Colombo, still no justice on the fifth anniversary of the Easter attacks
The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has organised several religious celebrations and is preparing to name martyrs the faithful killed in the attacks that targeted three churches and two hotels. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith reiterated that he had lost faith in the government's investigation.
Colombo (AsiaNews) - On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Easter attacks, the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka has organized various religious celebrations and is preparing to name martyrs the faithful killed in the attacks which targeted three churches and two hotels. According to the most recent investigation into the tragedy, over 300 people, including 40 foreigners and 45 children, lost their lives on 21 April 2019, the worst massacre to occur in Sri Lanka since the civil war.
The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, during a press conference held on April 17, reiterated once again that he had no confidence in the government's investigation. “So far, those in power and even in the opposition have done nothing significant to find out what was behind the attacks, so we have lost our trust in the system,” the cardinal said. “We will appeal to the Lord to obtain justice for our people,” he added.
Today, after the evening Mass, a procession was organized from the shrine of St. Anthony of Kochchikade to the church of St. Sebastian of Katuwapitiya, which will pass through the main street of the capital during the night. The Apostolic Nuncio, resident representative of the United Nations in Sri Lanka, and several leaders of other religions are also expected for the commemoration which will be held tomorrow morning.
Other celebrations, including another procession to the Katuwapitiya shrine, are planned for tomorrow 21 April. “All the names of those who died in the explosions in Katuwapitiya church, Kochchikade church and Zion church will be handed over to the Apostolic Nuncio during the commemoration programs to be held on Sunday,” announced Cardinal Ranjith.
According to Catholic tradition, victims must initially be declared "heroes of the faith" before obtaining the title of "martyr".
In the meantime, a campaign has also been launched to demand justice by a group of 32 organisations, united in a collective called "Easter Justice Struggle People's Collective". The organizers explained to AsiaNews that they will ask people to sign a petition to present to the government.
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