Sri Lanka’s Catholics resume
Sunday worship
 |
| Catholic faithful at Mass in St Teresa's Church in Colomba on May 12, 2019 |
Sunday Masses in churches resumed for the first time in Sri
Lanka on May 13 since the suicide bomb attacks on 3 churches and 3 hotels on
Easter Sunday. Catholic schools are scheduled to reopen on Tuesday.
By Robin Gomes
Sri Lankan Catholics returned to churches for public worship
and programmes on Sunday, after Easter Sunday’s attacks, claimed by the Islamic
State, killed more than 250 people and injured some 500.
Soldiers and police armed with assault rifles patrolled the
streets leading to churches and stood guard outside the compounds. The faithful
were searched before being allowed in and backpacks were banned. Everyone
entering was required to produce identity cards and was body searched.
Volunteers stationed at the entrances identified
parishioners and looked out for suspicious individuals.
Parking was banned near the churches and officials requested
worshippers to bring along only minimum baggage.
In the cities of Colombo and Negombo, where two Catholic
churches were hit, Masses were held under strict security checks and armed
surveillance by security forces.
The police checked every entrance to St Lucia's Cathedral in
Colombo, one of the largest churches in the country, which was packed to
capacity, with many injured or who lost relatives in the attacks of 21 April.
Catholic schools are scheduled to re-open on May 14.
While Catholic educational institutions remained closed as a precautionary
measure, the state schools, numbering more than 10,000, resumed classes
on May 6 under guard by security forces.
Mass for the death, May 16
Catholics are also eagerly awaiting the Mass for the souls
of the victims scheduled for May 16 in Negombo, the scene of the bloodiest
massacre with over 100 victims.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, told a
press conference on May 9 that the Catholic Church decided to reopen its
schools after assurance from security forces.
He lamented the inaction of the government in taking
measures despite reports from foreign intelligence agencies that attacks were
in offing. He hoped authorities will now work with the intelligence
services to adopt appropriate strategies to combat terrorist activities in the
country.
Communal tension
Meanwhile, with tension running high between Christian and
Muslim communities in the predominantly Buddhist nation, authorities imposed
curfew across its northwest province on Monday to check the violence.
Mosques, shops and properties owned by Muslims came under attack in the worst
outbreak of violence since the Easter bombings.
The government has also temporarily blocked social media and
messaging apps, the third time since Easter Sunday.
The government acted after an exchange of accusations
between two people on Facebook led a mob to attack a Muslim-owned shop on
Sunday in the Catholic-majority town of Chilaw, located about 80 kilometres
north of Colombo. The curfew was lifted on Monday.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét