Debate and key questions over killers

A war of words erupted between the government and the Catholic Church following allegations by the Archbishop’s House that not enough is being done to ensure justice to victims of the Easter Sunday bombings three years ago.

This week, Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, in a press briefing on the eve of the Sinhala Tamil New Year, refuted charges by the Catholic Church that the government has been derelict in its responsibility to provide justice to the victims of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks that killed 269 people and injured more than 500.

He said all investigations have been done with commitment and diligence.

So far, 735 have been taken into custody. And 27 cases have been filed against 79 suspects. The charges against them adds up to 25,653.

Also, an additional 170 have been arrested. Among them, 45 have been remanded, 13 in detention, six indicted, and 30 granted bail.

He said arrests had been made both overseas and locally in collaboration with foreign state intelligence services and security agencies. This has enabled the government to bring back 52 Sri Lankans implicated in the attacks.

The accused in the attacks have been prosecuted and all cases filed with diligence and dedication.

Secretary Gunaratne also played a video clip of extremist Zaharan Hashim, the alleged perpetrator, explaining his ideology and intentions.

The video clip shows the bombings were in retaliation to the attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15, 2019, when a gunman killed 51 during Friday prayers.

The Catholic Church was sceptical of these claims, and in response, questioned the moral right of Secretary Gunaratne, a public servant, to protect political leaders on allegations of involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks.

Spokesperson, Fr. Cyril Gamini said that although there was a general belief that the attacks were politically motivated, authorities had not taken any action to allay such doubts.

He asked whether any investigations were done related to that, and if any, to make such reports public.

Also, the church questioned why services of the Indian intelligence that had initially warned of the impending attacks, were not sought in investigations .

Questions surround the acquitting of officials who had neglected their duties.

Fr Gamini said the church has 20 questions to the government. These have gone unanswered.

Among the questions were as to why action had not been filed against those already identified for being negligent.

Last February, the former defence secretary, Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundera, who were in office at the time of bombings, were cleared of all charges against them after a trial. They had been indicted on 855 charges, including not acting on intelligence received before the attacks.

This angered the Catholic Church, which has expressed its outrage at the slow process of the investigations. The church later took the grievance on behalf of all victims to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to the Vatican.

The church also joined countrywide people’s protests against the rule of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and government demanding that he resign. Priests, nuns and the faithful took to the streets after Sunday service carrying placards calling for the president to go.