Cardinal Ranjith condemns the State-sponsored Repression in Sri Lanka

In a special statement released on November 8, Cardinal Ranjit stated that “Cruel and intolerable suppression exercised or being exercised by the existing Government against the leaders of protests and activists for Human rights in the country, who speak out against rampant bribery and corruption and who organize peaceful protests or protest march against them.”

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said he hopes the “United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHRC) takes notice of the situation” and gets Sri Lankan rulers to work according to international norms.

Particularly, he condemned the Government for “the abusive and unjustified manner” in which the prevention of terrorism act is used for “arresting social leaders and those engaged in peaceful resistance to such policies.”

The archbishop raised concerns about the arrest and detention of Wasantha Mudalige, the Convener of the Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF) and Galwewa Siridhamma Thero, the Convener of the Inter-University Bhikku Students Federation.

Unwarranted recommendation to release Easter-attack accused

“They have been kept in detention over 75 days in an unjust manner without any clear accusations being levelled against them,” the statement said.

The Cardinal expressed “surprise at the lackadaisical manner in which people arrested and detained under various allegations with reference to the Easter Sunday attack are being recommended for release by the Attorney General's Department without any seriousness, making the whole exercise appear to be a drama enacted to mislead people.”

Cardinal called it “most unfortunate” that “Even though it is now years it is years after the Presidential Commission of Inquiry had named certain individuals as being responsible for the Easter attacks and called upon the Attorney General’s department to consider criminal proceedings, nothing has happened so far.”

In the 2019 Easter attack, 272 innocent lives were lost and over 500 persons were injured or maimed for life. “Their blood cries to the heavens for justice,” the statement said.

He also termed ‘the continuous refusal of the Government to release the volumes that contain the evidence on which the Presidential Commission based its recommendations” as dishonest and shameful.

"We hope that in the light of what our leaders are doing to those who are struggling to achieve a true sense of democracy and justice to the Easter Sunday victims even at the risk of being persecuted, the United Nations Human Rights Commission takes due notice if this and takes steps to get those responsible to follow internationally accepted norms and procedures in order to ensure a true sense of freedom and justice in this country," Cardinal Ranjith concluded the statement.

The government’s conduct by which human rights are disregarded and repression is promoted can no longer be tolerated, said Father Cyril Gamini, delivering a special statement by the Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, at a briefing

The Cardinal’s statement focused on the current economic crisis of the country and the state-sponsored repression unleashed which, according to him, have reached to a point of intolerance.