Bloody attacks in Sri Lanka

The international community has condemned the bloody attacks that took place on Sunday morning in Sri Lanka, a majority-Buddhist island country in South Asia.

Corina Cristea, 22.04.2019, 12:38

The echoes of the recent tragedy in
Sri Lanka that has made headlines around the world are far from dying out.
According to constantly rising official figures, hundreds of people have been
killed and wounded. The authorities have declared a state of emergency
nationwide after several explosions took place simultaneously on Sunday morning
at several Christian churches during the Catholic Easter service and at a
number of luxury hotels packed with tourists. Most attacks took place in the
capital Colombo.

In Washington, the State Department
issued a new travel warning about Sri Lanka, saying terrorist groups continue
to plan possible attacks in this majority Buddhist South-Asian country, where
Catholics number 1.1 million in a population of 21 million. The American
diplomacy indicated as possible targets tourist places, transport terminals,
shopping malls, hotels, religious sites, airports and other public places. Amid
uncertainties and a dramatic situation on the ground, political and religious
leaders from around the world have condemned the attacks. These attacks demonstrate the brutal nature of terrorists whose
sole aim is to threaten peace and security, the US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo said in a statement. A number of American citizens are among the
victims, as well as British, according to the British Foreign Secretary, who
described the attacks as horrifying.

Russia has sent a message
of condolence and said it was ready to give all necessary support to Sri Lanka.
The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attacks were assaults on
all humanity, while Israel’s president Reuben Rivlin said an attack against
one religion is an attack against all religions. Pope Francis, who held the
Easter service at the Vatican, expressed his sadness and sorrow following the
attacks, while the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres has condemned the
violence saying efforts must be made to protect religious sites.

In Romania, president Klaus
Iohannis said religious freedom must be protected and prime minister Viorica
Dancila said her thoughts were with the people of Sri Lanka. Immediately after
the attacks took place, the foreign ministry in Bucharest established a crisis
cell, given that a group of high school children from Romania are in Sri Lanka
until Friday on an exchange project.