A Nation in Shock
Posted on: April 28, 2019
- In: General
- 6 Comments
It is a week since the terrible bombings of hotels and churches in Sri Lanka and the ensuing heavy loss of life. The economy, too, will take a long time to recover, dependent as it is on tourism and foreign investments.
Questions of motivation in suicide attacks like this always defy rational explanation. And speculation has been suppressed by a blackout of all social media in the country.
Such a blackout was sensible in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy as a measure to prevent anti-Muslim violence which has been a feature of Sri Lankan society in recent years (see my Blog post of 17 March 2018- ‘“Religious Violence” Sri Lanka-Style’- and the warnings I issued to the authorities in a newspaper article).
But the longer it continues, along with the sweeping emergency powers under which any criticism in print publications of the government and security forces is forbidden, the greater the danger to the political health of the nation. We fear a return to the dark days of authoritarian rule and the suppression of valid criticism. And, given an understandable zeal to redeem themselves, the security forces (now armed with powers to detain suspects without following due process) are likely to over-reach.
So the less I say the better.
6 Responses to "A Nation in Shock"
This is indeed a terrible situation and praying for grace for relatives of the victims and the people and Government of Sri Lanka as a whole
The times we are living in is showing an increasing attack on Gods people. We therefore have to increase our prayer and witness and not be silent
Praying for the bereaved, for communal harmony, and that Sri Lanka should not return to those dark days.
Message from the President of the Methodist Church…..
Dear Ministers. This is direct information received by me from the Police. I share this so that you may take the necessary precautions : “A pregnant woman is attempting to infiltrate in to Churches in the coming days to explode a bomb Please secure your churches and worship places. Thank you. President Bishop, Rev Asiri Perera.
Guys i have got this verified through a trusted source who spoke directly with Rev. Asiri a short while back. The Colpetty police has only informed him. Please share it with relevant leaders in your network Ando 02/05 10.30am ________________________________
Okay
We continue to pray for those injured and who lost family members as well as about the aftermath. The bombings there have had an impact on many other areas as well. In our location many people are quoting those bombings as justification for policies towards Muslims. Newspapers exhibit a considerable amount of schadenfreude when talking about the omnipresent security checks here.
Vinoth Ramachandra 
1 | timbulkeley
April 28, 2019 at 8:51 pm
Thank you for your post, we have been praying for Sri Lanka, for the government and civil and security authorities that they will manage to restrain the temptation to make wider use of their powers and further compromise civil society, for the churches and Christians that they may indeed be comforted, and may recognise that their Muslim neighbours are neighbours and not enemies, and for the Muslim minority that they may resist the temptation to act as extremists even though many will label them that way. In general that in that beautiful corner of God’s world his will might be done despite everything.