President's Media Division Concerned About International Investigation Call in Gnanartha Pradeepaya Editorial
The President’s Media Division (PMD) has expressed deep concern following the publication of an editorial in the Gnanartha Pradeepaya newspaper on Sunday, October 8, 2023, and a subsequent news report titled “An international investigation team is needed for an independent, transparent, and thorough investigation and monitoring.”
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| President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBC), Bishop Dr. Harold Anthony Perera [ YouTube Screengrab] |
According to the PMD’s press release issued today, the concern stems from recent developments related to the Easter attack investigation. On April 20, 2023, Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles, delivered a substantial 88-volume, 48,909-page presidential commission report on the Easter attack to Bishop Harold Anthony. This delivery occurred in response to a request made by the Bishop.
The PMD statement revealed that during a recent telephone conversation between Minister Tiran Alles and Bishop Harold Anthony, the Bishop mentioned that he is personally reviewing the report. In response to this, President Ranil Wickremesinghe is preparing to engage in discussions with representatives of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
However, the PMD made it explicitly clear in their statement that they cannot endorse the idea of international investigations into Sri Lanka’s internal matters. They argued that the Constitution of Sri Lanka and all existing laws do not provide for conducting international investigations, and carrying out such investigations would be in violation of the law.
In response to these concerns, the government has already taken measures to address the situation. A committee, led by a retired Supreme Court judge, has been established to conduct an inquiry and produce a report regarding the controversial Channel 4 television program.
The government also intends to engage in further discussions on this issue once the Bishops’ Conference has thoroughly reviewed the report from the Presidential Commission. President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s administration remains committed to addressing the concerns surrounding the Easter attack investigation within the framework of Sri Lanka’s existing legal and constitutional framework.
As the nation awaits further developments on this matter, it is evident that the debate over whether international involvement is necessary for a transparent and thorough investigation will continue to be a topic of discussion and scrutiny.
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