It has been five years since the harrowing events of 21 April 2019, when a coordinated series of bombings struck churches and hotels across Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.
The tragedy, orchestrated by the Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ), claimed 269 lives and left over 500 injured, shaking the country to its core. For the families of those who perished and for survivors who carry both physical and emotional scars, the quest for justice has become a long, painful journey.
Yet, every government that has come to power since the Easter attacks has made grand promises of delivering justice to the victims. The new administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the latest to step into this complex and highly sensitive terrain.
During a recent visit to St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, one of the attack’s epicentres, Dissanayake pledged to expedite investigations and finally bring the culprits to justice. But for many victims, the question remains: is this just another political manoeuvre or will this Government finally deliver?
The cycle of promises
Easter Attack Victims’ Collective Head Nishantha Mohandiram reflected a sentiment felt by many, saying: “What the victims want to know is who perpetrated this attack, who is behind this attack, and why they were targeted. We never receive answers to these questions. We hope the new Government will give us answers.”
For victims like Mohandiram, promises of justice have become almost ritualistic, as each successive administration pledges to make progress in the investigation. However, with every new government, a fresh round of investigations is launched, and the previous efforts are often sidelined, leading to confusion and scepticism among the victims.
“We have heard it all before,” says Mohandiram. “But what we need are real results, not more words.”
National Catholic Mass Communications Director Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha Fernando shared similar concerns. “The Church expects the new Government to continue the investigations that were being conducted and to launch fresh inquiries into areas that initial investigations did not touch,” he said.
But even as the Church pushes for deeper investigations, there is a growing frustration over the lack of meaningful action following the findings of previous reports.
A politicised tragedy
As the country grapples with the aftermath of the attacks, it is clear that the search for justice has been politicised. The 2023 Supreme Court ruling, which mandated compensation for victims and held former President Maithripala Sirisena and senior security officials accountable for negligence, was a significant moment. But it also highlighted the pervasive belief that the attacks were not just a failure of security but a possible political manoeuvre as well.
“There is a widespread belief in society that the Easter Sunday attacks may have been carried out to gain political mileage,” President Dissanayake acknowledged during his visit to Katuwapitiya. “If hundreds of innocent lives were sacrificed for political purposes, it would be a profound tragedy.”
This suspicion has only grown over time, as investigations into the attacks have stalled, been redirected, or failed to hold certain individuals accountable.
Even as Sirisena and other high-ranking officials were ordered to pay compensation, many question whether the true masterminds have been brought to justice. The suspicion that key political figures may have had a role in the attacks – or at least failed to prevent them – continues to haunt the victims and the public at large.
For some, this deepens the wounds, making it harder to trust the Government’s promises of justice.
“If politics in the country has reached such an extreme, the first priority must be to eliminate this dangerous situation,” Dissanayake stressed, emphasising the importance of a transparent and impartial investigation. But these words, while powerful, echo the rhetoric of his predecessors.
The confusion
For the families of those lost in the attacks, these political undercurrents create an environment of confusion. Each new administration’s promises are met with a mix of hope and doubt. The victims, who once believed that justice was on the horizon, now find themselves caught in a loop of unfulfilled promises.
Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) Director Rev. Fr. Jude Vernon Rohan Silva has been an outspoken advocate for the victims. His organisation, alongside other groups, has lodged petitions urging legal action against those in power at the time of the attacks.
One of the key figures implicated is former Chief of the State Intelligence Service Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, accused of failing to act on intelligence warnings that could have prevented the bombings.
Yet, as petitioners seek Jayawardena’s arrest, legal proceedings are moving at a snail’s pace.
Despite multiple reports from the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI), including damning findings about negligence and lapses in security, meaningful legal consequences have yet to materialise.
“What good are these reports if no one is held accountable?” asked Devage Surach Nilanga, an Easter attacks victim who joined the CSR in its petition. “We want to see action, not just words.”
A wound that will not heal
The Catholic Church has been a vocal advocate for justice, with Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith leading the charge. His repeated appeals to both local and international bodies, including the Human Rights Council in Geneva, have highlighted the need for closure. However, five years on, the Church’s frustration is palpable.
“The public continues to question the true cause of the attack,” Cardinal Ranjith said during a recent commemoration event. While the Government has provided some support to the victims, the underlying questions of who was truly responsible, and why, remain unanswered.
Yet, even in their frustration, many within the Church, including Cardinal Ranjith, express hope that President Dissanayake will be different. “I believe that the President will deliver on the promise of justice,” he said, acknowledging the trust that many have placed in Dissanayake’s leadership.
As Sri Lanka marks the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks, the victims continue to carry the weight of unanswered questions and unmet promises. For the families of those who perished, the wounds remain fresh. Each life lost contained dreams, aspirations, and a place within their community. Their absence is felt not just by their loved ones but by an entire nation as well.
The victims and their families no longer want empty promises or political games. What they seek is justice – real, tangible action that holds the perpetrators accountable and prevents such a tragedy from ever happening again. But as the years pass and new governments rise and fall, the question lingers: will justice ever be delivered, or will the quest for truth remain mired in politics?
In the words of Mohandiram: “We have waited long enough. It’s time for action.”
