By Sena Thoradeniya

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has become a celebrity newsmaker, a prominent object of media attention, like a Cardinal Superstar! (No comparison with 1973- American film Jesus Christ Superstar”). Oftentimes he gets an opportunity to create news and get media attention. These opportunities are made for him by either local politicians and bureaucrats or foreign media channels, this time by the notorious Channel 4.

There are many unanswered questions, only Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith could answer. 

On 13, September 2007 at the height of the Ealam War (then) Bishop Malcolm Ranjith had a meeting with LTTE political head Thamil Chelvan. What have they discussed? We remember how another Bishop cried on behalf of Velupillai Prabhakaran that he was a human being” and he kills because of his love to his people”; it is a fact that when fighting for liberation of his people invariably atrocities take place”, and he ( Prabhakaran) regrets for the killings and destruction”, what he wants is peace”.

During the peace honeymoon with the Tamil Tigers who uttered the following statements in favour of Tamil Tigers? Police force of the Tamil Ealam, their courts, taxation and extortion have been recognised even by the international community.  We decide what Prabhakaran wants; that is the crux of the whole problem which is wrong; we have preconceived ideas of what he wants which is wrong again; the regions which remained hitherto as parts of a separate state need courts, a police force and an administrative structure; it is not a Tiger Police; it is a Tamil Police. That administration was established as an outcome of war; to administer liberated areas an administrative structure is required; what we should consider now is how this police force, courts and administrative structure could absorb into ISGA or Interim Self Governing Authority of North and East and how that structure adjusted with the national structure; while adjusting if there are weaknesses in the national structure, national structure should be changed.

Saying so these paragons of virtue gave credence to LTTE – proposed ISGA (in 2023) covering eight districts of Sri Lanka and advocated changing the national structure to suit the demands of the Ealamists.

Government should lift the ban imposed on LTTE; we must pray, invoke the blessings of the Almighty and His intervention for this was their call.  

Why did the Cardinal play the Godfather role to Galle Face Protesters ganging up with Omalpe Sobitha and sending hundreds of Catholic priests and nuns to remain in the protest site? Did he know that the LTTE rump provided Rs. 500 million rupees to the protesters and drug barons operating from overseas sent millions through Muslim Undiyal and Havala systems?  

Now he believes Hamsa Azad Moulana’s (alias M. Mohammed Hanzeer Azad Moulana) allegations, the newest Channel 4 star, against Major General Suresh Sallay. Before coming into conclusions has the Cardinal checked the integrity of Hanzeer Azad Moulana when there is ample literature regarding his nefarious activities? It was alleged that in 2008 Maulana with Pillaiyan and another had met some top-level Indian experts at the Indian High commission. It is believed that Maulana first went to India in 2021 and then to France. The biggest question is why he fled Sri Lanka in 2021 two years after the Easter Sunday massacre?

Does the Cardinal know that a close associate of Pillaiyan, President of Pillaiyan’s   TMVP (Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal) and Media Secretary, Kumaraswamy Nandagopan alias Raghu was assassinated at Oruwala, Athurugiriya in November 2008 when he was travelling in his Volvo? He was succeeded by Azad Moulana as Pillaiyan’s Media Secretary. When Pillaiyan was incarcerated in Batticaloa prison Azad Moulana had full authority to utilise TMVP funds. Conflicts arose when Pillaiyan came out of prison. Moulana did not have any alternative except fleeing the country, first to India and then to France. But he failed to enter UK. Now he will get permanent residence in UK with many more rewards. It is astonishing that the Cardinal believing Azad Moulana’s untruths as the new found Gospel Truth.

There are many reasons for the so-called international community and foreign-funded NGOs to fabricate stories against Major General Sallay. One major reason was the splendid role he played as the Director of Military Intelligence. International players know very well about his prowess as an intel officer which contributed immensely to the elimination of Tamil Tiger terrorists. That is the reason for selecting him as the sacrificial lamb this time. I was told by an expert that he was a master in tactical intelligence, strategic intelligence and above all else in operational intelligence, all combined in one, a feat rare in other intelligence officers. This had helped to debilitate LTTE operations in land, sea and in urban cells.   

