The new president met with families at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, where nearly 100 people died. The hope of learning the truth about the attacks influenced the last elections. Accelerate investigations, without excluding government responsibility. The support of Card. Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo.
Colombo () – He had already announced this during the electoral campaign and yesterday, October 6, he met with the families of those killed and injured in the attack on Easter Sunday 2019, in the church of San Sebastian de Katuwapitiya, in Negombo. Sri Lanka’s new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, reiterated that investigations will be expedited and steps will be taken to ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again in the country. “Justice will be done for the victims,” he declared at the place where one of the attacks of that dramatic day took place, which left 258 dead of 16 different nationalities.
Yesterday morning Dissanayake visited the church and laid wreaths at the monument built in memory of the victims, who in this place were close to a hundred, and was also presented with a commemorative gift. The victims’ families shared their concerns and difficulties with him. He pointed out that the Easter attack, which occurred on April 21, 2019, has been the most tragic disaster in the recent past and that it will not be possible to forget it with time. He expressed his conviction that one of the fundamental factors that influenced the people’s decision in the last presidential elections was “the hope of obtaining justice in relation to the Easter Sunday attacks.”
He then noted that citizens’ aspirations coincide with his own, and stated that his goal is to provide the justice and equity that people seek in relation to the attack. He assured that “efforts to achieve this goal have already begun.” The president also highlighted the importance of carrying out investigations without preconceived conclusions or prejudices and tasked the secretary of the Ministry of Public Security with ensuring a transparent and impartial investigation, guided by openness and objectivity. He then recalled that there is a widespread belief in society that the attacks may have been carried out to obtain a political advantage. He then stated that if hundreds of innocent lives had been sacrificed for political purposes, it would be an even more serious tragedy. He pointed out that if politics has reached such an extreme in the country, the first priority must be to eliminate this dangerous situation.
The president also highlighted growing suspicions that the government apparatus of the time was involved in the attacks. The new investigations aim to examine the existence of responsibilities linked to administrations. If such suspicions were true, he warned, the country would find itself in a state of dangerous instability and insecurity. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to discover the truth behind these events. President Dissanayake further noted that there is a need to provide justice to the victims of the tragedy to honor the love and devotion of their families. He also expressed deep recognition for the role played by priests, who contributed to avoiding an even more serious social catastrophe after the attacks. The president thanked them once again for their commitment.
The president also noted that for the past five years the people who gathered in the streets on April 21 – tirelessly demanding that the truth be revealed – were buoyed by a hope for justice that has sustained them year after year.
In his speech, the Archbishop of Colombo, Card. Malcolm Ranjith highlighted for his part that despite having asked the Human Rights Council in Geneva for justice for the victims of Easter Sunday, no solution had been reached. He also noted that, although the government has worked to offer the necessary support to the victims, public opinion continues to doubt the true cause of the attack, that is, the jihadist trail that led to the arrest of seven Sri Lankan citizens affiliated with the Thowheeth. Jama’ath Party.
The Archbishop expressed his support for Anura Kumara Dissanayake, recognizing the trust that the people of Sri Lanka have in him and valuing his integrity. He added that he believes the president will keep his promise of justice and call those responsible for the Easter Sunday attack for their actions.
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