Colombo Archbishop calls for independent international probe on Channel 4 revelations

Expresses gratitude to Channel 4 for its efforts to reveal truth. Says yet another Parliamentary committee probe will prove futile. Asks government to temporarily suspend SDIGs Nilantha Jayawardena and Deshabandu Tennekoon until probe is completed. Urges the government  to include former CID sleuths in charge of probe into local investigations team. calls upon to organize special prayers in all Catholic Churches on Friday the 8th September, the Birthday of Blessed Mother Mary seeking the  truth and justice in this matter.

The Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has called for a proper investigation to be carried out based on the facts revealed by the Channel 4 program on the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

“Any investigation into the revelations made by the Channel 4 documentary on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks must be conducted by an international team of independent sleuths.” Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith said speaking to media in Colombo yesterday, 06th of August.

At the media briefing held at the Archbishop’s House, he slammed the government’s latest announcement on appointing a Parliamentary Select Committee to probe the matters revealed by the program regarding the attacks, while noting that in spite of the fact that from the day of the attacks, even though a parliamentary select Committee and a Presidential Commission of Inquiry as well as other Committees were appointed to investigate these sad events and many recommendations were made by them, there have been no credible and positive action by the political authorities over these recommendations.

” The present and previous government paid only lip service to such findings,” said Archbishop.

“No tangible and credible results might emerge from yet another such Parliamentary Select Committee if it is only a matter of producing a report,” he said.

“In that light, appointing such a select committee will only lead to a waste of public funds and time and be an exercise of simply misleading the public. For this reason, we do not endorse such a strategy and reject that plan outright.” he added.

Archbishop Ranjith highlighted four matters of great interest saying “what according to us needs to happen urgently.”

1) The holding of a free, impartial, just, transparent and broad based investigation into what the Channel 4 Television Network revealed in its programme, the alleged plot behind that tragedy and all facts and a study of the persons mentioned in that programme especially with regard to their role in this mass murder.

And also, investigations should be carried out on the findings outlined in the various commission reports already presented, and the recommendations stated need to be implemented fully.

2) This investigation should take place through an independent international investigation team.

3) That international team should be assisted by all those Sri Lankan officials of the CID whose services were originally sought by the government and who were transferred away from the investigations to other areas and posts by biased political authorities.

4) Since these fresh investigations need to be independent, all those officials who in the police and the intelligence services coming under investigation on this matter and who hold high positions presently should be suspended forthwith. Any such officials named in the Channel 4 programme should move out of their present high positions in order to ensure the independence of the inquiry.

Also, the Archbishop urged all former and present day officials in the Police and Intelligence as well as Security Services who are aware of other facts that maybe relevant to the case, to come out courageously in order to give witness to facts known to them, relevant to the case.

Also, Archbishop called for the temporary suspension of any security and intelligence officials who might hinder an investigation into the matter including individuals such as Senior DIG (Western Province) Deshabandu Tennekoon and Senior DIG (Administration) Nilantha Jayawardena, both of whom faced allegations of negligence in preventing the attack.

“This suspension should last until the investigation reaches its conclusion,” he said.

He also urged the government to incorporate all officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) who were initially part of the investigations but later faced political retaliation and transfers, as members of the local team supporting the international probe.

“We sincerely hope that all those requests will be faithfully carried out by the Hon. President and the Government of Sri Lanka. Unless such a transparent and sincere investigation is launched, we do not feel that truth and justice will be meted out to the innocent victims of the 2019 Easter attacks. We urge the President and the Government to launch such an investigation urgently so that their credibility with regard to justice for the victims will be safeguarded.”

“We do not believe in mere promises, but we need action and action that is absolutely independent, transparent and internationally monitored.” the Archbishop stressed.

Archbishop Ranjith also calls upon all Rev. Fathers to organize at Parish level on Friday the 8th September, the Birthday of the Blessed Mother Mary, special prayers in all our Churches at 6.30 p.m., stated in the press release issued at the press briefing.

“urged our flock to attend and pray for truth and justice in this matter. Special ceremonies will be held on that day at 6.30 p.m. at both St. Sebastian’s Church, Katuwapitiya presided over by His Lordship Bishop J D Anthony and at St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade, Colombo 13, presided over by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo. Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will follow with the recitation of special prayers for justice for the Easter bombing victims and our beloved motherland.” Archbishop stated in the press release.

END.