Does the Cardinal believe that a Muslim can persuade 8 other Muslims to blow themselves up for a Buddhist to become the President of Sri Lanka and for him to flee the country in less than 3 years after his ascendency in fear of Biriyani eating protesters?

Does the Cardinal believe that the Local Government Elections held on 10 February 2018, in which 15.7 million voters voted to elect 8327 Pohottuwa councilors to 340 local bodies, a manipulation by Maulana and Salley?

Why GR had contracted a new Islamic outfit to carry out the bombing?

Why does the Cardinal call to remove security officers like the Final Judgement of the God? If the government accedes to all his calls the government will have to remove all officers creating another anarchic period in Sri Lanka (what he created at the Galle Face in early 2022). Is his intention to destabilise Sri Lanka, paving way for a foreign intervention? Does the Cardinal know that Salley was removed by Yahapalana Government in 2016 and his intel units were disbanded making an easy passage to Easter Sunday bombing?

If the Cardinal had studied the personal histories of Azad Moulana, Nisantha Silva Candappa (in January 2020 this writer wrote an article to The Island” demanding to take stern action against the then ambassador of Norway Hans Peter Mock, to declare him persona non grata, and demand extradition of Nishantha Silva Candappa who sought asylum in Norway with his wife and family, fleeing the country with vital government documents which were in his custody: but the weak President and equally weak the then Foreign Relations Minister did not take any action), Frederica Janz (who invented the story that at the final stages of the war army shot at those civilians who came with white flags),  Ambkika Sathgunathasan (the LTTE propagandist), Lasantha Wickrematunga’s brother, Kongahage (who benefitted from the generosity of MR and Sirisena), the main cast of the newest Channel 4 video, he will never issue his Press Release’ dated 6 September 2023.

Unashamedly he expresses his gratitude to Channel 4”. His concern is not to find fault with this Channel on its past relationship with this country”. This country”! Not his country! He is not concerned about tarnishing the image of the country by producing videos such as Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” (2011), Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished” (2012) and No fire Zone: In the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka (2013), by this channel in the past. He calls for an independent international investigation team”, again to internationalise domestic affairs. He calls for suspension of all officers named in the video, to ensure the independence of the inquiry”.

The Cardinal cannot deny that investigators from CIA, FBI, Scotland Yard and many more intel officers from several other countries carried out investigations soon after the bomb blasts.

The Cardinal and his fellow agitator Father Cyril Gamini now should be happy that they were able to take the Easter Sunday attack to the international arena; soon after the telecast of the video UNHRC head responded to it positively. No doubtthatthis will feature prominently at the oncoming 54^th UNHRC sessions.

The Carinal repeats what Sajith Premadasa stated making a special statement in Parliament on 6 September, 2023. Premadasa renewed his call for an international probe into Easter Sunday bombing. The Cardinal should not forget that his fellow chorister (member of the same choir or chorus) Premadasa was a Cabinet Minister under yahapalana government when the Easter Sunday attacks took place.

All are attempting to internationalise domestic issues. Not to be outdone by others and under the cover of Parliamentary privileges, Sarath Fonseka also called for an international probe; going further he alleged that Major General Sallay with Boniface Perera was engaged in countrywide bomb explosions in 2010. As the former Army Commander, he is well aware that bomb explosions never took place after the successful conclusion of the Ealam war until Easter Sunday attacks. Then why does Fonseka engage in a malicious campaign against senior officers in the army? He swims inside a cesspool saying that Sallay cleaned toilets of Rajapaksas. Fonseka was referring to a one-time General Officer Commander of Batticaloa, and Vanni Commander, a retired Major General, battle-hardened gentleman officer whom Fonseka hated like a venomous viper, the very first army officer who earned a Ph.D. by examination.

