News
Easter Sunday victims on the path to sainthood
*****Even on the fifth anniversary of the terror attack in the Indian Ocean nation, the perpetrators are still at large
By Rubatheesan Sandran
(UCAN)The Sri Lankan Church is making efforts to launch the sainthood cause for Easter Sunday victims, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo said ahead of the explosions’ fifth anniversary.
Ranjith told the media on April 17 that the Church has started collecting signatures to send an application to the Vatican seeking permission to start the diocesan investigation of the victims.
According to Church laws, the diocesan inquiry, the first step in the canonization process, can be started only five years after a person’s death.
he archdiocese has started collecting signatures from Catholics nationwide for the application to be presented before Pope Francis, said the senior-most churchman in the Island nation of 22 million people.
The simultaneous bomb explosions in three Christian Churches and three luxury hotels on Easter Sunday of 2019 killed nearly 270 people, including 45 children, from more than 38 nations and injured more than 500.
“They [the victims] came for the Sunday Mass and the Easter celebrations. They never expected to be killed. This was an unfortunate incident. We are now going to declare those who were killed in the churches as ‘heroes of faith,’” the 76-year-old cardinal said.
Two Catholic churches — St. Anthony’s in Kochchikadai and St. Sebastian’s in Katuwapitiya in Negombo — under the Colombo archdiocese came under attack on April 21, 2019.
An Evangelical church in Batticaloa in Eastern province and three luxury hotels were also targeted in the suicide attack.
Cardinal Ranjith has been vocal in his criticism of governments over the tardy progress in the probe. Let down by the government, the prelate has repeatedly called for an international investigation.
Some media reports claimed that certain people in the administration allowed the attack to help the opposition party come to power, blaming the government for a lack of security.
Following the attack, the then-opposition party leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president in the 2020 national polls.
Critics of Rajapaksa, including church leaders, demand an international investigation. They say the real culprits behind the attack are still at large, and the successive governments showed little interest.
The cardinal observed that when the victims are declared “heroes of faith, the international community will come to recognize them.”
“We have lost trust in the system, and therefore, now we are going to appeal to the Lord for justice,” the cardinal stressed.
This year’s commemorative event will mark collective prayers and special Masses in both churches.
“We don’t intend to turn it into a political event because we don’t trust politicians,” Ranjith added.
He said on April 20, a march from St. Anthony’s church will head toward St. Sebastian’s.
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Brian Udaigwe and UN representatives are expected to attend the event.
On April 21, The Church will observe a two-minute silence at 8:45 a.m. — the time the deadly bombs hit the church gathering.
Latest News
Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.
Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.
News
“We cannot allow flooding to become a part of the daily lives of the people in the Colombo District” – PM
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that unauthorized constructions within the Colombo District, nor any form of residential developments that endanger the public carried out under the guise of development agenda will not be allowed.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the media at the conclusion of the Colombo District Disaster Management Committee meeting held on Tuesday [December 09] at the Colombo District Secretariat.
Addressing further, the Prime Minister stated:
“The Colombo District has become vulnerable to this extent due to the constructions carried out without any proper planning or understanding of regulations, along with personal and politically motivated decisions that have placed both the district and its people at risk.
Compared to the districts that suffered severe loss of life and property due to the recent cyclone, the damage to the Colombo District has been relatively lower. However, special intervention is being carried out together with the relevant institutions to manage the potential future flood risks in the district.
This matter was also given special attention during today’s District Disaster Management Committee meeting. We cannot allow the flooding to become a regular part of the lives of the people in Colombo. All relevant institutions will come together to put forward a common plan for flood control in the district.”
The Prime Minister further stated that discussions are already underway to provide sustainable solutions for the people living in high-risk areas within the Colombo District.
The discussion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyaratne, and Colombo District Members of Parliament Aruna Panagoda and Chandana Suriyarachchi.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The handover of 35 tonnes of Russian Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka, recently affected by the cyclone «Ditwah», took place at Katunayake today (10th December)
The shipment was welcomed at the Katunayake airport by Ambassador of Russia Levan Dzhagaryan, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).
Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan: said “This delivery is a reflection of long-term friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka and reaffirms Moscow’s commitment to support countries in a difficult humanitarian situation.”
The supplies brought by the EMERCOM (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations) aircraft comprised a movable 60 kW electric power station, Pumping equipment for water drainage, Summer tents (10-person capacity) and Food supplies (sugar, vegetable oil, rice)
The total cargo weight is 35 metric tonnes. The aid will be distributed among the most affected regions.
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“We cannot allow flooding to become a part of the daily lives of the people in the Colombo District” – PM
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