Sri Lanka sacks top cop over Easter Sunday bombings
The National Police Commission dismissed Nilantha Jayawardena, then head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), for disregarding prior warnings of an impending attack. Court records show that Jayawardena had been alerted to a possible terror strike 17 days before the coordinated suicide attacks on April 21, 2019 which targeted three hotels and three churches.
More than 500 people were also wounded in the bombings.
Jayawardena had been found guilty on all seven counts of negligence and dereliction of duty by a disciplinary inquiry led by a retired judge, the police commission said in a statement late Saturday.
"Considering the gravity of the charges, the Commission decided to give him the maximum punishment," the statement said.
Following the Easter bombings, Sri Lanka's worst terror attack on civilians, Jayawardena was removed from his position as SIS chief but was elevated to the role of deputy head of the police force, overseeing administration.
However, he was placed on compulsory leave a year ago, pending a disciplinary hearing, after repeated judicial orders to take action against him.
A top-level investigation initiated shortly after the attack found that then-president Maithripala Sirisena and four of his senior officials, including Jayawardena, should face criminal prosecution for their lapses
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Business Recorder
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A call to fulfil Pope Francis' final wish—permanent peace in Gaza
The world mourns the passing of a towering figure—the Pope of the poor, the marginalized, the forgotten—the shepherd of 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe. A relentless voice for peace, a steadfast supporter of the oppressed in war-torn Ukraine and Gaza, a critic of unchecked capitalism, consumerism, and populism; a simple soul who championed the cause of migrants, the homeless, and women's rights—Pope Francis has left this mortal world. His loss is felt most deeply in the bleeding hearts of conflict-ravaged people across the world. Living in a remote and forgotten corner of the globe, I feel it my moral obligation to eulogize this great man who, throughout his twelve-year papacy, stood unflinchingly with the downtrodden and disenfranchised. His monumental legacy as a messenger of peace will continue to resonate through the fractured landscapes of our battered world. Even in his final hours, Pope Francis raised his voice in one last fervent appeal—for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. On Easter Sunday, his final public address was a profound call to end the bloodshed, to release hostages, and to rush unhindered humanitarian aid to a starving population battered by relentless suffering. His message was as simple as it was eternal: war is a defeat and death; true victory and strength lie in peace, dialogue, and reconciliation. Throughout his papacy, the Pope stood as the world's moral compass, tirelessly calling for peace—from Ukraine to Gaza, from Yemen to Sudan. Today, as global leaders pay homage to his unmatched moral authority, they are called not just to mourn, but to embody his legacy—particularly in Gaza. Though a tiny minority among Gaza's overwhelmingly Muslim population of over two million, Catholics have remained resolute, refusing to abandon their ancestral homes and sacred land. Pope Francis remained in constant contact with the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, personally calling daily to inquire about their safety and urging protection, particularly of children. Even in his final, frail days, he remembered the suffering—an enduring testimony to his boundless compassion. Gaza's Christians mourn him not only as a religious leader but as a true friend who stood with them amid Israel's brutal war. They saw in him a beacon of solidarity when the world remained indifferent. The Pope condemned the slaughter, the relentless bloodshed, and the killing of innocents with unwavering moral clarity. A fitting tribute to his memory would be to fulfil his final wish: a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and a renewed global sprint for peace. On the day of his funeral, Saint Peter's Square overflowed with hundreds of thousands of mourners. Streets of the Vatican teemed with people bidding farewell to a Pope profoundly attuned to the anxieties, sufferings, and hopes of our time. His final rites drew a galaxy of world leaders—US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Zelensky, the UK Prime Minister, the French President, Germany's President, and the Presidents of Argentina and Brazil etc. On that solemn day, Trump even met Zelenskyy, pushing for a deal to end the Russian war on Ukraine. But their presence must not remain ceremonial. Let it mark a defining moment—a catalyst not only for ending the war in Ukraine but for embracing peace globally, especially in Gaza where a full-scale famine looms and every hour claims new innocent lives. Gaza's devastated people—constantly fleeing from one shattered tent to another—desperately need more than sympathy; they need a decisive action. Let these leaders hear the cries Pope Francis championed—the anguished screams of mothers clutching lifeless infants, the wails of children perishing from bombs, bullets, hunger, and disease in a hellscape of despair, which has become an inferno-a slaughterhouse of humanity. Pope Francis's final message was clear: humanity must transcend the cruelty of warlords who target the vulnerable. The trillions squandered on weapons must instead be spent on feeding the hungry, eradicating disease, eliminating poverty, and restoring human dignity—especially in the struggling continents of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Pain recognizes no borders. Suffering is universal. It demands urgent and resolute response. In honouring Pope Francis, we must honour the values he gave his life to defend. President Trump and fellow world leaders must heed the Pope's final appeal—not through grand words and solemn ceremonies, but through a bold, courageous action. They must enforce a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. They must pledge to rebuild Gaza—not with walls and weapons, but with schools, hospitals, and dreams. Let them transform Gaza from a graveyard into a vibrant garden of hope and life returning books and education to its children. Peace is not merely the absence of war; it is the triumph of justice, compassion, and opportunity. Pope Francis dedicated his life to this sacred truth. His death must not mark the silencing of that truth, but the birth of a new, thunderous awakening to it. Let his memory not just be revered but realized. In his spirit, let us forge a lasting legacy of peace—beginning with Gaza and stretching to every fractured corner of the globe. The Pope who called for a permanent ceasefire just one day before his death must be honoured through a decisive action. The powerful Western leaders, capable of halting the genocide in Gaza, must now move from words to deeds. Such action would be the truest, most glorious tribute to his memory. His soul will surely rejoice if, in death, he achieves what his passionate voice struggled for in life: an end to war, death, and destruction. The world awaits with bated breath the dawn of permanent peace in Gaza—a noble, moral triumph of life over death; the return of children's laughter, their education, their innocence—no longer under the shadow of fear, rubble, and despair. In the words of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who led the final service: 'Pope Francis touched minds and hearts. He built bridges, not walls.' Let us cherish and carry forward the ideals and legacy of this great man. Let those with power and influence work to heal the world and keep his spirit alive—by ending wars and building peace. At this critical juncture in history, may the passing of Pope Francis—who united world leaders at his funeral—also unite humanity in the pursuit of enduring peace. May his death become the harbinger of a world where the flames of war are extinguished, and the blossoms of peace bloom in every corner—from Ukraine to Gaza, from Yemen to Sudan. The Pope who lived for peace must, in death, gift us that peace. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
