Colombo, Sri Lanka – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka has expressed its satisfaction with the progress of investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which targeted churches and hotels across the island, killing over 270 people. The Church’s positive assessment contrasts with previous criticisms of the investigations under former Presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe, who were accused of failing to take proper action or conduct thorough inquiries into the attacks.
Father Jude Crishantha Fernando, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, told that the current administration’s efforts, particularly those of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), have shown promising momentum. The CID, according to Father Fernando, is now investigating areas that were overlooked during the previous regimes, including gathering testimony from individuals involved in the Channel 4 documentary revelations about the bombings. This is seen as a positive step toward uncovering the full truth.
Father Fernando praised the current government’s commitment to not just compiling reports but taking actionable steps based on findings. He emphasized that while the previous administrations had appointed committees to gather information, little was done to follow through with those reports. “There is no point in compiling reports; action should be taken based on their findings,” he stated, urging the government to continue its investigations with transparency and public accountability.
The Easter Sunday attacks, which took place on 21 April 2019, were a coordinated series of suicide bombings targeting three churches and three luxury hotels in Colombo, as well as additional blasts in Dematagoda and Dehiwala. Over 270 people were killed, including 45 foreign nationals, and more than 500 were injured in one of the deadliest attacks in Sri Lanka’s history. The Catholic Church continues to call for justice and for the responsible parties to be held accountable.
The Church’s positive remarks come as the government faces increasing pressure to ensure that all aspects of the investigation are conducted transparently and with the full involvement of the public.
