Sri Lanka bishops deny support for extension of attorney general’s mandate

The Sri Lankan government’s stated plans to extend the mandate of the attorney general have not been accepted following dialogue with the Catholic Church. This was reported by the American Catholic portal Crux on June 8.

Local newspapers reported that President Ranil Wickremesinghe had extended Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam’s mandate by six months, saying he had played a “key role” in working with bishops to investigate the Easter attacks in Sri Lanka in 2019, when Islamists attacked three churches and several other buildings, killing at least 269 people.

Local media also reported that the president recalled that the report of the Presidential Commission created after the attacks was presented to the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka, Bishop Harold Anthony Perera of Kurunegala, and the organization’s secretary, Saman Ekanayake. . The Attorney General is a member of this commission.

The President said that he had decided to extend his service until the end of the debates, since he was constantly in dialogue with the members of the Episcopal Conference.

The president reportedly said that if a new attorney general is appointed, he will need more time to study these issues, adding that he has decided to extend the mandate with the authority of the attorney general. The President then said that if anyone had questions about this, he could ask the bishops.

The Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (CBCSL) said on June 6 that articles calling for an extension of the mandate of the Church-linked general secretary were “unfounded.”

“The articles also allege that the Attorney General has a key role on this committee, coordinating with CBCSL on future steps to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks. “They also claim that Mr. Rajaratnam was in constant dialogue with CBCSL, which is completely false.”said the bishops.

“We, the members of CBCSL, categorically deny these misleading claims. “There has never been such a dialogue between the president of the CBCSL and the Attorney General.”the statement says.

“Furthermore, the articles imply that the Attorney General’s term is extended as he is retiring soon. “We are shocked by the suggestion that the President is using the Easter Sunday attacks and the CBCSL to justify this extension of authority.”the bishops continue.

The statement expressed “serious concern” that Rajaratnam, who was appointed attorney general on May 26, 2021, “has not implemented over the past 36 months the recommendations contained in the final report of the President’s Commission of Inquiry into the Sunday attacks.” Easter”. “

“During Mr. Rajaratnam’s administration, the Catholic Church continually wrote to the Attorney General and urged him to bring justice to the victims of the heinous Easter Sunday attacks.”the bishops continue.

“Therefore, the implication that CBCSL is responsible for extending the mandate of the Attorney General is false, misleading and malicious.”the bishops summarize.

Source: Rossa Primavera