Addressing the Media on Tuesday (13), Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith said there were several mysterious circumstances about the Easter Sunday attacks that still remained unanswered almost two years on.
He urged the Government to refrain from trying to sweep the entire tragedy under the carpet by making a few arrests and stop conducting haphazard investigations.
However, with a Police force, a CID, and legal system that act according to agendas of the political elite, there is a serious question as to whether it is possible to resolve these riddles.
The Cardinal cast doubt on the functioning of the Police, CID and legal system claiming that they seem to be operating parallel to the agendas of the political elite and questioned if the mysterious circumstances surrounding the worst terror attack committed in Sri Lankan soil since the end of the separatist conflict would ever be brought to light.
He said a letter has been sent to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with several questions regarding the probes into the Easter attacks pointing out the urgent need for answers.
The current regime came to power promising to punish all those involved with the terror plot. The public at that time was aghast with the deadly carnage; nobody thought that Sri Lanka would ever taste the bitter fruits of terror after 10 years of peace and prosperity. Almost overnight, the economic honeymoon driven by the tourism boom lost its momentum with several countries imposing travel advisories.
Things were not looking entirely rosy in 2019, with uncertainties looming over the country like a dark shadow. The authorities started probing a sophisticated network of Jihadi terror cells that had been growing in plain sight. With every raid the media followed quickly with sensational headlines; pushing the public to the polls to vote for a change that will make Sri Lanka safe again.
But despite almost a year’s worth of investigations resulting in a final report thick as a phonebook, there are many things that remained puzzling. Who can really plan a terror attack of this scale while hoodwinking the authorities? How sophisticated is the terror network in the region and who are they funded by? And most importantly: Who benefited from these horrendous attacks?
The Catholic leadership has called for an in-depth, impartial probe to find the truth. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said the document has been prepared by the National Catholic Proclamation Committee comprising seven Bishops, priests and scholars.
Persons who contributed towards executing those attacks, by foiling attempts by Police and State intelligence to probe the terrorists who killed 269 people, remain free and had even been awarded promotions, it further said.
The Archbishop said the matter needs further investigation since the former Attorney General, Dappula de Livera, claimed that the attacks were a grand conspiracy. The mysterious circumstances surrounding Pulasthini Rajendran still sticks up like a sore thumb in the entire affair that has sparked several theories.
The Easter Sunday attacks will always be regarded as flashpoint in Sri Lankan history that exposed its vulnerabilities when politics, national security and social issues intertwine. However, the truth cannot be hidden for long.
Even if the public is spared the details, the issues that led to the radicalisation and mayhem will only resurface to terrorise the country again. With full disclosure this administration will fulfil its pledge to seek justice and respect all those who lost their lives on that fateful Easter Sunday.