Colombo, Card Ranjith: 'A human chain to demand the truth about the Easter attacks'
On 21 April the initiative to mark the fourth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in which more than 250 people died. The aim is to unite two of the churches that were targeted in 2019. The archbishop accused government officials who allegedly covered up the events of corruption and lust for power.
Colombo (AsiaNews) - The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has called on Christians and the people of Sri Lanka to form a Jana Paura (a human chain) to demand the truth about the Easter Sunday attacks of 2019 during which over 200 people died.
For the cardinal, who spoke at a press conference yesterday at the bishop's house, the government allegedly covered up the facts: 'We remember well the statement by the former attorney general that there was a major conspiracy behind these attacks. A position also supported in his report by the Parliamentary Commission appointed at the time by the Yahapalana government'.
"For the good and future of the country," Cardinal Ranjith continued, "the citizens must know what happened during the massacre. In the past there have been murders, violence and religious and inter-ethnic conflicts, during which the principles of the rule of law and justice were ignored in order to obtain and maintain power. This corrupt political culture adopts the strategy of making people forget all these crimes. Our attempt is to show that we will not stop our efforts to expose these evil methods. We are convinced that if we abandon this effort, we will set a bad precedent for the country'.
During the Easter celebrations, a group of bombers conducted suicide attacks against three churches and four luxury hotels on 21 April 2019, killing more than 253 and injuring about 500. In January this year, Sri Lanka's then president, Maithripala Sirisena, had been ordered by the Supreme Court to compensate the families of the victims, after being found guilty for the negligence of his appointed officials, who allegedly failed to prevent the attacks from taking place.
"This country now has a deeply corrupt political power base. In such a situation, criminal activities could also be undertaken in the future to achieve or maintain power," the prelate stressed. "This is the context in which it is necessary to uncover the truth behind the Easter attacks and bring to justice the masterminds and criminals behind them. Four years have passed, yet it has still not been possible to identify the perpetrators and bring those responsible to justice."
"We therefore call on all citizens, regardless of their racial or religious differences, to gather along the side of the Colombo-Negombo main road, on both sides, peacefully, by 8.30am on 21 April to form a human chain joining St Anthony's Church, in Kochchikade, to St Sebastian's Church, in Katuwapitiya, in Negombo," two of the buildings that were targeted during the attacks.
Participants will be asked to observe two minutes of silence at 8.45am and to stand in line from 8.30am to 9am, standing on the side of the road, avoiding disturbing traffic. Cardinal Ranjith also invited those who will not be able to join the human chain to take two minutes of silence at their workplace.
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22/04/2022 17:21
10/01/2023 11:48
