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Katuwapitiya mourners hit out at politicians of all hues
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Jude’s nangi and her children. Pix by Sameera Weerasekera
There was simmering anger clearly directed at politicians by many of the mourners of Katuwapitiya who lost loved ones in the bomb-blast of Easter Sunday, April 21.
All of them (politicians) knew but they did nothing, most of them said, blaming the authorities for the village descending into an abyss of tragedy, sorrow and despair, while also condemning the thrasthawadi.
Ranjeeva Silva
Malith Wimanna
Why didn’t the authorities act on information received earlier, they lamented, very critical of the politicians of all hues in the aftermath.
Did you see how they behaved? Was there an iota of sorrow for us? They laughed, smirked and joked in public. Their behaviour in Parliament was despicable, said many.
The President, the Prime Minister and all the Members of Parliament have to take responsibility for inaction, said Ranjeeva Silva whose middle son, father-in-law and mother-in-law died in the Katuwapitiya tragedy. Ranjeeva and another son were injured in the blast.
“Me deval denagena babala wenna hadanne,” he said, adding that the politicians knew of these plans but are now trying to be babies. If the President was not informed about this plan by officials, they need to find out who it is and take action against them, he said.
Ranjeeva also alleged that everyone knows who got the terrorists released from custody earlier, pausing suddenly in his lament to wail: “Mage daruwa ne.” (My child is no more.)
Moaning over and over again that the village never expected this to happen, S. Jude Prasad Appuhamy who lost seven close relatives, says: “Rajaya denuwath karala thibba. Walakka ganna thibba.” (The government had been informed. This could have been prevented.)
For Malith Wimanna who lost both his parents that morning, there is stoic resignation with feelings of “katha karala wedak ne” (there’s no point in talking) and also dissatisfaction at the way the threat had been ignored.
Wuna de wuna, nethi wune apitai, he says, adding that what happened, happened but the loss is theirs.
This is just a cross section of the views expressed by the Katuwapitiya villagers as they buried their dead and held almsgivings in their memory.
(See Katuwapitiya’s tragedy and unity on PLUS Cover)
Only the photographs remain: Ranjeeva’s son, mother-in-law and father-in-law