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Prayer for Sri Lankan Christian Victims in Surrey

4-23-2019

On Easter Sunday in April 21st, Eight blasts ripped through churches and high-end hotels in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo.

The death toll is more than 300 and more than 500 injured in the most devastating attacks since Sri Lanka’s civil war ended in 2009.

Sri Lankan officials blamed a local Muslim militant group, National Thowheed Jamaath, for the attack on Monday.

Manisha Gunasekera, high commissioner of Sri Lanka to the UK described the attacks as "certainly acts of terror."

"This is an attack against the whole of Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka is (a) multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country, and the whole country comes together in celebration of Easter Sunday," Gunasekera said.

On Monday April 23rd, local community organizations hosted a Prayer Vigil for the victims and Survivors at Holland park in Surrey.

Telugu Christians in association with Free Methodist Church, Tamil Church, Malayalam Church and Punjabi Church hosted a prayer Vigil and memorial service in solidarity with the congregations of the Church in Sri Lanka. The organizers state the vigil is a place for Christians of all denominations as well as people of all faiths and beliefs to come together in solidarity.

Other local organizations also took part in the prayer meet including, B.C. Muslim Association, Friends of Pakistan, Indians Abroad for a pluralist India, Global Peace Initiative of Pakistan and local Sikh Organizations.

B.C. Muslim Association issued a statement on April 21st, stated their stand with the good people of Sri Lanka.

The British Columbia Muslim Association condemns in the strongest terms the atrocious attacks at various churches and hotels in Sri Lanka during the last Easter weekend. This heinous attack killed about 300 innocent lives and wounded about 500. These acts of terrorism does not adhere with any religious principles, nor are these actions in compatible with any form of human and moral values. We stand by the good people of Sri Lanka during this difficult times and pray for the innocent victims.

The Quran set the ground rules for human relationships as, " O mankind , indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. indeed, Allah is knowing and Acquainted. " 49-13.

Our prayers are with our Christian faith communities, neighbours, family and friends who are grieving at this most sacred time of Easter on the Christian calendar.

 




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Article Source: ALAMEENPOST.COM