Sri Lanka Catholics Break Silence After Easter Sunday Bombing Probe

Sri Lanka’s Catholics on Saturday hoisted black flags to protest the government’s failure to carry out legal action against those they see as responsible for failing to prevent a series of suicide bombings on Easter Sunday in 2019.

Catholics hoisted the flags at their homes, churches, and public places across the country after the head of the church in Sri Lanka, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, called on the public to protest.

The bombings carried out on April 21, 2019, targeted three churches and three hotels. Some 271 people died, most of them Catholics.

The church also organized prayer services on Saturday, with limited attendance due to a nine-day curfew to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“We have been waiting for two years for a proper investigation into the bombings, but nothing has happened,” said Rev. Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, a spokesman for the Catholic church.

The government appointed a presidential commission to probe the bombings and the former president Maithripala Sirisena as well as senior police officers who were in service at that time.

They were found responsible for failing to act on available intelligence reports. But so far no further action has been taken.

The intelligence reports provided by India had warned that Islamist groups would carry out bombings on churches. Seven suicide bombers were used in the attack which was blamed on Islamist groups.

The government says 286 people are currently in custody, but only 32 have been charged in court in connection with the attack.

Some 7,600 persons were initially arrested and subsequently released.