Presidential hopeful Rajapaksa vows to set-up independent body to probe terrorist attacks

Presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has said that he would set-up an independent commission to probe the Easter Sunday attacks if voted into power, citing requests made by the Colombo Archbishop in this regard.

Issuing a statement, the former wartime defence secretary said, given his “leadership in ending the country’s 30-year terrorist war”, he understands that Cardinal Malcom Ranjith’s repeated calls for an independent body is reasonable.

Accordingly, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)’s presidential candidate urged the government to fulfill the request of the Cardinal over this matter.

“This request also seeks to prevent a tragedy of this magnitude from occurring in future,” he said adding that the Cardinal’s appeals on bringing the perpetrators of these attacks before the law, have been made on behalf of the society at large.

Rajapaksa said he understands the “inconveniences and the pressure” faced by Cardinal Ranjith since the requests of the April 21 terrorist attack victims have not been fulfilled yet.

The Colombo Archbishop has been demanding an impartial inquiry into the terrorist attacks which claimed more than 250 lives and injured over 500, in order to punish the perpetrators of this carnage.