News
Harin says he will reveal mastermind behind Easter Sunday carnage during parliamentary debate
By Saman Indrajith
SJB parliamentarian Harin Fernando says that he will reveal the names of those who masterminded and funded the Zahran Hashim’s outfit that carried out the terror attacks during the parliamentary debate on the Presidential Commission of Inquiry report on the Easter Sunday carnage, scheduled for Wednesday (10).
“Everybody knows those responsible for their failure to take action to prevent the terror attacks. What is missing in the report is who actually masterminded and orchestrated the carnage. We know who really is responsible and I am going to reveal the names”, he said in an interview with The Sunday Island.
Asked why he had so far refrained from naming those responsible, he replied: “I am in a situation where I would be hauled up and put behind bars even if I violate a simple traffic law. But I can reveal the names in Parliament. I would do so during the debate.
Excerpts:
Q: Diverse views have been expressed on the report of the presidential commission on the 2019 April 21st attacks. What is the official position of your party?
A team of our party members including its General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara and Niroshan Perera have seriously studied the matter. We have not received the report in its entirety. We have been given only one volume of the report. The other volumes have not even been placed in the parliament library. If we are to form a conclusive opinion, we need the entire report. My name has also been connected to the incidents because my father had been informed of the attacks by one of his friends.
I was questioned for about five hours. The investigators had found out the details of my telephone conversations etc. Anyone reading the report in full including my testimony can understand what we actually knew at the time. The volume so far released contains observations, conclusions and summaries. Even Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has stated that an incomplete report is not acceptable and our position is the same. There are stories of Zahran’s foreign visits. In 2018, Zahran had gone to another country. It seems that the full report could answer what the country was and how many visits he had made, whom he had met and the purpose of his visit. How could we form a correct opinion without knowing all these vital details which we believe are included in the volumes not released so far.
Even a child knows who shirked their duties to prevent the tragedy. We do not need a commission to find that. What the country wants to know is the man who organized and masterminded the attacks. This attack seems to be a contract taken by Zahran’s outfit. The country wants to know who gave the contract. Zahran is not the mastermind behind the attack because he was among those who exploded themselves.
Finally all I have to say about the report of the PCoI is that I am not satisfied because it is not complete and failed to name those responsible. We know that the man who orchestrated that attack is still around and living a comfortable life. This government came to power promising to punish the culprit of the Easter Sunday attacks irrespective of their position. That has not happened.
Q: A Black Sunday has been declared and the Cardinal has asked people to join demanding justice. Some people are going to put up black flags. Is your party too supporting it?
The Black Sunday commemoration is a decision made by the Roman Catholic Church. Catholics coming to the Church on Sunday have been asked to wear black. It is not a protest where you holding placards along the roads, as far as I know. Anyone who go to Church could wear any colours but on this particular day, they have been asked to wear in black. There would be prayer. In our religion it is considered that the prayer is more powerful when done together than separately. On Sunday, there would be such an event. The prayers are to seek God’s intervention for justice. The prayers are to be conducted on March 7 and I hope that by April 21 our prayers would be answered. Right from the beginning, I said that we cannot expect justice from anyone except from God. Now what I said has been proven true. We cannot expect justice from commissions or political leaders who are ‘double acting’.
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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