Cardinal: Sri Lanka Easter
bombings a “senseless and meaningless tragedy”
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| Families recalling their dead at the graveyard of St Sebastian's Church in Negombo on April 21, 2020 (AFP) |
After a 2-minute silence, Church bells across Sri Lanka
tolled on Tuesday, in commemoration of those killed in the suicide bomb attacks
on 3 churches and 3 upscale hotels on Easter Sunday, exactly a year ago on
April 21.
By Robin Gomes
In a coordinated move, 9 suicide bombers affiliated to local
Islamist group National Thowheed Jamath exploded themselves in the churches and
hotels, killing at least 279 people, including 37 foreign nationals, and
injuring at least 500. The attack left the nation of 21 million people
shell-shocked and devastated.
“This is a moment to remember this senseless and meaningless
tragedy that happened to us on Easter Sunday last year and which is completing
one year today, 21 April,” recalled Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of
Colombo.
The first anniversary of the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri
Lanka was a simplified version of a more elaborate commemoration event that was
cancelled owing to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.
Even the country's television channels went silent in
tribute.
The bombed Catholic churches of St. Sebastian in Negombo,
just north of Colombo, and St. Anthony’s Shrine Kochchikade were consecrated
and reopened to the public but Zion Church of Batticaloa, in the eastern coast,
is still being renovated.
“We are very keen to remember all these people who died in
these bomb blasts and also those have been injured,” said Cardinal Ranjith, who
had called for the moment of silence and the ringing of church and temple bells
to remember their dead.
Nearly 300 people were killed and many more injured, many of
them suffering even today, said the cardinal, under whose jurisdiction comes
St. Anthony’s Shrine Kochchikade and St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, which
had the highest number of deaths.
He told Vatican Radio that some of them were on wheelchairs,
disabled for life, some were in bed, and that they need to think about
them.
He said it is a moment to remember and pray for all those
who died. It is also an occasion to console the families who have lost
their loved ones or who have injured members, so they can help and show their
concern for them, he told Vatican Radio.
After the bombings, Sri Lanka’s public and religious leaders
blamed politicians and government officials for failing to act on intelligence
about the attacks.
In his homily at Easter this year, the Cardinal Ranjith said
that Christians had forgiven the killers. However, the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of Sri Lanka and the cardinal demanded that the perpetrators, their
collaborators and supporters be brought to justice.
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