In legal doctrine, there is a principle known as res ipsa loquitur—“the thing speaks for itself.” And what speaks louder than the disappearance of a report so vital to the truth?
Editorial
The role of the Attorney General (AG) in any democratic society is to uphold the principles of justice and maintain the sanctity of the rule of law, untainted by political influence. When that role is compromised, it strikes at the very core of national trust. Recent allegations by Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Colombo, have cast a dark and damning shadow over Sri Lanka’s Attorney General’s Department—a shadow so deep that the credibility of this vital institution now stands in ruins.
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| What makes this situation even more chilling is the content of the report itself, which, according to Fr. Fernando, exposes those truly responsible for the massacre—politicians, security officials, and those who conspired in the darkest corridors of power. |
Father Fernando’s claims are nothing short of explosive. He asserts that the report from the Presidential Commission, which delved into the horrific Easter Sunday attacks of 2019, has mysteriously disappeared after being handed to the Attorney General’s Department. Let that sink in for a moment. This is not some innocuous piece of bureaucratic paperwork that has gone astray. This is a report containing critical evidence about an attack that shattered the country, killing hundreds and leaving a permanent scar on its soul. And it has vanished.
What makes this situation even more chilling is the content of the report itself, which, according to Fr. Fernando, exposes those truly responsible for the massacre—politicians, security officials, and those who conspired in the darkest corridors of power. “Several politicians would be behind bars,” he declared, had the contents of the report been fully investigated. These are not the words of a man making idle speculation; they are the voice of an institution demanding justice for its people, yet receiving nothing but silence in return.
At the centre of this storm lies the AG’s Department, now facing an accusation that can only be described as catastrophic—obstructing justice. It is impossible to overstate the seriousness of these allegations. If true, this is no mere administrative lapse; it is a deliberate, calculated effort to prevent justice from being served. Such an act would constitute a gross breach of public duty, an assault on the very foundations of the legal system, and, arguably, an act of treason against the state and its people.
The disappearance of this report raises profound and uncomfortable questions about the integrity of those in power. Is the Attorney General’s office so compromised, so deeply enmeshed in political machinations, that it has ceased to function as an independent legal authority? This is not a question to be taken lightly, for it strikes at the heart of the nation’s ability to trust its own institutions. The AG’s Department is constitutionally bound to operate independently, free from the pernicious influence of the political class. Yet, this allegation suggests that it has become nothing more than a puppet, serving the interests of the powerful while sacrificing the truth on the altar of expediency.
It is said that Fiat justitia, ruat caelum—“Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.” This timeless maxim demands that justice must prevail, regardless of the consequences. Yet, in Sri Lanka today, it appears that those entrusted with the delivery of justice have chosen, instead, to shield the guilty. It begs the question: in a nation where politicians can manipulate investigations, where reports can disappear without explanation, can we still claim to live under the rule of law? Or has the law itself become another tool of oppression, wielded not to protect the innocent but to exonerate the guilty?
Fr. Fernando’s claims are not just a cry for accountability but a searing indictment of the structural rot within the Attorney General’s office. This is a department that is meant to act as the final bulwark against corruption, injustice, and impunity. And yet, it is precisely this institution that now finds itself accused of playing a direct role in covering up one of the most heinous acts of terrorism in the country’s history. The allegations do not just threaten the credibility of the AG’s office—they obliterate it.
One cannot help but recall the famous words of Lord Acton: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It seems that those within the highest echelons of power in Sri Lanka have allowed corruption to seep so deeply into the legal system that even the victims of a national tragedy are denied their rightful justice. This is not just an institutional failure; it is a moral collapse of the highest order.
In legal doctrine, there is a principle known as res ipsa loquitur—“the thing speaks for itself.” And what speaks louder than the disappearance of a report so vital to the truth? This is not a case of ambiguity or conjecture; the facts are damning, and they point directly to a dereliction of duty, a wilful act to obstruct the course of justice. It is an affront not only to the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks but to every citizen of Sri Lanka who believes in the fundamental promise of justice.
It is high time the Attorney General’s Department steps out of the shadows and into the light. It must answer these allegations clearly, definitively, and without delay. Silence, in this case, is tantamount to an admission of guilt. The people of Sri Lanka will not—and should not—accept anything less than full transparency. If the AG’s office continues to hide behind a veil of secrecy, it will confirm what many already fear: that justice in Sri Lanka is not blind, but selectively so, depending on who stands in the dock.
The vanishing of this report is not an administrative hiccup; it is a national disgrace. The Attorney General’s Department must immediately restore its integrity by locating this document, presenting it to the public, and ensuring that all those implicated, regardless of their rank or influence, are held to account. The victims of the Easter Sunday attacks deserve more than hollow platitudes and unfulfilled promises—they deserve justice. The truth cannot be buried forever, and the longer it remains obscured, the deeper the wound in the nation’s soul becomes. Fiat justitia, ruat caelum. Let justice be done, no matter the cost, or face the devastating consequences of its collapse.
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