Six years after the devastating Easter Sunday bombings that shook Sri Lanka, a fresh controversy has surfaced around the management of a massive fund meant to assist victims. A new report by the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) reveals that Rs. 350.7 million had been received by Seth Sarana, the Archdiocese of Colombo’s social arm, from local and foreign donors. However, only Rs. 264.6 million of that amount has been clearly accounted for.
This leaves a gaping Rs. 86.1 million discrepancy—unexplained and unitemised—raising questions over the transparency and oversight of fund usage.
According to the report titled 6 Years Since Easter Sunday Attacks: Still Awaiting Justice, the disbursed funds have been itemised as follows:
The largest allocation—Rs. 102 million—was directed towards children’s education. The remainder was spent on compensation, medical expenses, purchasing land for housing in partnership with the government, and reconstruction efforts, including Rs. 10 million to rebuild Zion Church in Batticaloa. Notably, the report makes no mention of how the remaining Rs. 86.1 million was spent.
In the same report, it is noted that even after more than five years, the exact number of Easter Sunday attack victims remains uncertain, which has reportedly hampered the fair disbursement of financial aid. Families who are not formally accounted for risk being left out.
Responding to growing public concern, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith publicly refuted allegations made by former President Maithripala Sirisena, who had criticized the Church’s management of these funds. “The statement made by the former President is completely hateful and inappropriate,” Cardinal Ranjith declared. “We requested assistance from both international and domestic parties… I cannot tell just the exact amount—around Rs. 500 million that we collected—but we have the data for verification.” He said Rs. 460 million had already been distributed to victims and that audited bank records were available.
Cardinal Ranjith further stated: “If [Sirisena] had inquired with us before making such a statement, he could have obtained the necessary information.” The Cardinal hinted that the former President may have been misled and asserted, “There is politics here… our conscience is clear.”
The report also outlines updates on related legal proceedings, including the case against lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah. It points out that the trial is ongoing but cites that the evidence presented so far is weak. One witness allegedly admitted in court to fabricating previous statements made to both the Criminal Investigation Department and the High Court.
Another revelation includes administrative changes said to have been influenced by CSR pressure, leading to the removal of top security officials such as Suresh Sallay and the reinstatement of officers like Shani Abeysekara on contract terms.
The report concludes with several recommendations: expedite court cases, conduct international investigations, verify the exact number of victims, ensure adequate compensation, and make all relevant documents and audits public.
The Easter Sunday attacks of April 21, 2019, claimed the lives of over 260 people and injured more than 400 across churches and hotels in Colombo, Negombo, and Batticaloa. With continued legal, financial, and political battles unfolding, the victims’ families are still waiting for clarity, justice, and closure.
