• Tales of absent hope, illusive justice, and political deceit on third anniversary of tragedy 

BY Sumudu Chamara Three years have passed since the Easter Sunday attacks on 21 April 2019, the most atrocious attacks Sri Lanka witnessed after the end of the war. While the United National Front (UNF)-led Government of the time, as well as the incumbent Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led Government that came to power after the attacks, pledged their commitment to bring the culprits to book and ensure the wellbeing of the victims of the attacks, what has happened during the past three years to achieve it, is being questioned by many.  The country remains doubtful as to the outcomes of the ongoing legal action into the attacks, and those concerns have been conveyed to the international community as well.    Victims’ plight According to the families of the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, as well as activists, even though the Government has provided some financial assistance to victims and families of victims to face the economic impacts of the attacks, and to obtain necessary medical treatment, the assistance that has been provided is inadequate, and more long-term steps need to be taken. They lament the situation being such even three years after the attacks. Speaking of how the lives of herself and her family have changed three years after the Easter Sunday attacks, Kurukulasuriya Dilani Shermila Sisila Fernando, a resident of Katuwapitiya, who lost several members of her family, said that their lives have changed significantly. She said that even though some amount of money was received from the Government as compensation and also housing support, she added that her family had to spend their own money for her and her husband’s treatments.  She added: “We did not receive considerable compensation from the Government. Both me and my husband sustained injuries in the Easter Sunday attacks. For my husband’s treatments, we had to spend money in addition to the money we received from the Government. However, my husband received some amount of money from the Church as well. Even though we have obtained all possible treatment, we are still suffering from health issues. I can only hear properly from one of my ears.” With regard to how the health impacts caused by the Easter Sunday attacks have affected her livelihood, Fernando further said: “I used to teach. However, now, I do not conduct classes as before. I merely conduct some classes for a few students at my home. In fact, it is difficult to conduct classes as before, mainly due to my hearing issues.” Meanwhile, another victim who lost her daughter in the Easter Sunday attacks, described how her daughter’s death affected her husband in the few years following the attacks. “My 17-year-old daughter had gone to the church with her friends on that day, and she died in the attacks. The Government awarded compensation of Rs. 1 million. However, since my daughter’s coffin was provided, an amount of around Rs. 160,000 had been deducted from that amount, and we received only around Rs. 800,000. My daughter’s death affected her father to a great extent, and as a result, he fell ill. He was devastated. He fell down from a building and broke his leg. He is obtaining treatments at the moment. However, he cannot work as he used to.” She noted that this situation has drastically affected her household economy, and that after the above mentioned Rs. 1 million, no other compensation was received. Investigations and political connections Over the years, conspiracies, political involvement, and legal matters have become persistent elements in public discourse on the Easter Sunday attacks, and the related allegations, according to some who spoke with The Morning, are major factors that have hindered progress in the investigations into the attacks.  These allegations have even reached the international community through various activists, including the Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. Alleged political influence or connections concerning the Easter Sunday attacks is their main concern, and those who spoke with The Morning expressed strong opposition and doubts with regard to the lethargy on the part of the politicians and the former and current governments, and also alleged that there may have been deliberate attempts to slow down or disrupt the investigations. Ranjeewa Priyadarshana de Silva, another victim of the Easter Sunday attacks, also acknowledged that even though the Government offered victims a compensation of Rs. 1 million as well as up to Rs. 500,000 in housing assistance for house repairs and such needs through the National Housing Development Authority, and the Archbishop’s House also provided monetary assistance, no other assistance has been offered.  He also expressed grave concerns about the investigations and legal actions into the Easter Sunday attacks, and alleged that political influence and the lack of political will have affected the investigations, rendering the victims unable to see justice being dealt anytime soon.  He explained: “I think that the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks did not take place properly. I am of the opinion that the attacks are a political conspiracy, and a politically motivated assassination. Also, I think that both the then-governing party and the then-Opposition Parties have been a part of it, either directly or indirectly. I have reasons to believe that many in the Opposition have also been nonchalant about the investigations.  “There are some in the political arena who maintained direct and strong connections with some who were identified as bombers. What is more, the Government that was in power when the Easter Sunday attacks took place remained silent to remain in power, and the extremist bombers had been allowed to proceed with their activities freely. I think that the present Government used that opportunity.”  No party entirely innocent At the same time, he opined, even though it is certain members of the incumbent Government that are alleged to have been behind the Easter Sunday attacks directly or indirectly, who have attracted widespread public opposition due to that reason, it is not right to blame only those in the Government; he charged that Opposition politicians too had a certain responsibility that had not been fulfilled properly.  “They all played some role in the Easter Sunday attacks, and therefore, we cannot point fingers at one party,” he emphasised, adding that even though the impacts of the attacks were a pressing issue to those affected, it was not a significant issue to others; i.e. politicians.  “To remain in power, they tend to not care about whether solutions to the issues caused by the Easter Sunday attacks are given or not, regardless of how much we demand them. Their priority is protecting their power, not serving justice to the victims of the attacks.” He opined that this situation would not see a political solution. Emphasising that merely changing the present Government is unlikely to change the prevailing situation pertaining to the impacts of the Easter Sunday attacks, de Silva said that more systematic, institutional, and policy-level reforms are what is necessary. When such changes take place, he said, Sri Lanka will see true change. “Religious leaders have not fulfilled their responsibility properly; had they done that, the attacks would not have taken place in the first place. There is a massive issue in the country, starting from religious leaders, and which spreads to all other areas. We demand President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation. However, just by sending him home, it will not be possible to address the corrupt political culture that has affected every sector.  “Money and politics have overpowered everything else. To serve justice, and to respect those who died in the Easter Sunday attacks, the whole system should change. Independent courts, as well as an independent Attorney General, a Commission to Investigate into Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, and a National Police Commission should be in place, and they should operate without being subjected to any form of influence from politicians and within a proper system. Politicians should not be allowed to interfere in those independent institutions’ affairs.” He emphasised that when truly independent institutions are formed, the culprits of the Easter Sunday attacks will be penalised, and the victims of the attacks will receive justice. He also said that making such institutions truly independent is the only measure that will result in long-term benefits, and that the Parliament has a duty in that regard.  “If such changes take place, even if no justice regarding the Easter Sunday attacks is delivered, at the very least, the future generation will not have to face such incidents,” De Silva further said. Victims still in need of support Meanwhile, speaking of the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks and long-term assistance available for the victims of the attacks, National Christian Evangelical Alliance General Secretary Godfrey Yogaraja also expressed concerns about delivering justice to victims and continuing support for the victims.  He said: “As far as we are concerned, investigations have not made any headway, even though people have been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act. We really do not see the masterminds behind the Easter Sunday attacks being identified, and there are so many indicators that imply that the real culprits are not being brought to book.  “Even the full report issued by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday attacks is not being disclosed to the public. There seems to be some kind of information that the Government does not seem to be willing to allow the public to know. Listening to Archbishop Ranjith, who seems to have more information than anybody, it looks as if there are some things or some people being covered up.”  With regard to long-term assistance for the victims of the attacks, he added: “We as an organisation have been providing a lot of assistance to the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, including a girl who lost her eyesight and required treatment in India. The Catholic Church and some civil society organisations too have helped. But I think that the Government should have done more. There are children who do not have their parents, and there are people who are in need of medical assistance. However, they all have been forgotten and the victims are still suffering.  “If you go to areas like Batticaloa, Katuwapitiya, and Kochchikade, you will see that a lot of the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks are going through a lot of medical and other types of issues. However, they are not getting the assistance that they need. This is however in a context where the whole country is not getting medicines.”  With regard to the legal action initiated seeking compensation for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, he explained: “We are involved in assisting some of the victims. We have been providing various forms of support such as scholarships for children and medical assistance to those in need. However, we have not gone to court.”  In response to The Morning’s question as to whether more legal action needs to be initiated to support victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, Yogaraja opined: “We do not have much confidence as to whether the Government even has the resources to provide more assistance. Even if a supportive ruling was issued, I do not think that the Government is in a position to give aid at the moment. They do not have money to provide even essential items.”  He further noted that even though the plight of the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks is known even internationally, nobody seems to really care about it and that it has been forgotten. “Sri Lankans forget very fast,” he added.  Moreover, speaking of the international community’s interest and response with regard to the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks, he explained: “It has been very lukewarm, because, internationally, what happens is when some disaster happens, immediately there is a lot of attention, but then it is forgotten. Now, the Russia-Ukraine issue and Pakistan are getting media attention. Being a small island, we have to compete with other issues and disasters taking place globally.”  Even though many remain doubtful about the future of legal action against the culprits of the attacks and justice for the victims, we are yet to see what the ongoing legal actions will result in. However, the fact that people remain in a state of doubt as to what has happened during the past three years is concerning, and it should be a major concern of the Government, which vowed to deliver justice to the victims of the attacks.