My first meeting with His Eminence goes back to the time of the late Archbishop, His Grace Oswald Gomis. I met His Eminence in the company of Archbishop Gomis many years ago, when His Eminence was the Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo. He had come to see my late father, Dr. Cyril Perera. Subsequently when His Eminence became the Archbishop, I was called by him to be the lawyer of the Finance Committee of the Archdiocese. From there on I have had a very close relationship with him.
This relationship got much closer with the tragic Easter Sunday Bomb attack in 2019. We worked very closely during those eighteen months of the Commission. Throughout that period and whenever I wanted certain factual matters clarified I was able to do so, without a moment’s hesitation even whilst the Commission was in session. One thing I discovered during this period was his immense love for his people. Many times here and abroad he used to break down and cry, when recounting the tragic bomb blast – ‘Tears are words the heart cannot express’.
His Eminence requested the then President to appoint a Commission to look into the Easter Sunday Blast. The Commission report very clearly stated as follows;
“In view of the intimation made by the President that one reason for the appointment of the Commission of Inquiry was the request made by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, it was decided to allow him legal representation from day one of the proceedings. Accordingly, Mr. Shammil Perera, President’s Counsel and a team of lawyers were present throughout the reception of evidence including evidence in camera”
In fact His Eminence took it on himself to give evidence personally on two days at the Easter Sunday Commission. The Commission has recorded as follows inter – alia on his evidence;
“His Eminence said that religions are for peace but unfortunately in this consumerist material world religions have become an element to divide humans rather than nurturing, nourishing and uniting them. Mutual respect to others religions and their beliefs is in the preaching of all religions and no religious leader born to this world has said to divide mankind, kill humans in the name of God and religious diversity that this country is having today is a blessing according to His Eminence. He went on to state that if religions are followed in the right manner it can lead to social transformation towards a better life. The beauty of Sri Lanka is in its diversity similar to the diversity in our natural environment with a vast collection of fauna and flora, His Eminence added”.
I need to state with deep gratitude that during the height of the Commission, my safety was His Eminence’s main concern and he even offered his car and asked me to come and stay at the Archbishops house, where he said that he would personally look into my well being. It reflected how much love and compassion he had towards the victims and on me personally. It was his firm belief always that ‘the tears in their eyes you can wipe away, the ache in their heart will always stay’. That determination of His Eminence to find the truth of the Easter Sunday carnage is something unique. Napolean Bonaparte said ‘the word impossible is found only in a dictionary of fools’. His Eminence will leave no stone unturned in his quest to find the truth.
During the days of the Commission, when our time was spent full time on the Commission, there was no one on whom we could turn to for consolation except His Eminence. I could say without any hesitation and from the deepest depths of my heart, when I used to drive back home alone after the Commission sittings in the early hours of the morning that I took great consolation and strength from the fact that my Archbishop was there for me, come what may. St. John of the Cross aptly described this as ‘the dark night of the soul’. God in his mercy gave me this father figure to help me. There are moments which mark your life, moments when you realise nothing will ever be the same. Time is divided into two parts, before this and after this. That is how it was for me.
Another vital yet often unappreciated facet of His Eminence’s leadership has been his unwavering commitment to fostering interfaith harmony in Sri Lanka’s diverse religious landscape. In the aftermath of the tragic Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, a moment of deep national trauma, His Eminence called not for revenge but for unity, peace and restraint. In this context, if I might quote from the Final Report of the Easter Commission of Inquiry;
“The invaluable reconciliation effort by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith is written in the history of Sri Lanka is immemorial. His Eminence’s appeal for Sri Lankans to non violence, non retaliation and clemency for enemies saved the country from fueling ethnic and religious tensions that were about to spread”
His Eminence is a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. As a Cardinal he is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the Holy Father who is the Bishop of Rome and the visible head of the universal Catholic Church. It has to be stressed that His Eminence as a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, went to the United Nations in Geneva on three occasions and met with the Head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and briefed them about the Easter Sunday carnage. We also met a number of High Commissioners and Ambassadors of the United Nations in Geneva and kept them informed of the developments on the aftermath of the attack. On all these occasions, I saw for myself, first hand the trouble he had to undergo in making these long and arduous journeys. I asked myself the question a number of times, “why does His Eminence have to do this?”. The Answer was clear it was all for the sake of his people whom he loved and who suffered immensely.
I am proud of the fact he was the first Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church to have addressed the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights. In fact to do so, he had to get the permission of the Holy Father, which he got in person. The Holy Father, the late Pope Francis was very keen to see some of the victims. This too was organised by His Eminence and there was a Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on the 29th April 2022. The mass was packed to capacity by the Sri Lankan community in Italy and 50 victims of the bomb blast were specially flown to Rome for this occasion.
His Eminence was also instrumental in getting his lawyers to file 289 cases for damages in the District Courts of Colombo and Negombo on the injuries sustained by the innocent victims. These cases had to be filed within two years and His Eminence spear headed that enormous task.
In the final analysis, I can say with great certainty that If His Eminence had not got involved personally this whole ugly traumatic event would by now have been swept under the carpet as has been the case in a number of contentious matters in Sri Lanka.
A further matter that needs to be stressed is the case where compensation was given by the Supreme Court in a sum of Rs. 311 million which was the highest amount of compensation ever paid in a Fundamental Rights case in the history of Sri Lanka. In fact, the interest His Eminence, took in that case was stupendous. The day the Judgement was being pronounced he was determined to come to Court but due to circumstances beyond his control he was out of the island and his flight was delayed. Neither His Eminence nor I were able to even visualise that great and singular Judgement. There is no doubt that, that was the hand of God.
It was not only the Easter Sunday issues but His Eminence intervened in public interest litigation wherever and whenever it was necessary. To name a few, the Muthurajawela issue, the appointment of the IGP, the Online Safety Bill, the draconian Anti Terrorism Bill, the Richmond Castle case and having tuition classes on Poya Days were some of the matters that were entrusted to me. All these actions were instituted not for his personal glory but rather for the well being of his flock. As the late Holy Father, Pope Francis said of priests “priests should be shepherds with the ’smell of the sheep’, grounded in the situation of their flock……… a pastor is one who puts God’s holy faithful people at the centre …………”. This would aptly apply to His Eminence who was deeply concerned with the welfare of his people.
I would say without hesitation that it was one of the greatest privileges in my life and a gift I received from Almighty God to have been able to work for His Eminence. It is a gift that I will never tire of unwrapping. I have found a great person in him and always would love to work with him as long as I can. It was said of Sir. Winston Churchill, ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man’. I would without any hesitation tell the same of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. He is a great gift to the Church in Sri Lanka, a giant, the like of whom we may not see again’.
by Shammil J. Perera
President’s Counsel
Courtesy www.island.lk
