Pressure mounts on govt. over Easter Sunday carnage

The Catholic Church intends to formally request President Anura Kumara Dissanayake this week to relieve Deputy Defence Minister Maj. Gen. (retd) Aruna Jayasekera of his ministerial post pending investigations into the Easter Sunday carnage.

Head of Centre for Society & Religion (CSR) Rev. Father. Rohan Silva OMI said that they were in the process of collecting signatures from the relevant Catholic clergy for a petition to be handed over to President Dissanayake probably the day after tomorrow (22).

The priest said so in response to The Island queries regarding their plans to highlight the atrocities perpetrated on 21 April, seven years ago. The priest explained that an impartial inquiry couldn’t be conducted as Jayasekera had served as Security Forces Commander, East, when some members of Saharan Hashim’s National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) blew themselves up at their Sainthamaruthu hideout after being surrounded by the police and the army.

According to the priest, the signing of the petition commenced last Friday (17) and the process will be completed on 21 April, with the petition being handed over to the President.

Speaking at an event organised by the CSR to mark the launch of a special report on the Easter Sunday attacks titled, “Memory, Pain and Hope: Seeking Justice Seven Years On,” last Frida, in Colombo, Rev. Father Silva called for the removal of Deputy Minister Jayasekera and an independent probe into the carnage.

“We will formally request President Dissanayake to remove him to facilitate an impartial investigation.”

Leader of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) and ex-Minister Udaya Gammanpila told The Island that there was absolutely no need to relieve Maj. Gen. Jayasekera of his ministerial portfolio. Reiterating his long-standing position that the Easter Sunday mastermind was none other than Zaharan Hashim, who carried out suicide attack inside Shgangri-La Colombo.

Top spokesperson for the Catholic Church Rev. Father Cyril Gamini Fernando expressed confidence in the ongoing CID investigation launched following a complaint lodged by Rev. Father Silva. He said that although the investigation was slow it was being conducted systematically and they were satisfied with its progress. According to the Church’s spokesperson, the complaint was launched following the telecast of the UK Channel 4 programme in Sept 2023 that dealt with the Easter Sunday conspiracy.

Responding to Gammanpila, Dr. Rohan Gunaratne as well as Aruna Jayasekera’s statement in Parliament, Rev. Fr. Fernando emphasised a thorough investigation was required to identify those within the armed forces and police, particularly the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) involved in criminal activities at the behest of their political masters.

Rev. Father Fernando questioned their complicity and involvement in the 2009 assassination of The Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunga and the abduction and disappearance of media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda on the eve of the 2010 presidential election.

The priest emphasised that the accusations were directed at a small group of personnel regarding criminal activities and not the armed forces and police as a whole.

Responding to questions, Rev. Father Fernando underscored the importance of establishing an Independent Public Prosecutor’s Office to ensure fair, effective and impartial prosecution of cases. Pointing out shortcomings on the part of the Attorney General in dealing with high profile cases, the priest stressed the responsibility on the part of the AG to take note of growing public concerns over the Easter Sunday case. The Independent Prosecutor’s Office would ensure greater accountability and confidence in Sri Lanka’s justice system, the priest said, while referring to reported cases of conflict of interests.

The NPP manifesto assured an early creation of the Independent Prosecutor’s Office and the cabinet-of-ministers on 7 May, 2025 decided to go ahead with it.

Referring to a ‘B’ report submitted by the CID to the Fort Magistrate’s Court recently, Rev. Father Fernando alleged that the DMI continued to interfere in the Easter Sunday investigation. “After the CID recorded a statement from a person living in Negombo regarding the Easter Sunday carnage, a Sergeant attached to the DMI visited the targeted man’s residence. There had been another person with the Sergeant,” Rev. Father Fernando said, alleging that in spite of a change of government the conspirators seemed to be still active within that organization.

The Church spokesperson said that they still expected the government to implement the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) that probed the Easter Sunday carnage. The recommendations of the report handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in early February 2021 were yet to be implemented, while drawing attention of the current dispensation to the inordinate delay in addressing the issues underscored by the PCoI.

In August last year, the ruling party thwarted an attempt by the Opposition to move a no-confidence motion against Deputy Minister Jayasekera following his declaration in parliament that a small section of the DMI had been involved in the Easter Sunday carnage. The NPP asserted that in terms of the existing Standing Orders a no-faith motion couldn’t be moved against a Deputy Minister.

The Catholic Church has organised a series of events on 19 April and 21 April to highlight the need to bring the Easter Sunday investigations to a successful conclusion. Prayers would be offered at St. Anthony’s Church as well as St. Sebastian church, on 21 April, the scene of devastating attacks, Rev. Father Fernando said, adding that the Vatican Ambassador here would join the march from Maris Stella College, Negombo to St. Sebastian’s church in the late afternoon on 21 April.

By Shamindra Ferdinando