Sri Lanka: Cardinal Demands Independent Prosecutor’s Office

In an address during the sixth anniversary memorial of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith warned of a “deep state” embedded within Sri Lanka’s state machinery, working against the interests of the incumbent government and actively obstructing justice for the victims of the attacks.

Speaking during a solemn service at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade—one of the key sites targeted in the deadly attacks—the Cardinal alleged that remnants of a previously defeated political regime continue to operate covertly through a “parastatal” network within the government. He claimed this group is systematically derailing the investigation into the bombings that claimed 272 lives and left hundreds more injured, accusing them of manipulating legal mechanisms and institutional processes to suppress the truth.

“Despite the genuine commitment shown by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to bring the perpetrators to justice, these hidden forces still wield influence across state institutions,” the Cardinal stated. “The people gave this government a two-thirds majority to deliver justice and reform, yet justice continues to be delayed by those who fear the truth.”

Cardinal Ranjith did not mince words when he described the role of the Attorney General’s Department in the stagnation of the investigation. He recalled former Attorney General Dappula de Livera’s assertion that a “grand conspiracy” was behind the Easter attacks, yet lamented the apparent inaction of his successor. “Why has this serious allegation been buried?” he asked. “Why is the legal machinery moving so slowly? This is not mere inefficiency—this is obstruction.”

His criticism extended to the media as well. Accusing certain outlets of shielding political figures, he said, “Some media institutions have abandoned their responsibility to the public. They are operating as tools of political protectionism rather than instruments of truth.”

The Cardinal also expressed deep disappointment over efforts made by elements of the previous government to divide the Catholic Church and mislead international observers. “What we witnessed was an immature, even childish attempt to fracture the Church’s unity and avoid accountability. But let me be clear—the Episcopal Conference stands united in its demand for justice.”

In a bold and public appeal to the President, Cardinal Ranjith outlined a comprehensive set of demands aimed at reviving and fortifying the investigation. These included:

• The immediate release and presentation to Parliament of the final report compiled by the Presidential Commission chaired by Justice Janak de Silva.
• The establishment of an independent prosecutor’s office with full authority to pursue leads and bring prosecutions related to the Easter Sunday attacks.
• A thorough and transparent investigation into all individuals and networks involved in the attack—including alleged links between military intelligence and suicide bomber Zaharan Hashim.
• The full implementation of the recommendations of the 2019 Presidential Commission of Inquiry.
• An official probe into the Channel 4 revelations, which featured testimony by Azad Maulana—testimony, the Cardinal emphasized, that was dismissed without proper investigation by the Imam Committee under the previous administration.

“We cannot accept investigations that ignore key witnesses,” he said. “The truth must be exposed, not covered up to satisfy political agendas.”

The Cardinal also drew a broader picture of systemic violence and extremism, pointing to the attacks in Digana, Darga Town, and post-Easter riots in Negombo, Nattandiya, and Minuwangoda. “These were not isolated incidents,” he said. “They were part of a sinister plan to instigate racial and religious conflict in our country—an effort backed by extremist political forces that must be rooted out.”

Calling for a national transformation, Cardinal Ranjith urged the government to remove what he called the “murderous culture” from the state and replace it with a new ethic rooted in justice, equality, and religious harmony.

“Let us not allow the blood of the innocent to vanish into history without justice. Do not fail in what you promised the people, Mr. President,” he concluded. “Reveal the truth. Bring the guilty to justice. And build a country where such horror will never happen again.”