Sri Lanka Freedom Party Chairman and former President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday (31) that he will contest the next Presidential Election.
He added that he believes that he could come forward to contest the election from the SLFP and win. The former President was speaking at a press conference held at the party headquarters yesterday.
He also apologized to the Catholic Community for the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019.
The former President expressed regret to the victim’s families for the Easter Sunday attacks that took place during his rule.
He said that the judgement given by the court has not stated that he made a mistake that led to the attacks when he was head of State.
Former President Sirisena said that he will receive the support of everyone in the SLFP for this. He also said that with the verdict given by the Supreme Court regarding the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, various types of conspiracies are in operation against him and that he is not scared of any of those.
The Former President stated that from two weeks before the verdict was announced regarding the terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday, certain national media launched mud-slinging campaigns against him and that some media is attempting to point out that he got together with Zaharan and carried out the terrorist attacks.
The former President said the Supreme Court has issued a verdict regarding the terrorist attacks that took place on Easter Sunday. I am a citizen of this country too.
“ I respect the law of this country. It was reported that a request had been made from the Attorney General by a group of members of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya to take action against relevant persons concerning the verdict given on the terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday. I am in agreement with that proposal. Those who carried out the Easter
Sunday attacks should be punished. I did not get together with Zaharan and do this. He said that he succeeded in prosecuting around 160 terrorists connected with this incident.” I completely destroyed this organization within a period of two, three weeks. Terrorist attacks have taken place during the tenure of every President of this country. Bomb attacks took place throughout the country during the eras of all Presidents who were in power when the war prevailed. Human lives were destroyed,”he said.
The former President added that the court verdict states that no intelligence information was reported to the President regarding bomb attacks that took place on Easter Sunday.”I was ordered to pay a certain amount, since the officials I appointed did not carry out their duties properly. I respect the judiciary of this country. I will act according to the verdict given. At the same time, I will not be shaken by any of these things. I will have to face various types of harassment in the future. They will try to imprison me through various other things. But I will not be shaken by anything,”he said.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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