Cardinal urges forces to conduct security checks on all

• Cardinal says Catholic private schools may open on 14 May
• Says Colombo Archdiocese to recommence Mass this weekend
• Says Govt. is “trying to guarantee safety of the community”
• Says tragedy could have been avoided if political differences and bureaucracy was put aside
  
   

By Chathuri Dissanayake 

Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday urged the country’s security forces to carry out proper security checks without pre-selection, finding fault with search operations carried out in Negombo during the past week.

Speaking to media directly after a closed door meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena, who took time off from his only son’s wedding for the meeting, the Cardinal said that Government has assured him of safety for the congregation.

However, when asked if he was satisfied with the measures taken to assure safety, the Cardinal observed that the Government was “trying to guarantee safety of the public”, but stopped short of saying he was satisfied.

Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith gestures during the media briefing yesterday            - Pic by Pradeep Pathirana

The decision to reopen private Catholic schools will also depend on the assurance of the security situation in the country. The Cardinal said that schools may recommence their second term on 14 May “if the security situation is satisfactory,” - if not, the commencement date will be postponed to “till after Vesak festival.”

The Archdiocese of Colombo will recommence Sunday Mass this weekend, but it has been left for individual dioceses in the country to decide on when the mass is recommenced, “if and when the Police and security forces are able to give a guarantee of the safety of the worshippers.” Several Dioceses in the country, including Galle and Anuradhapura, have already conducted Mass last Sunday.

Dissatisfied with the way search operations were conducted in Negombo, the Cardinal reiterated his request to the security forces to carry out security checks on “all houses without selection.”

“We told them to check all the houses in Negombo, but what happened was that although they checked the houses, not all houses were checked. So when the clash occurred, they brought out swords and daggers which they had in the houses,” the Cardinal said.

However, although Police statements have highlighted that no sharp weapons were used during the clash and no injuries were reported, the Cardinal insisted that swords were used as per eyewitness accounts and information received by him.

The Cardinal also observed that if there were “no political differences and bureaucracy” in the Government, “this kind of a tragedy could have been avoided,” noting there have been “shortcomings in the communication in the intelligence services and the security apparatus,” of the country.