Chandrika Kumaratunga urges people not to be provoked

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who condemned the series of bomb attack in the country, said peace committees would be formed by the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) to engage in maintaining peace in the country.   

 She said in her message, “I join all peace loving Sri Lankans to condemn unreservedly the dastardly acts of violence that occurred since this morning in several leading Christian churches all over the country and in Hotels in Colombo.My heartfelt sympathies go out to the families of those who lost lives, even while they were peacefully at worship, on this holiest of days for Christians - Easter Sunday, as well as to all the others. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured.   

It is clear that this is a well organised operation to create chaos in a country that is returning to normalcy and economic recovery. The perpetrators must be brought to justice and punished without any delay, irrespective of their status. I call upon all my brothers and sisters not to be provoked by these events, however difficult and painful it may prove, and to maintain the Unity, Brotherhood and Peace we have built for each other, irrespective of all differences, during the past few years.  We must resolve to reject violence and extremism in all its forms and adopt the weapon of understanding, reconciliation and love.