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Catholic communities across Sri Lanka participated in a silent protest on August 21. Churches, homes, and private businesses raised black flags in protest of the government’s ineffectual investigation into the Easter Sunday bombings of 2019.
The streets were lined with black flags as a new COVID-19 lockdown kept people in their homes. Church services organized to commemorate the victims of the coordinated attack were forced to go on without congregations. Still, this did not stop Cardinal Malcom Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, from speaking out.
UCA News reports that the prelate said the attacks could have been prevented. He cited evidence that the government was aware that Christian communities were in imminent danger. Even after four separate warnings from the Indian Intelligence Service, however, nothing was done. Cardinal Ranjith said:
Cardinal Ranjith went on to call the investigation a “great conspiracy,” further suggesting the slow progress is politically motivated. Cardinal Ranjith said:
New Indian Express reports that last week 23,270 charges were brought against 35 individuals connected to the bomings. None of these, however, have been identified as the organizers of the terror attack.
The Easter Sunday bombings were highly coordinated and allowed nine suicide bombers to detonate within three churches and hotels. The attack killed more than 270 people and injured at least 500 more.
The Catholic Church has called for action to be taken against former president Maithripala Sirisena and ex-prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The two politicians have been ousted since 2019; however, no charges have been filed. A commission of inquiry has found them both culpable for their failures to prevent the attack.
According to New Indian Express, Cardinal Ranjith said:
