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There was plenty of finger pointing between the Government and the Opposition as the Parliamentary debate on the final report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Easter Sunday attacks began on Wednesday. Government MPs appealed for patience and made assurances that all those responsible will be punished. Opposition MPs meanwhile, questioned the Government’s commitment to bring the culprits to book, with some even calling for an international inquiry into the attacks.

The responsibility for failing to prevent the attacks rests solely with those who were in power at the time, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National List MP Jayantha Weerasinghe insisted as he opened the adjournment debate. “Not only did they allow the attacks to happen, they also failed to conduct proper investigations afterwards,” he alleged, calling on all those named in the report to be punished.

“They may have changed their name to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) now, but we haven’t forgotten that they are the ones who were in Government at the time,” he added.

While the Government was quick to point fingers at the Yahapalana Government over the attacks, it conveniently forgets that the main person deemed responsible by the Commission for failing to prevent the attacks is now with the Government, SJB Puttalam District MP Niroshan Perera pointed out. “He is the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and your alliance,” he quipped.

Mr Perera questioned why the Government had not initiated action at least against those mentioned by the CoI for failing to prevent the attacks. “This raises suspicions on whether this is an attempt to hold on to power.”

“You stayed silent for eight months after the attacks while in Government and are now calling for justice for the victims,” said Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. “If you had given priority to national security, this would not have happened.”

He accused the then Government of trying to engage in a cover-up to protect those who aided the attacks through the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) into the attacks.

“Though you are now shouting about the Easter attacks, the CoI report states that three leaders of coalition parties coming under the SJB are connected to the attackers,” Mr Aluthgamage further told the Opposition.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran said no one accepts the claim that Zaharan Hashim was the mastermind of the attacks. Not even Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith accepts the claim that Zaharan is the mastermind, Mr Sumanthiran said. “That is why after this report came, he repeatedly asked ‘who is the mastermind?’ That is why the Black Sunday protests started after this report came out. There is no mastermind revealed (in the report.)”

“This is an attack that happened after due notice, with even names of the assailants and written information was given to the authorities almost a month before the attacks. If after all that, we still say we don’t know who the mastermind is, then obviously there is something radically wrong.”

Mr Sumanthiran also voiced support for the call made by the Archbishop of Colombo for an international investigation into the attacks. “Even those who didn’t want international investigations are now themselves calling for international inquiries, because the State has failed in its responsibility to ensure accountability.”

Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando meanwhile, said that the report of the Commission had been sent to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID), which are conducting investigations into the attacks.

It is undeniable that the inefficiency of the previous Government contributed to the devastating attacks, said Minister Sudarshini Fernandopulle, who told the House that 115 persons in her electorate lost their lives during the attack on St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya. “Nothing can bring them back to their loved ones, but the loved ones deserve justice. That is why they are asking for the culprits to be punished.”

SJB MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka expressed doubt that Zaharan was the real mastermind of the attacks, though he said he would have acted as a local level leader who had done much of the work to build up the terrorist group.

He laid much of the blame for the attacks at the feet of former President Maithripala Sirisena, who he said had adopted a lax attitude towards national security.

“Though the Catholic community and the country at large expected the current Government to punish those responsible for the attacks, it did not do anything to fulfil the pledges it made to the people in this regard,” Field Marshal Fonseka alleged.

While the new Government has captured several terrorists since it came to power, there are many others, including suicide bombers who are still at large, he claimed.

The Government has no intention to crucify the entire Muslim community over the attacks, State Minister Arundika Fernando told the House. He urged Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith to be patient with the Government. “We will ensure that all those responsible will be brought before the law,” the minister assured.

The SLPP used the fallout from the attacks to its advantage, insisted SJB MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara. “The Government points fingers at us. It labels Rauff Hakeem and Rishad Bathiudeen as extremists. Yet, it takes MPs from both their parties to pass the 20th Amendment.”

The MP further noted that 22 volumes of evidence in the CoI report have not been handed over to the Attorney General. Madduma Bandara too called for an independent international inquiry to probe the attacks.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s appointment of a ministerial committee to study the CoI report had caused much controversy, observed Minister Udaya Gammanpila, a member of the six-member committee.

“Many people have been misinformed about this committee. They are asking how ministers can review recommendations made by judges. There are two types of recommendations in the report. One set of recommendations is directed to the Attorney General. We won’t touch those. But the majority of the recommendations have been given to the Government. Our task is to review those recommendations to see if they can be practically implemented and look at how to implement them.”

Giving an example, he noted one recommendation of the CoI is to regulate religious publications. The Government needs to examine how this could be done, he pointed out. “Our task is to look into such issues. We have no role in filing cases against anyone,” he asserted.

The debate will continue when Parliament reconvenes on March 23.