Sri Lankan Church leads justice march after Four years Easter bombings

The Sri Lankan Church led a 40-kilometer human chain with thousands of people from different faiths on the fourth anniversary of the Easter Sunday bombings to demand justice for its victims on April 21.

Many protesters wore black and carried black flags, along with posters and banners, and observed a two-minute silence in honor of the victims.

In Kochchikade, a suburb of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith spoke to religious leaders, diplomats, survivors, and families of the victims.

In his statement, he claimed that Saharan Hashim, the leader of the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), was close to the government's military intelligence agency.

Cardinal Ranjith stated, "We regret that the government has failed to investigate the relationship between military intelligence and Saharan's terrorist group."

He said the government should also investigate officials in charge of the intelligence unit during the Easter Sunday bombings.

"We have a question about how the seventh bomber named Jameel killed himself despite the opportunity to save his life. Did he explode, or did someone blast him with a remote control? We have a question," the cardinal asked.

Cardinal Ranjith said the current government's leadership could not be trusted.

Recently, media reports indicated that a South Asian nation that became bankrupt last year promoted police officers who held senior positions during blasts.

The Cardinal stated, "We regret that the Attorney General's Department, police, and the government have been reluctant to do what the Presidential Commission recommended."

According to the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, who attended the event, the Church would continue to elude the truth behind the attacks.

"The commemoration ceremonies are not to seek revenge but to seek justice for the victims and pray," said the Nigerian prelate.

Father Cyril Gamini, the Archdiocese of Colombo’s human rights activist, said he would continue fighting until justice is served.

The priest noted, "We will not forget the attack until justice is done and the culprits are brought to justice."

The vigil march began at 7 pm on April 20 at St. Sebastian's church in Katuwapitiya and concluded at 8.20 am on April 21 at St. Anthony's shrine in Kochchikade.

On the streets and around Churches, there was a heavy police and military presence.

Negombo police had requested that the protest march and other protest activities be stopped, but the court disallowed it, saying they might be political.