Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo, Sri Lanka, says the Church is still waiting for answers. Victims continue carrying scars from the bombings that killed 269 people and injured over 400 others on Easter Sunday of 2019 in Sri Lanka.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said that there had been doubts from the beginning that the attacks were just “the product of a group of misguided youths bent on terrorism” while speaking at a conference hosted by Aid to the Church in Need, ACN. “It was very well organized and coordinated. There were bombs in seven places in 15 minutes, although one of the bombers did not set off his explosives,” Cardinal Ranjith continued.
There have been several inquiries and commissions announced trying to find answers for the tragedy and hold those responsible for the bombings accountable. Unfortunately, many of these reports have been kept from both leaders of the Church and the public. So far, what has been discovered points towards wrong done by the authorities.
Cardinal Ranjith is demanding clarity concerning the possible collusion between Sri Lanka authorities, including intelligence services, government figures, and the terrorists themselves.
The cardinal explained, “The Parliament Select Committee report has leveled charges against the former President, former inspector general of police, former defense secretary, former chief of intelligence and other top-level officials, for not having prevented the attacks. They knew beforehand from the information they had gathered and also from warnings given by the Indian intelligence services, but they did nothing. In fact, the government seems to have done its best to prevent the arrest of the attackers. There are indications that the authorities wanted the attacks to be carried out.”
Cardinal Ranjith went on to tell ACN. “There is a sense of frustration people are experiencing. We have many questions, and the entire public is asking for answers. Why is it that those who were recommended for prosecution are not being prosecuted by the legal authorities? There are some areas indicated in the Parliament Committee report for further investigation, but they are not being investigated. Why is this?” he wanted to know.
The Parliament Select Committee’s report also pointed to collusion, that it might have been for electoral gain. “The committee makes a very serious finding in terms of the status of the state intelligence apparatus, where intelligence information known to a few was not shared with relevant parties. It also observes that further investigations will be needed to understand whether those with vested interests did not act on intelligence so as to create chaos and instill fear and uncertainty in the lead up to the presidential elections that were to be held later that same year,” said Cardinal Ranjith while quoting the report’s executive summary directly.
The cardinal said that while any justice that might eventually come will be too late for the people killed in the bombings, scars are still being carried, both emotionally and physically, by too many survivors of the terrorist attacks. Cardinal Ranjith couldn’t help but cry as he began sharing a couple of the stories.
“A man who lost his wife committed suicide three months ago, leaving his three daughters orphans. Another man who lost his wife and three children was living with his mother-in-law, but he had to leave, and he went and slept in the cemetery, where his family is buried. Another woman was a dance teacher, but the explosion left her bedridden. She has a small child, but meanwhile, her husband left her. The suffering she is going through is tremendous.”
The cardinal says that he will not take rest while he pursues justice and truth for the attacks. He recently returned from a trip to the Vatican, where he was received by Pope Francis. “The Pope has been a great source of inspiration and hope for us. He has always told me to move ahead, struggle with the people to get justice for them. That is the challenge I have,” Cardinal Ranjith told ACN.
He concluded the interview, “Help us to create an atmosphere where our questions will be answered by the authorities. We do not want to degrade our country, but we want to make sure the lives of innocent people are not played with by politics.”
Jeffrey Stevens is a Senior Writer with ThinkCivics News and a freelance journalist with The Jerusalem Post, focusing on the Vatican’s involvement in world politics. In addition, he is a published author and the founder of Gospel Grammar. Jeffrey is currently pursuing a second degree in theology from Aidan University in Jacksonville, Florida.
