COLOMBO :Seven years after the Easter Sunday attacks, the pain remains as raw as ever.
On this seventh commemoration, the Eastern Social Development Foundation (ESDF) stands in solidarity with the victims, survivors, and affected communities across Sri Lanka. We remember those who lost their lives, those who were injured, and the families who continue to endure unimaginable grief.
Time has passed, but healing has not followed. Many victims continue to live with trauma, fear, and unanswered questions. The absence of justice and accountability has prolonged their suffering. Survivors, including persons with disabilities, women, and children who lost loved ones, continue to face financial hardship, psychological distress, and inadequate access to proper medical care and trauma support.
While a small group of extremists carried out these attacks, their actions have had far-reaching consequences…k,i. The Muslim community has faced collective blame and stigma, while trust between Muslim and Christian communities has been deeply affected. Narratives that link entire communities to terrorism have intensified fear, division, and insecurity, and are often exploited by extremist elements for political gain.
A major reason for this ongoing crisis is the lack of genuine political will to conduct a credible and independent investigation. Governments have changed, and commissions have been formed, yet meaningful progress remains absent. Delays in investigations, prolonged legal proceedings, and the failure to act on key findings have eroded public trust and deepened the victims’ sense of abandonment.
Significant evidence uncovered through past investigations, including the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) and the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), has yet to be fully disclosed. At the same time, irresponsible and unsubstantiated public statements continue to mislead the public and retraumatize victims. Such actions must be addressed firmly to prevent further harm and division.
In the aftermath of the attacks, the Muslim community has also become secondary victims. Even individuals released without charges continue to face surveillance, repeated questioning, social stigma, and restrictions that disrupt their daily lives. Many report damaged reputations, economic hardship, and social isolation. These families seek transparency, the removal of unjust restrictions, and acknowledgment of the harm they have endured.
For many, justice is not only about accountability. It is also about restoring dignity, freedom, and the ability to live without fear.
ESDF therefore calls on the Sri Lankan Government and all relevant authorities to:
● Ensure an independent, accountable, and transparent investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks with genuine political will and a victim centered approach. While the independent mechanism should be consisted in terms of investigation and justice.
● Immediately release all findings and reports related to the Easter Sunday attack investigations, including those produced by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) and Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), without withholding any information.
● Expedite all pending legal proceedings and case hearings related to the Easter Sunday attacks, and ensure that those unlawfully detained are given the opportunity to present their cases before the courts and seek justice.
● Ensure access to justice for victims by strengthening legal processes and providing adequate legal assistance. In addition, provide fair and non discriminatory reparations to all victims across communities, with a focus on rebuilding lives and restoring normalcy.
● Provide sustained psychological support, trauma counselling, and access to quality medical care for survivors and affected families through a government led initiative in a sustainable manner.
● Take appropriate legal action against those spreading false narratives and unsubstantiated claims through media briefings, publications, and social media, and prevent such actions in accordance with the law.
● Take necessary measures to stop terrorist labeling and collective punishment against the Muslim community by addressing discrimination, hate speech, and targeted harassment by extremist individuals or groups, and ensure equal protection under the law.
● Government should reduce the surveillance, intimidation, integration against the human rights defenders and victims and human rights defenders.
● Ensure accountability of any officials or institutions found to have failed in their duty or acted negligently in preventing or responding to the attacks.
This Remembrance Day must not only honor the past, but also shape the future. Sri Lanka’s strength lies in its diversity. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and all communities share a common destiny. Our diversity must be a source of strength, not division.( Courtesy ESDF)
