On Easter Sunday 2019 targeted bombings on Churches and Hotels in Sri Lanka resulted in over 260 deaths and in excess of 500 people being injured, many very seriously. Among them were Sri Lankan Australians and Australian tourists. Despite investigations and commissions of inquiries during the last 30 months by successive governments, the victims and their families are yet to receive justice.

This petition addressed to all Australians, especially the migrant Sri Lankan community in Australia, aims to raise this tragedy with the Australian Government to ensure that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) delivers the truth and justice to the victims of this deadly attack.

Actions sought from the Petition

Request the Australian Government to bring pressure on the GoSL to:

• Release the complete report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI).
• Bring before the Judiciary the persons identified and named by the Col.
• Carry out the judgement handed out by the judiciary without any dilution.

Full Story

Failure in Law and Order and rampant indiscipline and corruption have been part and parcel of consecutive Governments in Sri Lanka. A major slackening of Law and Order was witnessed on Easter Sunday 2019.

Attacks on the holiest day of the Christian Calendar resulted in more than 260 deaths (including more than 45 foreign nationals) and more than 500 innocent people injured, many with life-long serious injuries, and some permanently disabled.

History at a glance and glaring highlights:

• In 2019, the former president of Sri Lanka, appointed a highly respected five-member CoI to investigate the attacks.
• Prior to the Col, the Malalgoda Committee (MC) was commissioned followed by the Parliament Select Committee (PSC), appointed by the then Speaker. The MC strongly recommended further investigation, but the workings of the PSC was subsequently terminated by the then President, for unknown reasons.
• The Col was assigned the task of providing recommendations regarding what action should be taken against those held responsible for having committed offences and acts of wrongdoing relating to the subject of inquiry.

The CoI recorded evidence from 457 people over a period of 214 days, including politicians, religious leaders, and members of the security services, as well as those affected by the carnage. The CoI handed over the final report to the current President, on the 1st February 2021.

The Catholic Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has been continuously vocal about bringing justice to the victims. Since the completion of CoI, His Eminence has been requesting that the CoI findings be made public and to share the recommendations with the grieving families of the affected victims. 

Based on the released section of the CoI report, 23,270 charges have been framed against 25 people either directly involved in the massacre or indirectly, for not heeding the security alarms raised by foreign intelligence, especially Indian (RAW). It is not clear from the released section whether the then GoSL had given clear orders to the Sri Lankan Intelligence to act promptly to thwart the disaster.

Extracts from the “Accountability” Chapter (19) of the released section of the CoI report, it is ironical, indicate that the focus for prosecution was more on those who either blatantly ignored available security intelligence or those who connived with the attackers than on the 25 ‘small fish’ who were directly involved in the attack.

In this Chapter, two most senior personalities in the then GoSL, two senior Police Security Intelligence Officers and two high officers in the Attorney General’s Department among others are named and recommends that the Attorney General instituting criminal proceedings against these members.

Prior to his retirement, on 17th May 2021, the Attorney General who was in possession of the full CoI report, made a categorical statement that this attack was a ‘Grand Conspiracy’, which needs in-depth investigation.

The Election Manifesto of the present Government emphasised the arrest of the culprits, to take undue advantage at the Presidential Elections, which followed the bomb disaster.

If it is so,

• Why is the President not being transparent by releasing the complete report, and not implementing the recommendations of CoI?
• Why has he failed to provide direct answers to the questions raised by the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka?

There are suspicions that the present GoSL wants to hide important facts from the public. A concern exacerbated by the revelation at the Webinar on the 16th October 2021, that the incumbent President over his popularity if some of the recommendations in the Col were implemented.

The citizens of Australia in addition to many more, had been either killed or maimed by this attack. Therefore, the Australian people have signed this petition expecting the Australian Government to use its good offices to put pressure on the GoSL to release the complete report of the CoI and take appropriate action as recommended.

Please sign and share this petition - a justifiable and reasonable request indeed!

AUSTRALIA-SRILANKA FORUM FOR JUSTICE FOR THE EASTER SUNDAY VICTIMS