The Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka (CBCSL) has welcomed the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Easter Sunday attacks and has called on the Government to take immediate action to implement the recommendations and as a matter of priority with regard to those against whom criminal charges have been levelled.
The statement was signed by all 15 member Bishops of the Conference.
Excerpts of the statement:
“The Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka has closely assessed the present situation in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks on April 21, 2019.
“While welcoming the recommendations made therein, the Bishops Conference requests that the Attorney General be given full power and the freedom to prosecute immediately the perpetrators, those who aided and abetted in this dastardly terrorist act and those who were found to be negligent in carrying out their duties.
“We urge that the judicial mechanism be set in motion with immediate effect.”
“The CBCSL in an extraordinary meeting on March 9, closely assessed the present situation in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bomb attack on April 21, 2019.
“Almost two years have lapsed and the affected people are still longing for justice. The CBCSL along with the Archbishop of Colombo, has studied the Commission of Inquiry (COI) Report.
“We welcome the findings of this report and the specific recommendations that have been made. We urge the Government to take immediate action in the implementation of these recommendations and as a matter of priority with regard to those individuals against whom criminal charges have been levelled.
“We, therefore, appeal that the Attorney General be given full power and the freedom to prosecute immediately the perpetrators, those who aided and abetted in this dastardly terrorist act and those who were found to be negligent in carrying out their duties.
“We urge that the judicial mechanism to do that be set in motion with immediate effect.
“We have been made to understand that 22 sensitive documents have been withheld from the Attorney General and we feel that these documents should be given to him as soon as possible.”