26 August 2021 08:40 am Views - 208
By Yohan Perera
Several religious leaders who responded to a recent statement made by some police officers held responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks by the Presidential Commission seemed to be making an effort to turn the investigations being done on the Easter attacks into a communal and a religious issue.
“These police officers who were named as responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks had indicated that they had been held responsible for the Easter attacks as they happened to be Sinhalese Buddhists. They seem to be making an effort to convert the investigations that are being conducted on the Easter attacks into a communal and religious issue. We condemn this act,” the statement signed by Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, Fr. Jude Crishantha Fernando, The Chief Sanga Nayaka Kalutara Venerable Parakaduwe Gnanasara Thera , Secretary of the Three Chapters Biyagama Bikshu Balamandala Venerable Beligala Amarasiri, Shiek Abdullah Abdul Rahaman, Maulavi Mohammed Muharjreen. Sivali R Dharshaka Sharma Kurukkal and the President of the Sri Lanka Hindu Kurukal Society Waithiswara Kurukal said.
The religious leaders urged the authorities to continue the investigations without any political interference and not to get deceived by various extremist statements.
The group of police officers, who met the Mahanayaka Theras recently numbered around 20, included Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon, SDIG (Administration) Nandana Munasinghe, and DIG in charge of Nuwara Eliya Chandana Athukorala.
They asked the Mahanayaka Thera to raise the matter with those in authority, claiming that if actions were initiated against them, it would lead to a breakdown in morale of the entire police force.