COLOMBO ; The tragic Easter Sunday attacks of April 21, 2019, marks its 6th year today. We, the Muslims of Sri Lanka, stand in solemn reflection, offering our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and all communities affected by this heinous act of terror.
We categorically and unequivocally reiterate our condemnation of these horrific attacks. Those who carried out these crimes neither represent Islam nor the Muslim community. Their actions stand in total violation of the principles of our faith and the values we uphold. From the very beginning, under the guidance of religious scholars the Muslim community rejected and denounced the perpetrators, denying them Islamic funeral rites as a firm statement of our revulsion.
For over a thousand years, Muslims have lived in this land as loyal, peaceful, enterprising and contributing citizens. Our history in Sri Lanka is one of coexistence, loyal service, and nation-building through times of both peace and hardship. Despite facing significant injustices, discrimination, and vilification, we have always chosen the path of patience and peace, never responding with extremism or violence.
It is clear that the incidents of Easter Sunday were not only acts of terror but also part of a broader conspiracy aimed at maligning Islam and vilifying and marginalizing the Muslim community. We demand that the full truth be exposed and that those truly responsible—the masterminds, not scapegoats—be brought to justice. Justice delayed is justice denied, and it is unacceptable that six years later, the real culprits remain unidentified and the core questions surrounding the attacks remain unanswered.
We further highlight with deep concern the prolonged detention of Muslim individuals under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), often without charge or conviction. Such practices have only deepened mistrust and fear. We call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to bring all investigations to a transparent and credible conclusion without further delay.
We renew our call for meaningful transformation of the institutions, structures and political culture that have repeatedly allowed cycles of violence and impunity to take root in Sri Lanka. Justice must be delivered not only for the victims of Easter Sunday but for all communities that have suffered injustice—including Tamil civilians during the long civil war, Sinhala youth during the insurrections of 1971 and 1989, and Muslim communities who have endured discrimination and violence during incidents such as the Aluthgama attacks, Gintota attacks, Digana attacks, Minuwangoda attacks, and the forced cremations of COVID-19 victims. In the absence of full accounting, the path of collective progress as a confident and forward-looking nation would only remain elusive.
We express our heartfelt gratitude to His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Catholic Church, and the many individuals across all religious and ethnic groups who stood against collective blame and punishment and advocated for justice during the difficult times that followed. Their courage and solidarity will never be forgotten.
As a community, we are committed to moving forward—not as a marginalized group, but as equal and enlightened citizens of this country. We urge all Sri Lankans to reject division and suspicion, and all elements, external and internal, that foment them, to build trust across communities, and to shape a future based on peace, compassion, and true national unity.
The memory of the victims must be honoured not with more hate and injustice, but by ensuring that Sri Lanka becomes a land where truth prevails, justice is served, and every citizen—regardless of faith or ethnicity—can live with dignity and equality.
All Ceylon Jammiyyathul Ulma – ACJU | Muslim Council of Srilanka – MCSL | Colombo District Masjid Federation – CDMF | All Ceylon YMMA Conference – YMMA | Sri Lanka Jama’athe Islami – SLJI | United Thawheed Jamth – UTJ | Supreme Council of Sufi Thareeqas-( SCOT) | Salamah Society | National Movement Against Forcible Cremation | All Ceylon Thawheed Jamath – ACTJ | Council for Community Initiatives – CCI | All Ceylon Union of Muslim League – ACUMLYF | RPSL Consortium | Al-Muslimath | Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum | Advocacy & Reconciliation Council -ARC | All University Muslim Students Association – AUMSA
