The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) of the Parliamentary Opposition yesterday (18) handed over its seven point action plan made to bring justice to the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks that took place in 2019, to Colombo Archbishop, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith.
Following an audience held with the Archbishop yesterday (18), NPP Executive Committee Member, attorney, Sunil Watagala told The Daily Morning that the discussion was mainly focused on the issues related to the probes conducted into the Easter Sunday attacks and the lack of implementation of the recommendations presented by those investigation reports. He also noted that no political matters were brought into discussion, which is an inappropriate thing to do at this juncture.
The NPP's Executive Committee Members, attorneys Watagala, Upul Kumarapperuma and Harshana Nanayakkara, and several others were met by the Archbishop.
Stating that the Archbishop stressed the importance of an administration with the will to bring justice to the victims of the said attacks, Watagala said that he (the Archbishop) blessed the NPP’s seven point manifesto regarding the Easter Sunday attacks. He also claimed that the NPP is the only political force that has the will to carry out a proper investigation into the matter, claiming further that they will execute the law to bring all the perpetrators to justice. He also claimed that the NPP did not meet the Archbishop seeking the support of him and his community in the upcoming Elections, but with the true intention of serving the victims and all other human beings. He said that as per the Archbishop, the investigations conducted into the incident were ‘unfinished’ and ‘incomplete’, and that therefore, the NPP had clearly stated and promised him to conduct a special investigation to disclose the truth behind the attacks.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the Catholic Church’s Jude Chrishantha Fernando told The Daily Morning that the NPP delegates met only the Archbishop, and that therefore, the Archdiocesan Media Centre cannot comment further on the matter and its decision on the content of the manifesto.
In the seven point manifesto, the NPP pledges that it would file criminal charges against the political authorities and government officials who are responsible for the attacks. According to the manifesto, the NPP will also request the relevant departments to hear and complete the pending cases related to these attacks as soon as possible on a priority basis and provide the necessary facilities for the same, taking necessary measures to bring back all the criminals who have escaped from the country in connection with these attacks and to investigate through them as to who are the planners and conspirators of these attacks and to punish the planners and conspirators who are thus discovered.
The NPP also pledges to introduce a proper form of compensation for the lives and properties of the victims of these attacks, and to introduce a psychological programme that can aid them in overcoming the mental distress that they have been in. Further, it stated that the NPP will establish a special commission of inquiry with full jurisdiction to investigate and bring justice to the aggrieved parties.