for the remaining amount to be settled.
The Supreme Court’s decision underscores the legal accountability of top officials in Sri Lanka for their roles in the events leading up to the deadly Easter bombings, aiming to provide justice and support to those affected by the tragic incident.