HNaleotm Gardinal Ranjith PRESS RELEASE IN REFERENCE TO THE DOCUMENTARY AIRED ON CHANNEL 4 TELEVISION NETWORK OF BRITAIN ON THE ER S| ATTA( It is known by now that the Channel 4 Television Network of Britain beamed a programme on 5t September 2023 at 11.05 p.m. British time (Sri Lankan time 3.35 a.m. of this morning) containing information, among other matters, of the Easter Sunday 2019 bomb attacks in Sri Lanka. In the first place, we wish to express our gratitude to the Channel 4 Television Network of Britain for the interest and trouble it took to focus attention worldwide on this great plot of the Easter Sunday 2019 attacks about which we, as citizens of Sri Lanka, yearn continuously for Truth and justice through a clear and transparent investigation here into these sad events. It is for this that we who have been agitating without any success in the past. We thank all those who worked hard on this project of inquiry. We wish to urge all our fellow citizens to focus their attention on the facts that have been spoken of in and through this programme and our concern is not to find fault with this Channel on its past relationship with this country but the content of their findings which are important for us. We noted how even before this programme was broadcast members of parliament of the government and the opposition in Sri Lanka expressed their views on matters that had been focused upon through this programme. Among these, we note the notice given by the Minister Hon. Manusha Nanayakkara that a parliamentary select committee will be appointed to look into matters revealed by this programme on the Easter attack. We wish to note here that, inspite of the fact that from the day of these attacks, even though a parliamentary select Committee and a Presidential Commission of Inquiry as well as other Committees were appointed to investigate these sad events and many recommendations were made by them, there have been no credible and positive action by the political authorities over these recommendations, The present and the previous Government paid only lip service to such findings. Contd...2 ‘Archbishop's House, Borella, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka. Tel: +94- 11-2695471-3 Fax:+94-11-2692009 Email: archbishop@slinetik / absecretariate@gmall.comHateolm Gardinal RRanjith Continued .... Page 2 ‘Truly we have to note with sadness that no tangible and credible results might emerge from yet another such Parliamentary select committee if t is only a matter of producing a report. In that light, appointing such a select committee will only lead to a waste of public funds and time and be an exercise of simply misleading the public. For this reason, we do not endorse such a strategy and reject that plan outright. What according to us needs to happen urgently is: 1) The holding ofa free, impartial, just, transparent and broad based investigation into what the Channel 4 Television Network revealed in its programme, the alleged plot behind that tragedy and all facts and a study of the persons mentioned in that programme especially with regard to their role in this mass murder. And also, investigations should be carried out on the findings outlined in the various commission reports already presented and recommendations stated there need to be implemented fully. 2) This investigation should take place through an independent international investigation team, 3) That international team should be assisted by all those Sri Lankan officials of the CID whose services were originally sought by the government and who were transferred away from the investigations to other areas and posts by biased political authorities. 4) Since these fresh investigations need to be independent, all those officials who in the police and the intelligence services coming under investigation on this matter and who hold high positions presently should be suspended forthwith. Any such officials named in the Channel 4 programme should move out of their present high positions in order to ensure the independence of the inquiry. Similarly, Mr. Nilantha Jayawardena, DIG of the Police presently holding the position of DIG administration and who had been found guilty by the Supreme Courts for culpable neglect of duties during the time of the Easter attacks and fined and Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon DIG whose neglect of duty, during the same attacks, had been cited by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry for disciplinary action should both be suspended from service until the new inquiry is over. Contd...3 Archbishop's House, Borella, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka. 2 Tol: +94-11-2695471-3 Fax:+94-11-2692009 Email:archbishop@sltnetik / absecretariate@gmail.comQHateatm Continued... Gardinal Janjith Page 3 We sincerely hope that all those requests will be faithfully carried out by the Hon. President and the Government of Sri Lanka. Unless such a transparent and sincere investigation is launched, we do not feel that truth and justice will be meted out to the innocent victims of the 2019 Easter attacks. We urge the President and the Government to launch such an investigation urgently so that their credibility with regard to justice for the victims will be safeguarded. We do not believe in mere promises, but we need action and action that is absolutely independent, transparent and internationally monitored, We wish to urge all former and present day officials in the Police and Intelligence as well as Security Services who are aware of other facts that maybe relevant to the case, to come out courageously in order to give witness to facts known to them, relevant to the case. ‘We call upon all our dear Rev. Fathers to organize at Parish level on Friday the 8% September, the Birthday of our Blessed Mother Mary, special prayers in all our Churches at 6.30 p.m. and urge our flock to attend and pray for truth and justice in this matter. Special ceremonies will be held on that day at 6.30 p.m. at both St. Sebastian's Church, Katuwapitiya presided over by His Lordship Bishop J D Anthony and at St. Anthony's Church, Kochchikade, Colombo 13, presided over by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo. Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will follow with the recitation of special prayers for justice for the Easter bombing victims and our beloved motherland. ‘@Malcolth Cardinal Ranjith 6% September 2023, Archbishop of Colombo Archbishop's House, Borella, Colombo 08, ri Lanka. ‘Tel:+94-11-2695471-3 Fax: +94-11-2692009 Ema: archbishop@sltnetik / absecretariate@gmailcom