Church opposes move to make key officer blamed for failing to prevent Easter carnage next IGP

By Norman Palihawadane

The Catholic Church yesterday protested against an alleged government move to promote Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena,  faulted by a special presidential commission of inquiry for his failure to prevent the Easter Sunday carnage, in 2019, to the post of IGP.

Rev. Cyril Gamini, Spokesman for Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, addressing the media, in Colombo, said that Jayawardena should be held responsible for failure to prevent the deaths of about 270 persons in the Easter Sunday bombings.

“We condemn the move to appoint him the IGP despite his dereliction of duties. This is a betrayal of all Sri Lankans seeking justice. This is an act of treachery against those who perished in the carnage and their relatives. This is an insult to Catholics and Christians,” Rev. Gamini said.

“It is also clear that the incumbent government, led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, is working according to a sinister plan to protect those responsible for the carnage and to hide the truth. Appointments of this nature only make a mockery of the rule of law.

This appointment would further tarnish the country’s image and would further isolate us internationally,” Rev Gamini said.

The Cardinal’s Spokesman said that the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, which probed the Easter Sunday terror attacks, had, in its report, identified Jayawardena as one of the persons who had failed to prevent the terrorist attacks. He had received warnings from local and foreign sources. But he deliberately shirked his duties. He also erased all data from the computers. The CoI further recommended action against Jayawardena under the provisions of the Penal Code. The government failed to hold a disciplinary inquiry and, instead, appointed him as the Kandy Senior DIG. He was later used as a State Witness against the former IGP and Defence Secretary. As reported by The Island newspaper yesterday (09), this person has now been promoted to the second highest rank in the Sri Lanka police,” Rev. Gamini said.

“We demand justice. We call on people to join us, condemning this sinister move. We abhor this move to hide the truth. We vehemently oppose this act of insult against Catholics and Christians.”