Did the Cardinal make any attempt to focus attention worldwide” for Truth and justice through a clear and transparent investigation” into Anuradhapura Sri Maha Bodhi massacre, Arantalawa massacre, bombing and destruction of Dalada Maligawa, massacres at Palliyagodella, Kathankudi, Eravur and killings of unarmed peasants, infants and pregnant mothers in the so-called border villages by LTTE? Is he aware that no legal action was instituted in favour of these poor victims even after more than a decade after the successful conclusion of the war? Why doesn’t he come out with the invention that Rajapaksas did not allow such a legal process as they were in league with the perpetrators of those heinous crimes?

Can the Cardinal deny that trading all sorts of allegations is tantamount to playing politics with Easter Sunday massacre?

Can the Cardinal answer at least a single question posed to him by Shenali Waduge in her post Questions for Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith” dated 2^nd August 2022? There are 47 questions, each question begins addressing Cardinal Malcom”. These questions are shocking, painful, dreadful, alarming and frightful, no divine power can save the person who is in the dock. 

Can the Cardinal Ranjith remember his own words that on July 21, 2019 he said at Katuwapitiya that Easter Sunday attack was an international conspiracy and not merely the work of Islamic extremists” to destabilise Sri Lanka, to weaken and demoralize the intelligence services to please international partners and international NGOs?” He declared that the suicide bombers were misguided Muslim youth” used by international conspirators” and head of the IS group is being sheltered by US. He did not forget to attack the UN representatives too. Why he is playing a different tune now?

Why does the Cardinal have no qualm with Ibrahim, JVP funding agent and its national list nominee, father of two suicide bombers? Can the Cardinal remember that Nalin Jayatissa, JVP MP sat in the Parliamentary Select Committee probing Easter Sunday massacre?

Yahapalana Minister Rajitha Senaratne at a Api UNP” press conference said that Sirisena’s Media Director Bharatha Tennakone (now domiciled in France and  carrying out a malicious social media campaign) who was a very close ally of the then Secretary Defense Hemasiri Fernando had posted a post on April 16 th April that something horrible (hada kakiyawana, mayil kelin wana, thrasthawadee kriyawak”) was going to happen and soon after the Easter Sunday attack he not only removed the said post but closed his FB account. Did the Cardinal pay attention to this press conference and take appropriate action?

When former Bishop of Mannar Rayappu Joseph openly supporting LTTE terrorists stating that I became a Tamil before becoming a Catholic” this Cardinal kept mum. 

Our Catholic friends are perturbed by RW’s political speech made at the Madu shrine on 15 August; more than his political speech they are shocked and distressed by the speech made by the Papal Nuncio. The latter’s speech based on 13^th amendment supportive of Tamil secessionists was deplored by them.  The Papal Nuncio blessed RW’s attempts of reconciliation. These Catholics are of the opinion that it was an attempt of intervening in the internal affairs of the country by the Pope’s representative in Sri Lanka as done by Julie Chung. Papal Nuncio in his speech did not mention about Easter Sunday victims. But he had enough words to praise RW’s attempt to full implementation of 13A.

They are unhappy about commemorations held every year in memory of Easter Sunday victims spending a lot of money. They allege that monthly commemorations were held only by Negombians (at Katuwapitiya). No commemorations are being held at either in Kochchikade or Batticaloa; the reason is that they are Tamils or non-Catholics.

Bishop of Mannar was independent enough to invite RW, a person who is despised by the Cardinal, who refuses to give him an audience. RW in front of two other Bishops from the South was allowed by the Bishop of Mannar to make a speech at the altar of the main shrine of the Catholics. This was seen by our Catholic friends as an attempt to harm the brotherhood of Catholic Bishops’ Conference. The Cardinal addressing the Catholic patients at Tewatta, Ragama, vehemently criticised RW’s speech at Madu shrine. Gnanrtha Pradeepaya” the Sinhala organ of the Catholic Church too attacked RW’s Madu speech. The present custodian of Kithudana Pubuduwa” joined the crusade in attacking the Bishop of Mannar for giving RW a speech.

