Thousands marched to demand that the government find out who was really behind the 2019 attacks that killed nearly 270 people.
Thousands of Sri Lankans have staged a protest in the main city of Colombo, demanding justice for victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed nearly 270 people.
Protesters on Friday demanded that the government reveal what they said were the real plotters for attacks on three churches – two Catholic and one Protestant – including a simultaneous suicide bombing during Easter celebrations on April 21, 2019 .
Three tourist hotels were also targeted, killing 42 foreigners from 14 countries.
Thousands of people, including Catholic clergy, lined up on both sides of the main road linking Colombo to the country’s international airport in a silent protest. They accused the government of failing to take appropriate steps to bring justice to the victims of the bombing and punish those responsible.
Protesters, dressed in white and black, joined hands to form a human chain. They displayed placards and banners that read, “We are watching until justice is served,” “There has been no justice for the victims so far,” and “Where are the masterminds behind the Easter Sunday attacks?”
Two local Muslim groups said to have pledged allegiance to ISIS have been accused of carrying out six near-simultaneous suicide bombings targeting Easter worshipers at three churches and breakfast guests at three popular hotels tourists. The attack killed 269 people and injured about 500.
Officials charged dozens of people who allegedly received weapons training and attended indoctrination sessions with two local Muslim groups accused of carrying out the attack. But no one has been convicted or sentenced yet.
“Four years have passed and still no one has been punished for this savage attack. It’s really disgusting. We need to know who the real culprits are and what their motives are,” said Ruwan Fernando, 47, on Friday. protest.
The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has been critical of the investigation into the bombing. Church leaders have repeatedly criticized previous and current governments for failing to bring criminals to justice.
Communications were disrupted by a rift between then-President Maithripala Sirisena and then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, which prevented authorities from responding to reports received before the attack. to act on near-specific foreign intelligence. The two belong to different political parties.
In January, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled that the inaction of Sirisena and four others led to the bombing and ordered them to pay compensation for violating the fundamental rights of the victims and their families.
The Supreme Court also ordered Sirisena to pay 100 million rupees ($273,300) from his personal funds.
It also ordered the police chief, two top intelligence officials and the then defense secretary to pay a total of 210 million rupees ($574,000). The court decision follows a case brought by the victim’s relatives.
Wickremesinghe became Sri Lanka’s president last year after a political crisis ousted his predecessor after an unprecedented economic crisis sparked months of protests.
