The Fear and the Turmoil

The scourge of terrorism has once again struck. 253 lives were lost this Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka (Andone 2019). A day meant for celebration quickly turned into a day of mourning and terror.  The fragile peace that had lasted for the past decade shattered this Easter Sunday as the sounds of first explosion disturbed the calm of morning mass. 

As Sri Lankans grapple with grief, fear, anger and confusion following the attacks authorities have continued their pursuit of the perpetrators behind this horrific attack. Although many suspects were apprehended Sri Lanka still remains at risk for another terror attack.  Authorities struggle to understand why despite alerts from moderate Muslims and specific intelligence passed on from the Indian government, Sri Lankan officials failed to fully acknowledge the threat posed by the ISIS affiliated Islamic extremists.

As bereaved  communities continue  to mourn for their lost loved ones , police identify marred bodies and victims fight for survival, the seemingly unaffected Muslim community also struggles to address the potential rise of Islamophobia.

Anti-Muslim sentiment, especially among nationalist Buddhists, is bound to increase. Most of the victims comprised of   Sinhalese and Tamil Christians, and those groups may now also be inclined to harbor ill feeling towards the Muslim community. Hateful online messages blaming Muslims for the attacks have evaded the government’s emergency social media ban, and stones have been thrown at several Muslim homes and businesses. Already two stores owned by Muslims have been burned by mobs. The Christian and Muslim communities struggle to maintain peace in a country that has already been embroiled in religious turmoil.  

Many Muslims in Sri Lanka express the fear that the horrific actions of a few taken in the name of Islam will define their community despite the majority not being supportive of such thought. Fortunately, the authorities and religious leaders have maintained a sense of stability and peace between the Muslim and Christian communities. 

It is not just the responsibility of Sri Lankans to maintain peace and achieve unity but also of the international community as a whole. We have seen the suffering of innocent people worldwide  in the aftermath of such despotic acts of terror, as society defines them by the actions of a few.  Sri Lanka must be allowed to heal and recover from the harrowing terror attacks that unfolded this Easter Sunday without experiencing further bloodshed.

References:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sri-lanka-blasts-mastermind/black-sheep-the-mastermind-of-sri-lankas-easter-sunday-bombs-idUSKCN1S21S8

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/asia/sri-lanka-death-toll-lower/index.html

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/04/25/sri-lankas-christians-and-muslims-werent-enemies