The Supreme Court decided yesterday (24) to refer the Fundamental Rights petitions filed in connection with the X-Press Pearl ship fire in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters filed by the Environmental Justice Center to Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.
A panel of Supreme Court judges, comprising Priyantha Jayawardena, Kumuduni Wickramasinghe and Priyantha Fernando took this decision considering a motion regarding these petitions.
When the facts regarding the motion were presented there, the Bench decided to refer the request to the Chief Justice. Colombo Archbishop Rev.Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Rev.Fr.Sarath Iddamalgoda who is a human rights activist, two fishermen namely W. Gamini Fernando and Warnakulasuriya Christopher Sarath Fernando, Dr.Ajantha Perera who is an environmental scientist, J.Jegatheeswaran of the Environmental Justice Center and its Executive Director Hemantha Vithanage are the petitioners.
Twelve persons including then Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, former Ports Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Chairman of the Port Authority, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the local representative of the company that owns the X-Press Pearl ship C.Consortium Lanka Pvt. Ltd., Marine Pollution Prevention Authority, Central Environment Authority and Attorney General are named as respondents.