News

Easter Attacks: Fmr. Intel. chief completes Rs. 75 mn. payment

Published

9 months ago

October 7, 2024

editor

Former Chief of the State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardena has informed the Supreme Court that he has completed the payment of the remaining compensation amounting to Rs. 65 million related to the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

This was conveyed through his legal counsel.

Previously, the Supreme Court had ordered Jayawardena to pay a total of Rs. 75 million in compensation in connection with fundamental rights petitions filed regarding the Easter Sunday attacks.

He had already paid Rs. 10 million, and with this final payment, the full amount has now been settled.

On the 12th of January 2023, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ordered the government pay Rs. 1 Million as compensation per person to those who were killed in the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks.

The Supreme Court ruled that the respondents named in the Fundamental Rights petitions for failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, despite having credible information of an imminent attack, had violated the Fundamental Rights of the petitioners.

The respondents named in the petitions are Former President Maithripala Sirisena, Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, Former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara, Former National Intelligence Service Chief Sisira Mendis, and Former State Intelligence Services Chief Nilantha Jayawardena.

Court ordered Former President Maithripala Sirisena to pay a compensation of Rs. 100 Million, Former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara & Former State Intelligence Services Chief Nilantha Jayawardene to pay a compensation of Rs. 75 Million each, Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando to pay a compensation of Rs. 50 Million.

Former National Intelligence Service Chief Sisira Mendis was ordered by the court to pay a compensation of Rs. 10 Million.

The Supreme Court said that all these funds need to be collected and be used to compensate the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks.

Accordingly, the government must make available Rs. 1 Million per person killed in the terror attacks, and Rs. 500,000/- to each person injured in the attacks.

(News1st)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by News1st has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Bus associations oppose proposal of 2% fare reduction

Published

1 hour ago

June 25, 2025

editor

The government’s proposal to reduce bus fares by a 2% effective from July 01 has led to the strong disapproval of bus associations, reports say.

It was also proposed not to revise the minimum fare.

The announcement was made during a meeting between officials of the Transport Ministry and representatives of private bus associations to discuss the annual bus fare revision, scheduled for July 01.

News

UN Rights chief meets families of missing persons

Published

1 hour ago

June 25, 2025

editor

A group of activists and families of missing persons handed over letters and memorandums to the visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in Trincomalee today (June 25).

UN Human Rights Spokesperson – Jeremy Laurence, who is accompanying the High Commissioner, said while in Trincomalee that Mr. Volker Turk expressed sorrow and solidarity with the families of the disappeared.

Meanwhile, a peaceful demonstration was also held in Trincomalee during this visit, where a group of activists and victims of disappearances was seen holding placards and banners.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will visit Kandy before concluding his official visit to Sri Lanka tomorrow (June 26) after a special press briefing in Colombo.

News

200 new super luxury buses to be procured for expressways

Published

1 hour ago

June 25, 2025

editor

There is an urgent need to introduce new buses to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus fleet, as nearly 52% of the regular bus fleet of the Sri Lanka Transport Board and nearly 94% of the luxury bus fleet have exceeded the economic life span.

As to the insufficient buses to meet the passenger demand on the expressway, the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) is currently operating 61 luxury buses belonging to the private sector on a profit-sharing basis.

Therefore, the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has decided to purchase 200 new super-luxury buses by using their own funds.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, Port and Civil Aviation to purchase 29 super luxury buses through the financially capable depots and to purchase the remaining buses by making a down payment using SLTB funds and the balance to be paid in monthly instalments over a period of 5 years.