St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, Sri Lanka, was one building targeted in an attack that killed nearly 300 people. Photo courtesy of The New Yorker
Easter Sunday — a day that should have been filled with happiness and celebration — was instead marked by bloodshed and terror in Sri Lanka. Across three churches and three upscale hotels, suicide bombings took the lives of over 300 people and wounded around 500 more. Two days after the attacks, ISIL claimed responsibility, calling Easter an “infidel holiday” and publishing a video of the eight suicide bombers pledging their allegiance to the leader of ISIL.
Following the attacks, the Sri Lankan government immediately set a curfew in place. Social media sites like Facebook and WhatsApp were blocked in order to prevent the spread of rumors. The day after, on April 22, President Maithripala Sirisena declared a state of emergency and vowed to search every single house in the nation in order “to ensure no unknown persons could live anywhere.” More recently, a ban was declared on face-covering veils, a garment that holds religious significance for many Muslim women.
But this outer facade of bold and substantive action only serves to cover up the ridiculous mistakes the Sri Lankan government has made. Months before the attacks, the Sri Lankan government received detailed intelligence on possible church shootings. This included knowledge that extremist groups were stockpiling weapons and plotting church attacks. One of the suicide bombers had even been arrested a few months prior to the bombings for vandalizing a Buddha statue. The Sri Lankan government had substantial evidence that some attack would possibly occur but did nothing in response.
Political discord between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has only made matters worse. Both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe denied knowing about the security threats. Although the truth is unclear, there is no doubt that the Sri Lankan government’s political divisions and incompetency allowed for serious security threats to go practically unnoticed. Upul Thushara, a citizen of Sri Lanka, shared with The New York Times, “I was shocked at how they behaved in the Parliament the other day, shouting at each other and hooting when the whole country is like a funeral. Even when 300 people die they can’t stop fighting.”
The nature of the Sri Lankan government’s response to these bombings is also an issue. While they have implemented responses to the problem at hand, they have not, by any means, implemented the right ones. The ISIL is a terrorist group, aiming above all else to incite terror and fear in the communities they attack. Citizens in Sri Lanka have been horrified and shocked by the events on Easter Sunday. Christians have avoided going to church since, fearful that they may be the victims of another bombing. Muslim families have fled their neighborhoods, worried that they will be the targets of hate and resentment. But by enforcing a curfew, blocking social media sites, and forbidding face veils, the Sri Lankan government has done little to alleviate the fear plaguing its nation.
Sirisena and Wickremesinghe, along with their parties and ministers, have shown Sri Lanka and the world that they are fearful men and fearful leaders. Instead, these leaders must show courage and bravery in order to bolster the nation and counteract the extremist bombers. Rather than sending officials and troops to search people’s homes, the government should send troops to protect and defend churches and mosques. Rather than blocking social media sites, the government should start an online campaign against hate in the nation. The Sri Lankan government has been given a chance to display its strength and vigor in a time of turmoil. I, along with millions around the globe, hope they will take it.
