Newsdeck: The Sri Lanka attacks: New front, old wounds

Since 2009, the attention of the Sinhala Buddhist nationalists turned to the minority Muslim and Christian communities. While the security forces maintained an iron grip on the Tamil population, Sinhala Buddhist mobs started attacking Muslim and Christian populations repeatedly. In 2018, there wereby the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka

However, the attacks on Easter Sunday do not appear to be a response to past Sinhala Buddhist violence. The perpetrators did not target Sinhala Buddhist, but Christian institutions and tourism infrastructure. After the Sunday attacks, the tensions that already exist are likely to deepen. Already hate speech is circulating on Sinhala-language social media. There are also reports of reprisals against Muslims, as a number of Sri Lankan officials have said that a little known Muslim fighter group might be responsible for the attacks.

While tensions are high in the aftermath of the attack, the propensity of the state to respond with repression must be prevented. The existing draconian counterterrorism legislation, while journalists and activists continue to face harassment and surveillance. On April 22, President Maithripala Sirisena also declared national emergency, which gives the military sweeping powers.

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Easter marred by Sri Lanka bombs, pope says in condemning blastsPope Francis, in his Easter Sunday address, condemned as 'such cruel violence' the bombings in Sri Lanka that killed more than 100 people and were timed to coincide with the most important day in the Christian liturgical calendar.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »

Cape Town mosque expresses solidarity with Sri Lanka after devastating bomb blastsThe Claremont Main Road Mosque has offered its condolences and prayers with all victims of the tragedy, and called for perpetrators to be swiftly apprehended.
Source: TheCitizen_News - 🏆 6. / 75 Read more »

‘Horrific’, ‘cruel’, ‘sad’: World leaders react to Sri Lanka blastsHospital sources say Japanese citizens were among those injured by the bombs which ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services.
Source: TheCitizen_News - 🏆 6. / 75 Read more »

Seven arrested as Sri Lanka bombings death toll passes 200Seven people were arrested and three police officers were killed during a raid on a house in Colombo on Sunday as the death toll from a rash of bombings at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka rose past 200, police and local media said. Is this the job of a white man who is a super racist
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »

Cape mosque condemns deadly bomb blasts on Sri Lanka churches, hotels | IOL NewsThe Claremont Main Road Mosque has expressed solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka in the wake of six almost simultaneous bomb blasts.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

World leaders react to deadly Sri Lanka blastsHospital sources also say Japanese citizens were among those injured by the bombs which ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services.
Source: ewnupdates - 🏆 30. / 53 Read more »

Death toll in Sri Lanka Easter Day bomb blasts rises to 138 | IOL NewsEaster Day bomb blasts at three Sri Lankan churches and three hotels killed 138 people and wounded more than 400, hospital and police officials said.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Blasts at Sri Lanka hotels and churches kill 156Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the attacks as 'cowardly' and said the government was working to 'contain the situation'. Islamic problem
Source: eNCA - 🏆 49. / 51 Read more »

Sri Lanka government declares curfew after deadly Easter Day bomb blasts | IOL NewsThe explosions in Sri Lanka, some of which officials said were suicide bomb attacks, led to a clampdown, with the government declaring a curfew.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

30 killed in explosions at churches, hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayWitnesses are reporting two explosions have hit two churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, causing casualties among worshippers 160 killed Who the hell does shit like this Are there any further updates? How is this not all over social media? outraged
Source: News24 - 🏆 4. / 80 Read more »

At least 52 dead in Sri Lanka church, hotel blastsThe explosions hit three high-end hotels in the capital, where a church was also targeted. Terrible! Lets see if the world media gives this as much ongoing attention as the NZ attack. I doubt it 😡 Was it another white male racist with links to all white
Source: eNCA - 🏆 49. / 51 Read more »