MAHANAYAKE THEROS CRITICISE THE REPORT(98 Jul 08)
The Mahanayake Theros of the Malwatte and the Asgiriya chapters have rejected some of the findings of the three-member committee appointed to investigate the Dalada Maligawa bomb blast. The Mahanayake Theros expressed their views when Dr. G. L. Peiris went to Mahanuwara to inform them that the government has decided to postpone the provincial councils elections due to the security situation in the country.
The Mahanayake Theros have stated that it is wrong to blame the Mahanuwara police for the bomb blast. The Mahanayake Thero of the Asgiriya chapter has further told the minister that the commission had not made an attempt to identify the authorities who instructed to remove the iron barrier at the Raja Veediya entrance to the Maligawa premises, through which the terrorists have come.
The rejection of some of the findings of the Commission, by the Mahanayake Theros does not imply by any means that the LTTE is not responsible for the bomb blast. The Mahanayake Theros while agreeing with the fact that the Maligawa bomb blast is the work of the LTTE, goes to the extent of criticising the commission for not going into the details regarding the assistance, if any, the LTTE got from various sources. The Mahanayake Theros have only criticised the commission for putting the entire blame on the Mahanuwara police.