Maithripala says he will contest next presidential election

Former President Maithripala Sirisena says he expects to contest the next presidential election with the support of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). 

Joining a media briefing today (Jan 31), the SLFP leader expressed confidence about winning the election race.

“I am not the type of person to move backward. I am not scared of the conspiracies [against me]... Despite being harassed, I will contest the next presidential election with the support of my party. No matter how many votes I receive, I am confident that I can win the election.”

Sirisena went on to apologize for the coordinated suicide bomb attacks that devastated the country on Easter Sunday in 2019 while he was in office as the Head of State.

The former president stated that the Catholic community does not harbour any feelings of hatred towards him over this tragic incident.

Speaking on the sum of Rs. 100 million that the Supreme Court ordered him to pay in compensation to the victims of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings for violating human rights, Sirisena pointed out that according to the top court’s judgment, he was held responsible for the mistakes committed by the officials appointed by him as the Head of State.

Sirisena said, as a person who respects the country’s judiciary and the law, he accepted the judgment of the Supreme Court.

On January 12, the Supreme Court found the former President, along with former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara, former National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis and former Chief of State Intelligence Nilantha Jayawardena in violation of the Fundamental Rights of petitioners, by failing to take action to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks despite receiving sufficient intelligence information.