Terrorism

How on earth can this be justified?

By Chaminda Tilakumara, Human Rights for Victims of Terrorism

I was astonished to read the news report on Sunday Times newspaper dated 9th July, with regard to paying compensation to the children of slain minister C.V. Gooneratne. The three children are to be awarded a total of Rs. 5 million of taxpayers money. How on earth can this be justified? I ask you, how much does the family of a brave soldier gets if he's killed defending the country? As the news article points out, so far the maximum that has been paid out has been a mere Rs 150,000. Ten times less what has been offered to the stricken elite children. Why is such an injustice of this nature is allowed to take place? How much has the other families of other 20 odd victims in the same blast, have been awarded? Let me take a blind guess - NOTHING.

As much as I hate to speak ill of the dead, I am compelled to reveal that late Mrs Gooneratne made a lot of money out of very immoral earnings. She was paid a commission on every textile export quota that transpired in the country. The exporters had no option but to pay-up and shut-up or be put-out of business. This is the sad situation with almost every industry in the country today. The total commission collected by the Gooneratne's must have run in to millions and millions of rupees. These monies must be stashed away in some foreign bank account and in investments. So there is no need to rob the treasury of much needed money that could be best spent elsewhere.

This Rs 5 Million can be spent on the families of our fallen war heroes who have been totally brushed aside by the authorities. It should not be used to pamper the already very filthy rich. Furthermore, please at least consider spending this money on the Army hospital in Anuradapura, which is desperately in need of getting the second Operating Theatre operational and is starved of funds as well as staff. Therefore, we urge HE Madam CBK to launch an inquiry in to corruption practised by high level cabinet ministers and review where this Rs 5 million should be best spent. Although our sentiments are with the stricken children along with ALL OTHER VICTIMS of this terrible crime against humanity, how can this pay out be justified? I eagerly anticipate hearing from a government authority on their justification of this decision.

_________________________________________________________________

Rs. 5m. for CV's three children - Sunday times 9th July 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------

The government has decided to pay Rs. 5 million as compensation to the bereaved three children of slain minister C.V. Gooneratne and his wife, sources said. The compensation has been approved by the cabinet and be paid shortly. Each of the Gooneratne children would receive Rs. 1,545,000 as compensation from the state. The Minister and his wife were killed along with more than 20 others when an LTTE suicide bomber attacked a war- heroes' day procession near Soysapura. Upto now the compensation paid to families of civilian victims has been a maximum of Rs. 150,000.