Colombo, former President Sirisena investigated for Easter massacres
The court summoned him to appear for Oct. 14, following a complaint filed by Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando and Jesudasa Ganesan, who had her leg amputated in the attack. The former head of state faces charges of negligence for ignoring alert reports.
Colombo (AsiaNews) - A court has placed former President Maithripala Sirisena on "suspicion" of involvement in the 2019 Easter massacres, one of the darkest and most painful pages for Sri Lankan Christians. Yesterday the Colombo Fort Magistrate - upholding a complaint filed by private individuals - served a summons on the former head of state, whose interrogation is scheduled for Oct. 14.
The magistrate upheld a complaint filed by Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando and Jesudasa Ganesan, who suffered serious injuries, including the amputation of a leg, in the April 21 attack three years ago at St. Anthony's Church in Kochchikade, Colombo. For the judge, the complaint has a legal basis and provides for the former president to be placed on the register of suspects.
According to the prosecution, Maithripala Sirisena was allegedly guilty of "negligence" in the performance of his duties while serving at the time of the events as president and defense minister of Sri Lanka. Hence the decision to prosecute him under Section 298 of the Penal Code.
In the days leading up to the attack, he allegedly received intelligence information warning of a possible Easter attack. Nonetheless, Sirisena did not take any preventive action or arrange for heightened security measures, guilty of "negligence" in the performance of his duties.
Commenting on the news, Fr. Jude Chryshantha of the Communications Center of the Archdiocese of Colombo points out that there were no countermeasures in spite of repeated warnings. "The Security Council," the priest recalls, "had repeatedly received alerts regarding threats of attack toward those who, according to the Islamic concept of jihad, should be targeted and killed because they did not profess the Muslim faith. Other reports referred to exhortations to carry out terrorist attacks. Nevertheless, [the institutional leadership] neglected their responsibilities, even though they knew this attack was going to happen they did not take any steps to foil it."
Nothing was done to protect the churches, unlike the Indian High Commission around which a security cordon had been set up. And at a time when the possibility of an attack was now certain, Maithripala Sirisena "thought it best to leave for Singapore for personal matters."
Fr. Chryshantha concluded "We consider him guilty and denounce him, because he in fact allowed the attack. Thus the former president has received a notice of indictment and a warrant to appear before the court on Oct. 14. We hope justice will be served."
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