Catholics opine that RW is trying to divide Catholics into two segments as North and South as he divided the country into two by signing a CFA. Against this backdrop Bishops of Northern and Eastern Provinces had demanded the Pope to appoint a separate Cardinal to North and East. Father Joseph Pathinather Jebaratnum has said in a public meeting that they are making this demand because they feel that the Tamil Catholic minority is being betrayed by Catholic Bishops’ Conference. He alleged that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference did nothing for the victims of war in the North and East.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith should dowse the flames inside his House – his House of Prayer before going international.

On September 7, 2023 former President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa issued a media release, first of its kind after relinquishing his duties as the President of Sri Lanka, on latest Channel 4 video. All Sri Lankans are aware that the government of 2015-2019 persecuted the intelligence and particularly the Military Intelligence and that a quite a few of its members spent months and years in remand and in police custody during that period. Hence any claim that the Military Intelligence could sabotage police work during the 2015-2019 government is plain nonsense.” The first few paragraphs of this media release are a clear indictment of the incumbent President, the man chosen to succeed him by GR himself.

A new question arises: why GR handed over State power to such a person?

GR’s comment on former Director of the CID Shani Abeysekera is very forceful. Leaked telephone recordings had revealed that he had conspired with a politician to influence the outcome of an ongoing criminal case in the High Court and he could not be kept in a position of responsibility in the CID under any circumstances by any government”.

Had GR shown this courage when dealing with corrupt officials, MPs and Ministers of his government and protesters he would have remained as the President.  

GR’s assertions that he had instructed Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe in Washington to explore the possibility of obtaining FBI/CIA assistance in investigations into the Easter Sunday bombings” and the reply the ambassador received from Christopher A. Landsberg of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, US Department of State on 7 April 2022 should have made public long before, not now. The response was dated 7 days after March 31, 2022. There was no wonder US who was engineering a coup to oust GR responding in such a manner that it would not make sense for the United States to conduct an additional investigation into the attacks” describing all what they have done with regard to the bombings.

The media release of US Department of Justice issued on 8 January 2021 quoted by GR should be an eye opener to the Cardinal. It says that the men were part of a group of ISIS supporters which called itself ‘ISIS in Sri Lanka’. That group responsible for the 2019 Easter attacks in the South Asian nation of Sri Lanka… …Two days after the attacks ISIS claimed credit for the terrorist acts.”

Earlier there were allegations that the FBI/CIA who came to Sri Lanka to assist local investigators had removed all the forensic evidence. Now how the Cardinal and his fellow travelers ask for a fresh international probe? In this context Landsberg of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, US Department of State has stated that it would not make sense for the United States to conduct an additional investigation into the attacks”. Does the Cardinal and his hurrah boys consisting of opposition MPs think that any other international team would initiate a fresh probe? It is only wishful thinking.

We will not be surprised if the Cardinal and Cyril Gamini cook up another story now that GR had released the report of Landsberg after the telecast of newest Channel 4 video just to avoid an international probe. Another interesting aspect of this whole episode good for conspiracy theorists is whether Mahinda Samarasinghe, GR’s nominee as the Ambassador to Washington had truly conveyed Landsberg’s observations to GR when the country was in turmoil.

But one thing is clear. GR has awakened from a deep slumber. Why he awoke at this juncture? We have to wait and see whether this herald his second coming”?  In a way, if that happens it is good for the country, rather than elevating a Basil, Namal, Premadasa, Ranil, Sirisena, Anura Kumara, Alahapperuma, Fonska, Ranawaka or any other aspirant for the top post.