Sri Lanka Embassy in Jakarta,
Remembering the Perished in Tragic Bomb Attacks on Easter
Embassy of Sri Lanka in Indonesia held gathering in Jakarta for remembering those who have perished in a tragic series of bomb attacks on Easter Sunday, 21st April 2019. The gathering was attended by Bhante Phra Nakhon Khamsawang (Buddha Metta Arama Buddhist temple, Menteng Central Jakarta), Bhante Rathanadiro (Dhammacakka Jaya Buddhist temple, Sunter North Jakarta). Besides the Buddhist monks, other member of religious communities in Indonesia also attended the gathering. They are Mr. P. Palvannan, Ustad Nurdin Amin, Rev. Alan Wood (All Saints Anglican Church), Rev. Dr. Henriette Hutabarat-Lebang (General Chairperson – Communion of Churches of Indonesia). This is the speech made by H.E. Mr. Dharshana M. Perera – Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Indonesia and to the ASEAN
“ …….We are gather here this morning in remembrance of those who have perished in a tragic series of bomb attacks on Easter Sunday, 21st April 2019.
Let me, on behalf of the Embassy and staff and my personal behalf together with the Sri Lankan community living in Indonesia express our deepest condolences to those families who have lost their loved ones in Sri Lanka and of: Bangladesh, China, India, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands. We pray that all of them will find strength, the fortitude to overcome this tragedy. We wish those injured a sppedy recovery and have the courage and receive the assistance to rebuild their lives.
My dear friends, it is a time of excruciating pain, intense emotion and a loss for answers to an unimaginable display of hate. It is natural to feel this way and we need to come to terms with these natural human feelings.
In the last few days, we have seen the widespread show of solidarity with Sri Lanka. Governments, Sri Lankan communities across the world have come out in fearless solidarity with the families of the victims and those injured and with Sri Lanka. HE Retno Marsudi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia at a special meeting with on Monday, 22 April personally expressed through me to Sri Lanka strong condemnation and conveyed the condolonces of President HE JOKO WIDODO, the govt and people of Indonesia, and that of her own. So has the Governor of HON ANIS BASWEDAN. The City of Jakarta has in a gesture of solidarity lit the Gelora foot bridge with colours of the Sri Lankan flag. In the last few days large number of ambassadors walked through these doors of your embassy and expressed without fear their strong condemnation and condolences to the people of Sri Lanka thus displaying strong solidarity with all of us the People of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is deeply comforted by these expression of solidarity.
Despite the pain, despite the anguish, despite the question ‘why’, each of of us – people of goodwill here and those in our motherland and others across the world have come together in solidarity, in peace and unity.
And hence we must all stand with the people of Sri Lanka and with the families who have lost their loved ones in the dastardly terrorist attacks last Easter Sunday 21st April 2019.
To me as it is, I am sure, to all of you, this deliberate targeting of innocent people is unimaginable. Those who were killed were those engaged in one of the finest expressions of human qualities-seeking spiritual enhancement, religious devotion and prayer, sharing family breakfast with loved ones, those making an honest and sincere living. It is particularly disturbing that human beings in such a context can be targeted with such hate and dastardiness. Whether it’s a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand one month ago, or whether it is Sri Lanka one week ago, they were all engaged in the finest of human practices. So to attack these places of holy worship and finest of human situations are not just attacks on human beings but attacks on the whole of humanity.
No religion teaches us hate. Individually and collectively they teach us love. This is borne out by scriptures of religious and faiths and teachings that humanity has been blessed with. May I at this stage quote some of the passages to remind ourselves this eternal truth.
Hatred does not cease by hatred, by only by love, this is the eternal rule. – The Lord Buddha
And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel evil by that deed which is better, and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity will become as though he was a devoted friend. – The Holy Koran
What I say unto you, love enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you. – the Lord Jesus Christ
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – St. Paul the Apostle
This is the sum of duty; do naught unto others what you would not have them do unto you.- The Maha Bharata
Dear friends,
We stand united at this time of great adversity – we shall not be overcome by anger, revenge or misplaced hate. We should be strengthen our resolve to fight the forces of evil and terror
May peace be with us and within us all ….”( Setiawan Liu / IM )
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