Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The cover of the report launched by the Centre for Society and Religion and titled ‘Memory, Pain and Hope; Seeking Justice Even after 7 Years’

• A recent report regarding the carnage indicates that organising the attacks went beyond just a gang of suicide bombers 
• The Attorney General’s Department has so far filed 41 cases in the High Courts related to the Easter Sunday attacks
• Centre for Society and Religion launched its latest report titled ‘Memory, Pain and Hope; Seeking Justice Even after 7 Years’

Since 2019, April 21 is not just another day for Sri Lankans who became victims of the deadly Easter Sunday attacks. Seven years have elapsed since this tragedy took place, but the victims and survivors still await justice. Despite many commissions and committees that have been appointed, families of victims and interest groups who have been demanding truth and justice are yet to know the mastermind(s) behind these attacks. It is in this backdrop that the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) launched its latest report titled ‘Memory, Pain and Hope; Seeking Justice Even after 7 Years’ on April 17 (Friday). 

Progress of investigations 

The report sheds light on eight investigations which were conducted following the attacks. These include the Justice Vijith Malalgoda Committee which was appointed 24 hours following the attack, Presidential Commission of Inquiry under Justice Janak De Silva, Parliamentary Select Committee, Justice S. I Imam Committee, Justice Jayaki De Alwis Committee, Criminal Investigation from April – November 2019, investigation that continued from November 2019 to October 2024 and the latest investigation from October 2024 to present. 

The report indicates that findings from these investigations and committees ‘has characteristics of an organised conspiracy that goes beyond just a gang of suicide bombers who carried out the attacks’. It highlights the failures of intelligence agencies in acting upon information received to them and new details revealed by Hanzeer Azad Moulana through the Channel 4 video. 

The Attorney General’s Department has so far filed 41 cases in the High Courts related to the Easter Sunday attacks. One important case is the one being heard in the Colombo Permanent High Court, Trial at Bar against 25 accused. The case is being heard daily, and as one accused has passed away, the case is being heard against 24 accused.

The need to connect the dots 

Even though religious establishments including the St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade, St. Sebastian’s Church, Katuwapitiya, Zion Church, Batticaloa and several leading hotels in the country have been revived and restored following the attacks, the psychological trauma and the wounds of this tragedy remains fresh,” said Centre for Society and Religion Head Fr. Rohan Silva during the launch of their report titled ‘Memory, Pain and Hope; Seeking Justice Even after 7 Years’. 

But we are yet to know the reality of this whole incident. When would we know about the unseen forces behind this disaster and when would they be brought before the law,” he questioned. 

He spoke about attempts being made to bury the truth behind this tragedy. Such attempts are sometimes showcased as a drama, sometimes in media and at times there are announcements being made with much song and dance. Many forces are attempting to bury the truth. The fact that such tragedies should never occur on this island shouldn’t merely be a campaign slogan of sorts but it should be reality,” Fr. Silva added. 

Referring to a quote from Saint Augustine, Fr. Silva said that ‘in the absence of justice, what is sovereignty, but organised robbery’. Justice is not about a result of law, but it’s a fundamental pillar of peace. The objective of launching this special report is to keep memories alive, to go in search of the truth and to make some impact in this quest for justice. We see that investigations are now taken in the right direction and that has brought us some relief. But any interferences would further delay these efforts. We have come to realize that the findings revealed from numerous committees and commissions haven’t been investigated together and it is one of the obstacles along this quest for justice. Our investigation team identified that certain facts were lead to dead-ends and they were not subject to further investigations. Therefore it is important to analyse these reports in detail in order to connect the dots,” he emphasised. 

Call to expedite further investigations 

CSR also calls upon the government to expedite investigations on the following; 

• Abdul Latheef Jameel and the phone calls he received, 
• Revealing the identity of the individual named Abu Hind,
• Whether Sara Jasmine is dead or alive, whether she escaped Sainthamaruthu attacks and if she’s alive, identifying those who provided her protection, 
• The Vanathavilluwa incident and intelligence agencies 
• Conflict between State Intelligence Service (SIS) and Military Intelligence (DMI). 

‘Unseen forces’ at work? 

Speaking at the event, journalist Tharindu Jayawardena spoke in detail about evidence revealed during key investigations. He spoke about contradicting statements allegedly made by DMI during investigations to the effect that Zahran Hashim is not based in Sri Lanka but in India. These contradictions were observed during investigations conducted by the Justice Malalgoda committee. So it’s questionable as to why the DMI made this statement when Zahran has been working on the ground planning the attacks in different places across the country. While testifying before the Parliamentary Select Committee Former President Maithripala Sirisena said that despite having 7000 officers and seven regiments under the military intelligence this incident had not been reported at least once. Therefore the DMI’s role in this incident is questionable. These revelations further indicate that there had been ‘unseen forces’ at work when executing these deadly attacks. This is why we repeatedly urged successive governments to publicise findings of these committees,” Jayawardena added.

Key demands 

Some of the key demands included in the report are as follows; 

• Removal of current Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara who was the Commander of the East when the Sainthamaruthu attacks took place until investigations conclude, 
• Publicise all investigations and evidence records conducted so far, 
• Appoint a mixed commission comprising of local and foreign experts to study evidence and findings of all commissions and committees appointed to investigate Easter Sunday attacks, 
• Take disciplinary and legal action against those who obstructed and misled investigations and destroyed evidence,
• Guarantee the safety of all witnesses related to the Easter Sunday attacks

 Christian devotees carry a partly damaged statue of Jesus salvaged from the rubble after the 2019 Easter Sunday bombing, during a Easter procession at the St. Sebastian’s church in Katuwapitiya (file photo)