Cardinal welcomes Supreme court verdict

By Norman Palihawadana and Jude Denzil Pathiraja

The Bishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday commended the verdict given on Thursday by the seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court on the Easter Sunday carnage and said that the church anticipates criminal proceedings against some of the respondents.

The Cardinal said it was a historic judgement and reminder that powerful people would not be able to evade justice forever.

“Our future leaders, too, must realise that Presidents, or senior officials, can’t get off scot-free. The Easter Sunday attack was a conspiracy and the verdict is a turning point in the journey to find the truth,” he said.

“Some important findings of the Presidential Commission on the Easter Sunday attacks were hidden. The former President made a lot of false promises. He even said he would bring in the Scotland Yard. But nothing was done,” he said.Since late 1970s, Sri Lanka had become a country where those in power were above the law, the prelate said.

There was an alleged discovery of a bomb in the All Saints Church. Several innocent people were arrested. They were all released because there was no evidence. Is this how the police should behave?” he asked.