On the 6th anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, a collective of Sri Lankas Muslim companies issued a solemn statement of remembrance and restored require justice, truth, and unity.The tragic Easter Sunday attacks of April 21, 2019, marks its 6th year today.
We, the Muslims of Sri Lanka, stand in solemn reflection, offering our inmost acknowledgements to the victims, their families, and all neighborhoods affected by this heinous act of terror.The joint statement reaffirmed the neighborhoods longstanding position of total rejection of the attacks and those who brought them out: We categorically and unquestionably restate our condemnation of these dreadful attacks.
Those who carried out these crimes neither represent Islam nor the Muslim community.
Their actions stand in total violation of the principles of our faith and the worths we uphold.It remembered how from the very beginning, under the guidance of spiritual scholars the Muslim neighborhood turned down and denounced the perpetrators, denying them Islamic funeral rites as a company declaration of our revulsion.Tracing a long tradition of coexistence, the declaration kept in mind, For over a thousand years, Muslims have resided in this land as loyal, tranquil, enterprising and contributing people.
Our history in Sri Lanka is among coexistence, loyal service, and nation-building through times of both peace and hardship.Despite dealing with significant injustices, discrimination, and vilification, the Muslim community had actually always picked the course of persistence and peace, never reacting with extremism or violence.The signatories cautioned that the attacks were not just acts of horror but also part of a broader conspiracy aimed at reviling Islam and damning and marginalizing the Muslim community, and insisted that those really responsiblethe masterminds, not scapegoatsbe gave justice.Justice postponed is justice denied, the statement included, lamenting that six years later on, the real culprits stay unknown and the core questions surrounding the attacks stay unanswered.With urgency, the declaration called attention to the ongoing usage of the Prevention of Terrorism Act: We further highlight with deep concern the extended detention of Muslim people under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), frequently without charge or conviction.
Such practices have just deepened skepticism and fear.They advised the government to bring all examinations to a transparent and reputable conclusion without more delay.Calling for systemic change, the declaration emphasized: We renew our call for significant improvement of the institutions, structures and political culture that have actually consistently allowed cycles of violence and impunity to take root in Sri Lanka.The statement connected the need for justice throughout Sri Lankas lots of wounded communities.Justice should be delivered not just for the victims of Easter Sunday however for all communities that have suffered injusticeincluding Tamil civilians throughout the long civil war, Sinhala youth during the insurrections of 1971 and 1989, and Muslim communities who have sustained discrimination and violence throughout occurrences such as the Aluthgama attacks, Gintota attacks, Digana attacks, Minuwangoda attacks, and the forced cremations of COVID-19 victims.Gratitude was also encompassed Catholic leadership and other communities.We express our heartfelt thankfulness to His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Catholic Church, and the lots of individuals across all religious and ethnic groups who stood against cumulative blame and punishment and promoted for justice throughout the challenging times that followed.
Their guts and uniformity will never ever be forgotten.Reaffirming their national belonging, the signatories concluded: As a neighborhood, we are devoted to moving forwardnot as a marginalized group, but as equivalent and informed citizens of this country.They prompted all Sri Lankans to turn down department and suspicion to build trust throughout communities, and to shape a future based upon peace, compassion, and real national unity.The memory of the victims need to be honoured not with more hate and oppression, but by guaranteeing that Sri Lanka becomes a land where truth prevails, justice is served, and every citizenregardless of faith or ethnicitycan deal with self-respect and equality.The statement was endorsed by over 15 prominent companies, including the All Ceylon Jammiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL), All Ceylon YMMA Conference (YMMA), and Sri Lanka Jamaathe Islami (SLJI), among others.