Cardinal accuses security forces of placing 11 Jan. bomb in Borella Church

Tuesday, 2 August 2022 03:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Alleges there is only lawlessness or the laws of the powerful
Claims no justice delivered for Easter attack or Borella Church incident
Charges those responsible still engaged in politics or employed in Police force

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith yesterday claimed the explosive device found at the All Saints Church in Borella on 11 January this year was placed by the security forces on the orders of those in power at the time.

“The sacristan of the church or the poor people who came to pray the rosary did not place it,” he said. Noting that innocent people were arrested, assaulted and held in custody over the incident, the Cardinal said no justice has been delivered in this regard. “Despite calls for an independent investigation it has all now been swept under the carpet,” he said.

His eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith made these remarks during the 150th Jubilee Mass of St. James the Great church in Modara on Sunday.

Commenting on the state of the rule of law in Sri Lanka, the Cardinal said there is no law nor justice in the country. “We should be ashamed before the world. There is only lawlessness and the law of those powerful,” he said.

Recalling the heinous Easter Sunday terror attack, the Cardinal pointed out that justice has not been delivered in that instance either. “On 21 April 2019, during a religious service like this, bombs exploded killing 269 people in the Katuwapitiya Church, restaurants and hotels. The people were blasted into pieces but there has been no justice for the victims yet,” he said.

The Cardinal noted that those responsible continue to engage in politics and others yet hold positions in the country’s Police force.

Calling out the Politicians of the country for their duplicity, the Cardinal blamed the country’s current misfortunes on those who have betrayed their policies for power and wealth.

“We call this the Dharmadweepa (A religious land) but look at this religious land now. The society of Sri Lanka today has no policies or laws. There is no justice because the country is full of injustice” he said. The Cardinal called on those gathered to pray for the country and live a principled life.

The Catholic Church has continuously voiced its dissent against the former ‘Good Governance’ Government led by former President Maithripala Sirisena, Current President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the country’s law enforcement agencies for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday attack on 21 April 2019 which resulted in the loss of over 260 lives.