Silent protests to mark Easter Sunday mayhem

• Silent protests along Negombo-Colombo and Galle Road

By Yohan Perera

Whilst highlighting that the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka is to build up a human chain on April 21 to mark the 4th anniversary of Easter Sunday attacks, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith yesterday urged all citizens to join the church in this exercise.

“We call upon all our fellow citizens to join us, irrespective of differences of racial/ religious and political party affiliations to make up a human chain which will call upon our leaders to render justice to victims of Easter Sunday attacks and to strengthen the hands of freedom and justice in our motherland, which has unfortunately weakened,” he said.
“We invite all to gather along the side of the Colombo Negombo main road on both sides by 8.30 am on Friday April 21, starting from St Anthony’s Church Kochchikade and St Sebastian’s  Church, Katuwapitiya, Negombo, observe silence at 8.45 am and remain there till 9 am,” he added.

A silent protest will also be held along Galle Road

The cardinal also called all offices and factories to observe two minute silence at 8.45 am on April 21.

Asked as to whether it is worth highlighting about the attack now since four years have passed since the mayhem, he said the effort is to prevent everyone from forgetting about the attack and seek the real truth behind the attack. “Even the present President does not seem to be interested in finding the real reason behind the attacks. Actually people including the victims are not going to forget it as more than 300 cases have been filed in various courts seeking justice,” he said.