NEGOMBO, Sri Lanka — President Anura Kumara Dissanayake faced an emotional appeal from a grieving attendee during a visit to St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo, where he met with the families of victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombing. The event, held on October 6, was intended to honor the memory of those who lost their lives and address concerns about the long-delayed justice for the attack.
During the gathering, one of the attendees directly confronted the president, expressing frustration over the lack of clear answers regarding the bombing. The individual implored the president to take tangible action instead of making political displays. “Don’t just show, do the work and show it,” the person said, adding that they would not have attended if they had known the president was coming, as politicians had left a bitter impression on the people.
President Dissanayake, acknowledging the pain and frustration, assured the audience that his government is committed to expediting the investigation into the Easter Sunday attack. He stressed that justice will be served and that his administration has already begun the process of uncovering the truth behind the attack, which left 274 dead and hundreds more injured.
In response to the emotional plea, the president stated, “It is wrong to assume that anyone, including myself, had prior knowledge of the attack. The incident was reported to the VIP Security Service, but we did not act on it.” He further committed to ensuring that a tragedy of this scale would not be repeated and promised a thorough investigation free from political biases.
The president also laid floral tributes at the memorial in honor of the victims. His visit marked a solemn moment of reflection on the tragedy, with religious leaders and family members joining him in commemorating the lives lost. His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, expressed hope that the president would deliver the long-awaited justice that has eluded the victims for over five years.
Cardinal Ranjith, who has been an outspoken advocate for the victims, reiterated the need for answers, stating that while material support for the victims is important, it does not address the core issue: the cause of the attack. He also acknowledged President Dissanayake’s integrity, saying, “We trust in the honesty of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and we believe he will follow through on his promise.”
The president emphasized that the tragedy should not be forgotten or buried in history and expressed his hope that the investigation would uncover whether political motives were involved in orchestrating the attack. He added that it is essential to understand whether the government machinery at the time was complicit and vowed that such suspicions would be thoroughly investigated to prevent future national instability.
The visit concluded with President Dissanayake reaffirming his dedication to justice for the victims and promising to work tirelessly to uncover the full truth behind the devastating attacks of April 21, 2019.
