'Where is God?': Sri Lankans stunned after blasts

Agencies
April 22, 2019

Colombo, Apr 22: As Shantha Prasad carried children wounded in Sri Lanka's deadly attacks into a Colombo hospital, memories of the country's deadly civil war flooded back.

"I carried about eight wounded children yesterday," he told AFP on Monday, a day after a string of blasts hit hotels and churches, killing nearly 300 people.

"There were two girls aged six and eight, the same age as my daughters," said Prasad, who helps carry stretchers into the hospital's triage area and wards.

"Their clothes were torn and drenched in blood. It is unbearable to see this kind of violence again."

For many Sri Lankans, Sunday's attacks against churches and high-end hotels brought back painful memories of a conflict that lasted three decades and killed as many as 100,000 people.

During those years, bomb attacks were a regular occurrence and left many Sri Lankans on edge in the streets and on public transport.

In the capital, street sweeper Malathi Wickrama said Monday she was now nervous doing her job.

"Now we are afraid to even touch black plastic bags with garbage," she said.

"The string of blasts yesterday brings back memories of the time when we were afraid to go in buses or trains because of parcel bombs."

With the lifting of a nationwide curfew early Monday morning, people began to emerge into Colombo's streets, where security was heavy.

Schools and the stock exchange are closed, but some shops opened their doors and public transport was functioning.

Imtiaz Ali, a tuk-tuk driver, was looking for customers in the capital, but said his family was in mourning over the death of his nephew in the blast that hit the Cinnamon Grand hotel.

"The boy was just 23. He was a salesman at (the) Cinnamon Grand hotel and he was to be married next week," Ali told AFP.

"We had made all the plans to hold the wedding at home, but today it's a funeral house."

When Ali stopped at a petrol station to get a back-up container of fuel, the attendant said police had banned the sale of petrol and diesel in cans and bottles for fear they could be used to improvise bombs.

Elsewhere in the city, some residents were making their way into work, determined to maintain a semblance of normality despite the tragedy.

"We are resilient people," said Nuwan Samarweera, a 50-year-old office worker.

"We have seen so much violence during the civil war. For the outside world it may be big, but for us life goes on," he added.

"We have to gather ourselves and move on."

Ranjan Christopher Fernand, 55, said his friend's 11-year-old son had been killed in Negombo.

"This is the first time Christians have been attacked like this in Sri Lanka," he said, driving his taxi around the capital.

"Tonight we will go to the church to pray for the victims. Of course I feel afraid... but we have to go to church, we have to pray for the injured to get well soon."

North of Colombo, people gathered at the St Sebastian's church to pay their respects at a site where dozens of people were killed as they attended Easter prayers.

A mother and son poured tea for security forces in a show of support, as cleaners wearing face masks cleared shattered glass and splintered wood inside the church.

Buddhist monks joined priests, nuns and ordinary people arriving to offer condolences to the victims.

"I woke up this morning and thought 'what can I do to help?'" said Churchill Karunaratne, 52, weeping as he laid flowers outside the church.

He had rushed to the church after the blast a day earlier hoping to help and found scenes of horror.

"I came after the blast and saw dead bodies everywhere," said Karunaratne, a father-of-three.

"My kids have seen it all on the TV and now they are very scared about going to church," he added.

"They are asking many questions such as 'where is God?'"

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News Network
October 25,2024

Udupi, Oct 25: A team of police from Udupi apprehended a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) at Kannur International Airport, Kerala, after he had been absconding overseas since 2019. 

Ashmath Ali (35) originally arrested on charges of recording a video of unnatural acts, had been out on bail granted by the second ACJ and JMFC court of Udupi on September 6, 2019.

Despite 18 arrest warrants issued in his name, Ali managed to evade authorities for years, frequently traveling abroad. 

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths from Kaup police station intercepted him as he landed at Kannur International Airport on October 21, marking the end of his prolonged evasion from Indian law enforcement. 

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News Network
October 21,2024

khalistan.jpg

Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on Monday warned passengers not to fly on Air India flights from November 1 to 19. He asserted that an attack could take place on an Air India flight during the specified dates, which coincide with the "40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide".

The founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who holds dual citizenship in Canada and the US, had issued a similar threat around the same time last year.

Pannun's fresh threat comes amid several airlines in India receiving multiple threat calls about potential bombings, all of which turned out to be hoaxes. It also occurred at a time when India and Canada are engaged in a murky diplomatic row following Canada's allegations of India targeting Khalistani elements in the country, including the murder of another terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In November 2023, Pannun released a video claiming that Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport would be renamed and would remain closed on November 19, warning people against flying on Air India that day. The National Investigation Agency charged him with criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, and various offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

In December last year, Pannun threatened to attack the Parliament on or before December 13, following reports of an alleged foiled plot to kill him. December 13 marks the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Parliament in 2001.

He also threatened to kill Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of State Police Gaurav Yadav on Republic Day this year. He also urged gangsters to unite and launch an attack on Mann on January 26.

Pannun has been designated a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs since July 2020 on charges of sedition and secessionism, as he leads SFJ, a group advocating for a separate sovereign Sikh state. A year prior to this, India banned SFJ as an "unlawful association" for engaging in "anti-national and subversive" activities.

In another development, on October 17, the United States charged a former officer of India's spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for allegedly directing a foiled plot to murder Pannun, a charge New Delhi has rejected as baseless allegations.

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News Network
October 17,2024

Bengaluru, Oct 17: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced that all government residential schools in the state will be renamed as Maharishi Valmiki Residential Schools.

He further said that the Raichur University will be renamed as Maharishi Valmiki University, news agency ANI reported.

He made the announcement on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti, which is celebrated to honor Maharishi Valmiki, the revered author of the Ramayana.

Earlier today, the Karnataka CM paid rich tributes to Valmiki in a series of posts on X.

"Let the life and achievements of Dalit genius, Adi Kavi Valmiki, who wrote the epic Ramayana and showed that talent is not a gift of birth, but an achievement, be an inspiration to all of us," he said.

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