Sri Lanka Easter Bombings, 259 Killed, 500+ Injured

21st April, 2019

To the world's Christian community, Easter Sunday celebrates the day of Jesus Christ's resurrection. In 2019 however, Easter Sunday will also be known for the coordinated terrorist attacks and suicide bombings of three churches in Sri Lanka, and three luxury hotels in Colombo which killed 259, and injured 500 plus people.

Upon hearing the news, the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres posted on Twitter and said,"I condemn the heinous terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, a sacred day for Christians. The UN stands in solidarity with Sri Lanka as the global community fights hatred and violent extremism together. Holy sites must be respected."

Philip believes the influence of lobbying groups (particularly from middle east countries) must be noted as they have successfully persuaded politicians and journalists in the West to believe in a systematic anti-Muslim discrimination called "Islamophobia," yet after reviewing current events, it's also evident that the reverse, or "Christophobia" which is having a fear, dislike and hatred of Christianity, Christians and all things Christian is also true.

In New Zealand last month, Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian was arrested for the Christchurch mosque shootings, the first at Al Noor Mosque in Riccarton, and the second at Linwood Islamic Centre on the 15 March 2019. These attacks resulted in 51 people being killed and 49 people being injured, and Tarrant is now before the NZ criminal justice system.

Whilst the outcry and condemnation to the NZ attacks was both loud, global and significant, the same cannot be said for the Sri Lankan attacks, in which 259 were killed and more than 500 injured. Unfortunately, the world was eerily silent on Sri Lanka, even though there were many victims of both attacks, and all needed the same level of support and condemnation for the crimes against not only them, but also the threats against our values, way of life and the security of citizens throughout the world.

At the time of the NZ attack, Philip and Terri together said "Another terrorist attack, this time in New Zealand. On behalf of our family, our hearts and prayers go out to all those effected by this tragic event. As a community this senseless act of violence must stop. We must remain steadfast and united in dealing with terrorism, no matter who, when or where it may occur in the world, and in our attempts to keep our communities safe."

Following the Easter Sunday attacks, Philip and Terri said "Another terrorist attack, this time in Sri Lanka on one of the most important days in the Christian calendar with 6 near simultaneous explosions & the Mirror reporting 129 dead & 500 wounded. Our prayers & thoughts are with the victims, families & all those effected at this time."

As the President of the Lions Club of Whitford, an Australian Lions Delegate to the United Nations, and as a previous Board and WA State Director of the Australian Lions Drug Awareness Foundation ("ALDAF"), Philip responded to the UN Secretary General and said "Antonio the attacks were devastating. There's more work to do though, as discussed in New York and previously in Geneva. The rise of extremism, threat of terrorism, resentment of the US, Israel and their allies, Cameroon, Yemen, Syria, & displacement etc, the UN must act & now."

Most importantly, what these and other attacks have shown is that the world today faces more challenges and security threats than ever, with the threat of terrorism (real or perceived), extremism, violence and an ideology that's inconsistent to our accepted norms, values and our way of life.

Australia's military, police, security and intelligence agencies, together with our allies have a very difficult job to keep abreast of these latest security threats and therefore need all Australians support.

We're Australian, and we look after one another.

Philip and Terri Couper
(Image Source - BBC and Getty Images)