Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe promises all victims of the 2019 Easter bombings. In which 270 people killed, including 11 Indians, on April 9. He says legal proceedings are being conducted independently and impartially, without any influence.
President Wickremesinghe also reiterated his steadfast commitment to maintaining the country’s security. By preventing terrible atrocities from occurring again.
On April 21, 2019, nine suicide bombers from the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ). Which is affiliated to ISIS, carried off a series of explosives in Sri Lanka. What’s more destroying three churches and as many luxury hotels. Also killing 270 people and injured nearly 500.
“The legal proceedings are continue to progress independently and impartially, without any influence. The necessary groundwork towards this end has been laid. To ensure justice for all the victims.” Wickremesinghe said in his Easter Sunday message.
“I pledge my unwavering commitment to ensuring the security of our country. By preventing any recurrence of such heinous acts,” the President said.
He also states that th commitment of government is to realize the dreams of all Sri Lankans. Regardless of race, religion, political party, or colour. “I am confident that we will overcome these challenges in the near future,”
Maithripala Sirisena is facing charges.
The Easter Sunday bombings sparkes a political controversy. As then-President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe blamed for failing to prevent the attacks despite having prior intelligence.
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court on January 12 ordered Mr. Sirisena to pay SLR 100 million as compensation to the victims. The former president stressed the attack took place without his knowledge.
As many as 12 petitioners, including the kin of the victims, the Catholic clergy. And the lawyers’ body Bar Association of Sri Lanka, filed the fundamental rights petition against the then-president for his negligence in preventing the attacks.
After the attacks, Mr Sirisena created a presidential panel of investigation, which found him guilty of failing to prevent the attacks.
Moreover, Mr. Sirisena, on the other hand, pleads not guilty in the case brought after the panel’s findings.
Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the head of the local Catholic Church, continues to express his displeasure with the investigation. Stating that it is a cover-up.
Mr. Sirisena denies the charge and blames the lapse. That led to the coordinated strikes on the then-defense establishment.