In a poignant event held to mark the sixth anniversary of the devastating Easter bombings in Sri Lanka, the Vatican has honored 167 victims as "heroes of faith." Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith announced the recognition during a ceremony dedicated to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks targeting Catholic churches and luxury hotels on Easter Sunday in 2019.
Vatican Honors Sri Lanka Easter Bombing Victims as 'Heroes of Faith'
Vatican Honors Sri Lanka Easter Bombing Victims as 'Heroes of Faith'
The Vatican recognizes victims of the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka, calling them 'heroes of faith' on the sixth anniversary of the tragic event.
The brutal bombings, which resulted in 269 fatalities, shocked a nation that had experienced relative peace since the end of its civil war in 2009. While Muslim extremists were held responsible, extensive criticism has arisen from victims' families and the nation's Christian minority, who allege that the government stalled investigations into the tragedies.
Further public discontent grew as revelations emerged showing that intelligence warnings related to the impending attacks were disregarded by security officials and government authorities. The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has since mandated former President Maithripala Sirisena to provide compensation to the victims' families for neglecting actionable intelligence that could have prevented the bombings. A trial initiated in 2021 against 25 individuals accused of orchestrating the attacks faces significant delays due to an overwhelming number of charges, with 23,000 counts and a vast witness list.
In a climate of renewed scrutiny, Cardinal Ranjith has alleged that the previous government obstructed investigations to protect those behind the bombings. A 2023 Channel 4 investigation pointed to potential collusion between state actors and the extremist group responsible, suggesting that terrorist acts were permitted for political gain. This narrative gained further traction when Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who capitalized on fears over national security to win the presidency soon after the attacks, firmly denied all allegations raised in the documentary.
With new political shifts resulting from the 2024 elections, the current government has revived investigations into the bombings, asserting that they were the result of a conspiracy orchestrated by specific factions seeking to gain power. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya expressed the administration's commitment to achieving justice for the victims, asserting that accountability and transparency are paramount in honoring their memories as efforts to unveil the truth are reinitiated.
Further public discontent grew as revelations emerged showing that intelligence warnings related to the impending attacks were disregarded by security officials and government authorities. The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has since mandated former President Maithripala Sirisena to provide compensation to the victims' families for neglecting actionable intelligence that could have prevented the bombings. A trial initiated in 2021 against 25 individuals accused of orchestrating the attacks faces significant delays due to an overwhelming number of charges, with 23,000 counts and a vast witness list.
In a climate of renewed scrutiny, Cardinal Ranjith has alleged that the previous government obstructed investigations to protect those behind the bombings. A 2023 Channel 4 investigation pointed to potential collusion between state actors and the extremist group responsible, suggesting that terrorist acts were permitted for political gain. This narrative gained further traction when Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who capitalized on fears over national security to win the presidency soon after the attacks, firmly denied all allegations raised in the documentary.
With new political shifts resulting from the 2024 elections, the current government has revived investigations into the bombings, asserting that they were the result of a conspiracy orchestrated by specific factions seeking to gain power. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya expressed the administration's commitment to achieving justice for the victims, asserting that accountability and transparency are paramount in honoring their memories as efforts to unveil the truth are reinitiated.
