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

By KRISHAN FRANCIS
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A Sri Lankan Roman Catholic leader says 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’s spokesman says he made the comment in response to a letter from the foreign minister seeking a meeting. He says the authorities must hold a transparent investigation and implement the recommendations of a presidential commission before any talks can begin. Six near-simultaneous suicide blasts at three churches and three tourist hotels on April 21, 2019, killed 269 people.