His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, has called upon President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lankan government to initiate a comprehensive independent international investigation into the alleged plot behind the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
The Cardinal’s plea comes following the release of a controversial documentary by British television network Channel 4.
Cardinal Ranjith today emphasized the need for a “free, impartial, just, transparent, and broad” investigation, which he insists should be conducted by an independent international team. This team should be assisted by reinstating all Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials who were removed from the initial investigations due to political influence.
The Archbishop stressed that this inquiry should build upon the findings outlined in various commission reports that have already been presented, along with recommendations that have yet to be implemented.
One of the key aspects of Cardinal Ranjith’s call is the demand for an extensive examination of individuals accused in the Channel 4 exposé of being complicit in the alleged plot to create insecurity within the country. He urged authorities to thoroughly investigate “their role in this mass murder.”
To ensure the independence and transparency of these fresh investigations, Cardinal Ranjith recommended the immediate suspension of all officials within the police and intelligence services who may come under scrutiny, as well as those holding top positions at present.