News
Two years after Easter Sunday carnage, country on powder keg – Church
‘Some of those suicide bombers are still at large…’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Catholic Church yesterday (28) warned the government of dire consequences unless tangible measures were taken to neutralize the continuing threat posed by 2019 Easter Sunday mastermind Zahran Hashim’s followers.
Serious threats remained even two years after the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, Rev Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, parish priest of St. Anne’s Church, Kurana, said in his Sunday sermon.
Reminding the congregation that the Katuwapitiya Church targeted by a Zahran follower was situated just a couple of miles away from St. Anne’s Church, Rev. Fernando said that in addition to those who had pledged to mount suicide attacks being still at large, there were religious extremists roaming the country and thousands of swords and draggers imported into the country in the run-up to the Easter carnage were still unaccounted for.
Rev. Fernando, a former spokesperson for the Church, said that places of religious worship as well as any other place frequented by the public could be targeted.
Referring to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (P CoI) into the Easter bloodbath, Rev Father Fernando said that the Church was yet to be convinced that the government was on the right track to identify Easter Sunday architects.
The priest reiterated that the Catholic Church’s commitment to pursue the matter until the government apprehended all those allegedly involved in the conspiracy. Rev Fernando questioned the failure on the part of the government to take into custody Easter Sunday conspirators.
A dire warning as regards suicide bombers’ presence amidst the public was delivered close on the heels of the end of a three-day parliamentary debate on the Easter attacks with Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) urging the public not to target the entire community for heinous crime committed by a few. SJB Colombo District lawmaker Mujibur Rahman appealed that the entire community shouldn’t be held accountable for the Easter Sunday carnage.
Rev Father Fernando said that special three hour prayer service would be conducted beginning 9 pm Sunday, March 28 in the churches in the Diocese of Colombo to underscore the need to take tangible measures against those responsible. Multiple blasts claimed the lives of 270 whereas 500 received injuries. A senior spokesperson for the Archbishop’s House told The Island that the Dioceses countrywide would back their initiative.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka recently demanded the release of the entire set of P CoI documents to Attorney General Dappula de Livera, PC, following a meeting Livera had with Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith where they discussed the government’s decision to hold back 22 volumes on the basis of threats to national security. In the wake of the Church protest, the President’s Office delivered the entire set to the AG.
Rev. Fernando said that the national security was at stake as long as the extremists retained an arsenal consisting of suicide cadres. The priest said that no one would be safe until they were apprehended.
Police investigations have revealed that those who took an oath before Zahran to mount suicide attacks in support of their macabre cause included some women.
Lawmaker Rahman told The Island that the government should make a genuine effort to solve the mysterious disappearance of Katuwapitiya suicide bomber Hasthun’s wife Sarah, who had been with Zahran group’s rump. “We are not satisfied with the government’s efforts to track down her against the backdrop of claims she fled to India with the help of those who conspired.”
Public’s interest in the upcoming Provincial Council elections remains low, according to the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL).
PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi told The Island that there was an urgent need to encourage voter participation, noting that a higher voter turnout is essential for a functioning democracy.
Hettiarachchi said that the current level of political campaigning has been relatively subdued, with fewer aggressive or violent activities than seen in previous elections—a trend he described as a positive development.
He, however, stressed that local councils play a vital role in the lives of citizens, from birth- to death-related services, and also contribute to the legislative process. As such, voters must understand their importance and engage in the electoral process.
Despite the peaceful nature of the campaign so far, PAFFREL has received 20 complaints regarding the misuse of state resources and 15 complaints related to physical assaults. Hettiarachchi, however, added that no major incidents have been reported to date.
By Chaminda Silva
A group of 44 diplomats, including those from Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, the Netherlands, India, Myanmar, Palestine, France, New Zealand, Cuba, Egypt, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Canada and South Korea, headed to Kandy, by train, yesterday morning, to witness the sacred relic exposition.
The group travelled to Kandy in a special observation saloon of a train that departed from the Colombo Fort Railway Station around 7:00 am.
The ‘Sri Dalada Vandanawa’, a special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, commenced yesterday (18), and will continue till 27 April.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake, along with the ambassadors, high commissioners and other diplomats, participated in the inaugural event.
“This initiative aims to convey a message to Sri Lanka’s friendly nations that the country is recovering economically, overcoming previous challenges, and fostering national harmony. The event also seeks to strengthen international support for Sri Lanka,” the PMD said.
Yesterday (18), on the opening day, the public had the opportunity to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm From today (19) onwards, it will open for public veneration, daily from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm.
Police investigations have revealed that the shooting of a 27-year-old man in Ahungalla on Thursday night was a revenge attack. The motive is said to be his failure to carry out a contract killing assigned by a prominent underworld gang leader currently hiding in Dubai.
The 27-year-old victim, who was seriously injured in the attack, is currently receiving treatment at the Balapitiya Hospital. Investigations have further revealed that the attack was ordered by an underworld figure, known as “Abrew,” who is reportedly hiding in Dubai.
It has come to light that Abrew had given the young man a contract to kill a rival. However, since the contract was not carried out, the attack is believed to have been an act of retaliation.On the night of 17 April, around 9:48 pm, the young man received a phone call from an individual who instructed him to come and collect a packet of ice (a term commonly used to refer to crystal meth).
Accordingly, the 27-year-old arrived near the Revatha Primary School, in Balapitiya, Ahungalla in a three-wheeler. At that location, a hired gunman, who had arrived in another three-wheeler, fired three shots at him and fled the scene.
Despite being injured by one of the bullets hitting him, the young man managed to reach the Ahungalla Police Station in the same three-wheeler he had come in. Police officers then arranged for him to be admitted to Balapitiya Hospital for treatment.
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