• Calls for hoisting black flags on August 21 in Colombo Diocese 
• Charges political deals hatched to cover up politicians responsible 

By Yohan Perera 

While calling for the Catholics in the Colombo Archdiocese to stage a silent protest on August 21 by hoisting black flags, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith asked what happened to investigations regarding former President Maithripala Sirisena and Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as recommended by the Presidential Commission that probed Easter Sunday attack. 

“We feel that political deals have been hatched to avoid penalising the political leaders who have been held responsible for negligence by the Presidential Commission. In that context, we would like to question what had become of the planned indictment of former President Maithripala Sirisena and action against former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

The Presidential Commission had held the former President responsible for negligence and also former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for his soft approach to extremism ,” he added. 

The Cardinal called for the displaying of black flags on vehicles, offices and shops. “I would also call for the closure of shops on August 21 as well. This protest on August 21 will not be based on the Easter Sunday attack alone but on lack of democracy and on the suffering which people have to go through because of the pandemic,” Cardinal said.  “We would have had street protests if there was no pandemic situation but we call all people in the Archdiocese to stage a silent protest on August 21 by hoisting black flags,” he added.