The much-awaited Presidential Commission of Inquiry Report on the Easter Sunday carnage is out with those allegedly responsible by their acts of commission or omission to prevent the tragedy exposed and named. Among those against whom criminal charges are to be laid as per the recommendations of the Commission is former President Maithripala Sirisena who is currently a Government Parliamentarian. He perhaps will be in an unenviable position sitting among the Government ranks in Parliament.
Moreover, it was Sirisena himself who appointed the very Presidential Commission of Inquiry which passed strictures against him, during the dying days of his Presidency. It was continued under the current dispensation, with a few extensions given to complete its work. The Commission has also recommended criminal charges against the former IGP, former Defence Secretary and certain members of the Intelligence top brass and Police officers for their alleged negligence to act based on the intelligence reports received, to prevent the multiple attacks on churches and tourist hotels that claimed over 250 lives. Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe too received a rap on the knuckles for his alleged failure to play a more proactive role although he was left out of the Chain of Command at the time.
We are here advisedly using the term ‘alleged’ because the Commission can only make recommendations and the ultimate guilt can be pronounced only by a Court of Law following investigations by different branches of law enforcement under the supervision of the Attorney General. Besides, so far only sections of the report are in the public domain after the Presidential Secretariat handed the full report to the Speaker. But from what is available, one could come to a reasonable conclusion on the events that could have influenced the Commission to come to its ultimate conclusions and recommendations.
Allegations naturally are being made by the Opposition that the Government may have omitted certain passages of the report. However, having seen the massive tome that constitutes the Commission report in the hands of some MPs it is difficult to believe that there could ever be a break in continuity in the contents therein. For all appearances, the Report could not have been tampered with or its contents altered in any manner as suggested by the Opposition.
The Catholic Church and Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith would now have the opportunity to scrutinize the report and arrive at a decision whether or not it has met with the expectations of His Eminence. The Cardinal has stated that he would not be content unless the whole gamut of the conspiracy surrounding the attacks is unraveled and the true masterminds behind the episode exposed. He had made it known that merely focusing on the modus operandi of Zaharan and Co. in carrying out the attacks would not suffice but the true agents behind the whole operation and the foreign handlers too should be brought into the picture.
A media report though quoting what is viable from the glimpses of the Report stated that the Commission had concluded that the attacks were the sole work of Zaharan and his followers, thus ruling out an external link per se. If so, all the conspiracy theories on the attacks floated by the JVP and the SJB would hardly hold water.
The public focus now will be on the investigative and judicial aspects that have to follow against whom strictures have been delivered in the Commission Report, to ascertain if they are indeed guilty or not of the lapses stated therein. His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith had vowed to his flock and the victims and their relatives that he would leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice would be exacted on their behalf. He even ventured to state that he would take up the case internationally if he was not satisfied at the turn of events.
His Eminence has openly found fault with the then leaders who allegedly permitted the attacks to be carried out with ease when the necessary intelligence was at their disposal to avert the tragedy. The other day, he also participated in a demonstration at the Katuwapitiya Church where the protestors, including family members of the deceased, were vociferous in their demand for justice. It must also be remembered that His Eminence, during the Ash Wednesday Service at the Kochchikade shrine, where one of the attacks took place, held out forgiveness to the perpetrators of this dastardly crime in the true Christian sprit. Did this sentiment convey a subtle message on the part of his Eminence on a softening of his stance – a climb down of sorts from his vehement, uncompromising stand hitherto taken in the demand for justice?
The entire country will be waiting with bated breath as Judgement Day nears on the Easter Sunday tragedy, whose second anniversary is also around the corner. Whether the high profile personages named in the Commission report will be held accountable and duly penalized for permitting this horrendous tragedy of course is left to be seen.
