Sri Lanka Seeks Justice for Easter Bombings Victims

Sri Lanka Marks Sixth Anniversary of Easter Sunday Bombings Amid Lingering Questions Over Justice

On April 21, 2025, Sri Lanka solemnly observes the sixth anniversary of the devastating Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed at least 269 people and injured more than 500. The attacks, carried out by Islamist extremists targeting churches and luxury hotels, remain one of the darkest chapters in the nation's postwar history. Yet, for many survivors and victims' families, the passage of time has done little to ease their grief or deliver the justice they seek.

The 2019 bombings shattered Sri Lanka's fragile peace, exposing deep vulnerabilities in national security and governance. Beyond the immediate loss of life, the attacks triggered a wave of communal suspicion toward the Muslim minority, disrupted the economy, and eroded international confidence in the country's stability. More significantly, the tragedy reshaped Sri Lanka's political landscape, paving the way for a dramatic shift in leadership under former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Six years later, critical questions remain unanswered. Despite multiple investigations—including a Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI)—no highranking officials or political leaders have been held accountable for intelligence failures that allowed the attacks to occur. Families of the victims continue to demand answers: Why were warnings from foreign intelligence agencies, including India, ignored? Who bears ultimate responsibility for the systemic lapses that enabled the bombers?

Legal proceedings have been slow and marred by delays. While some lowerlevel operatives linked to the attacks have faced trial, the broader network of planners and those who failed to act on advance warnings remain untouched. Observers cite institutional inefficiency, political interference, and a reluctance to expose state negligence as key reasons for the stagnation.

The political aftermath of the bombings has been equally contentious. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's landslide victory in the 2019 presidential election was fueled by promises of restoring security, capitalizing on public fear in the wake of the attacks. Critics allege that the tragedy was exploited to consolidate power, with the Rajapaksa administration tightening security laws and expanding military authority while sidestepping accountability.

For many Sri Lankans, true justice extends beyond prosecuting perpetrators. It requires full transparency—declassifying intelligence reports, implementing the PCoI's recommendations, and acknowledging the state's failures. It also demands reparations for victims and a commitment to preventing future atrocities.

Yet, as the years pass without resolution, faith in the justice system wanes. The unresolved Easter attacks serve as a painful reminder of Sri Lanka's struggles with impunity and governance. For the victims' families, the anniversary is not just a day of remembrance but a call for action—one that the nation can no longer afford to ignore.