Talks on 2019 blasts require Sri Lankan gov’t credibility: Church

Roman Catholic leader says government must win back church’s confidence before talks on probe into blasts can proceed.

A Sri Lankan Roman Catholic leader has said the government must win back the confidence of the church before the two sides can hold talks on the church’s criticisms of inquiries into 2019 Easter Sunday bomb blasts that killed 269 people. Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith made the comment in response to a letter from Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris seeking a meeting, his spokesman, the Reverend Cyril Gamini Fernando, said on Wednesday. Ranjith said the authorities must hold a transparent investigation and implement the recommendations of a presidential commission before any talks can begin, Fernando said.