The Catholic Church is expecting to hand over a plan prepared by them on uncovering the truth behind the Easter Sunday terror attacks of 21 April 2019 to the Government, and have discussions on the same in the near future.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Media Spokesperson for the Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Father Cyril Gamini Fernando said that the National People’s Power Government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will have to restart the process of uncovering the truth behind the terror attacks from the point where the related investigations are alleged to have been halted with the former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Government’s alleged decision to transfer hundreds of Criminal Investigation Department officers including its former Director, Senior Superintendent of Police Shani Abeysekara. “Numerous revelations were made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that investigated the terror attacks, yet, no action followed. If the current Government, led by Dissanayake, really wants to do this, they must focus on three key aspects. Firstly, the part about the individuals responsible for planting the bomb, who are now deceased, should be made clear. Secondly, the CoI’s recommendations against those who neglected their duties, allowing this to occur, must be enforced. Thirdly, uncover the full truth behind the attack — who did it, why they did it, and how it was executed. It’s not so much about handing out punishments, but this truth should come out,” he explained.
When queried as to whether there will be any discussion between the Church and the Government on the matter, Fernando said: “They just began it. We are hopeful that we will have discussions with them on how to do it and all. They may have prepared a plan. We also have a plan, and we are going to hand it over to them. Then, there will be discussions between the Government and us.”
On 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday, three Churches (the St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, the St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, and the Zion Church in Batticaloa) and three luxury Hotels in Colombo (the Cinnamon Grand Colombo, The Kingsbury Colombo, and the Shangri-La Colombo) were targeted in a series of coordinated suicide bombings. Later that day, another two bomb explosions took place at a house in Dematagoda and the Tropical Inn Lodge in Dehiwala. More than 270 people excluding the bombers were killed, and due to the bombings, hundreds were injured and maimed, some permanently.
The Church has since accused the Governments led by former Presidents Maithripala Sirisena, Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe of not having carried out impartial and independent investigations into the matter and brought the culprits to justice.