Cardinal calls for action against masterminds of Easter Sunday carnage

Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith stressing a point (pic by Thushara Atapattu)

By Norman Palihawadana

Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday (2) said that there were no signs that the country’s vital security establishments were interested in taking into custody the masterminds of the Easter Sunday attacks of April 2019.

Addressing journalists at the Bishop’s House at Borella, the Cardinal said that the Catholic Church doubted whether the institutions that were in charge of the country’s security namely the Police, Criminal Investigations Department, the Terrorist Investigation Division and the State Intelligence Service, had performed their duties in a responsible manner in the run-up to the Easter Sunday carnage.

The Cardinal addressed the media before the AG’s Department announced it had been denied access to 22 volumes of P CoI proceedings on national security grounds.

“Although it is almost two years since the attacks took place, the authorities have failed to take into custody those who funded the terrorist outfit responsible for the massacre and those responsible for stifling and sabotaging the investigations into the attack.”

The Cardinal said the PCoI report had recommended taking action against Bodu Bala Sena, but the Catholic Church was not interested in the government taking action against any Buddhist organisation, except bringing the culprits to book for the dastardly act.

The Archbishop said that all along the Buddhist prelates and Buddhist at large in this country had stood by the Catholic Church.

“Certain elements behind the massacre are trying to seek the help of political parties to absolve themselves of the blame,” the Bishop said.

The Cardinal urged the political leadership to take action against those responsible for the attacks, without delay.