Sri Lanka is deep in mourning, and the bitterness toward the government is only growing. Paralyzed by months of political bickering and impasse, Sri Lanka’s elected leaders failed to take action after repeated warnings that suicide attacks were being planned.
Around 9 a.m. on Easter Sunday, seven bombers detonated backpacks loaded with explosives within minutes of one another at three high-end hotels and three churches across the island, leaving more than 250 people dead. In the days since, other terrorism suspects have set off several more explosives and engaged in a lengthy shootout with the police and military, claiming more lives.
For weeks, Indian intelligence agents had been issuing warnings. The Indians had been closely tracking the suspected ringleader, Zaharan Hashim, also known as Zahran Hashmi, and warned Sri Lankan intelligence services several times, including on the morning of the attack. The April 9 memo included the names and addresses of suspected members of the terrorist group.
Sri Lanka is hardly getting back to normal, but many people returned to work on Monday. On the main roads, traffic was thicker, and some stores opened for the first time in days. For most of the country, a nighttime curfew has been lifted.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. In a video released by the group’s media wing, Mr. Zaharan, who was one of the suicide bombers, swore allegiance to the Islamic State.
Since the bombings, anti-Muslim feeling has been rising across Sri Lanka. In a few areas, Muslims and Muslim-owned businesses have been attacked. Security forces and religious leaders have been trying hard to tamp down tensions.
On Monday, Mr. Sirisena banned “all forms of clothing that cover a person’s face and prevents them from being identified.” He cited the limited state of emergency that he imposed last week, giving the government sweeping powers to arrest, search and seize.
Though he did not single out the burqas and niqabs that some Muslim women wear, other Sri Lankan lawmakers had been pushing for measures to do exactly that.
Source : Nytimes
