Easter Sunday attacks: President reiterates to bring true perpetrators before justice

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reiterated today that the true perpetrators responsible for the Easter Sunday massacres will be identified and brought before the law and assured not to let extremist violence to raise its head again.

“I reiterate the pledge I made in “Vistas for Prosperity” policy statement that I will ensure the safety of all communities in my country. I will not leave any room for any form of extremism, or violence from any extremists to be unleashed on my people again,” President said.

Issuing a message marking the one year since the deadly suicide attacks carried out by a group of extremists as a sequence of terror targeting Catholic churches and tourist hotels, President said he deeply empathize with the families of all those who lost their lives and sustained grave injuries, the Catholic community and entire Sri Lankan citizenry who were terrorized by these horrifying massacres.

President also noted that it is most unfortunate that the mechanisms that were in place to ensure national security were dismantled. “When anarchy prevails, it is only natural for extremism, terrorism and all kinds of violence to raise its despicable head,”

Around 270 people were killed and about 500 were gravely injured in Easter Sunday attacks. Some who survived, later succumbed to their injuries after months of suffering. Some others became disabled for life.

“Even though Catholics were targeted, this was a terrorist attack against all Sri Lankan citizens. This heinous crime against humanity needs to be condemned by all without any tolerance towards this extremist ideology,” President said in the message.