‘Easter Sunday attack child victims still traumatized’

Some still cry and faint at the sight of a small wound

By Yohan Perera   

At least some 770 children and adults who have been mentally disturbed as a result of the Easter Sunday bomb blast in churches are being counselled by the Life Healing Centre that has been set up by the Catholic archdiocese of Colombo, it was revealed on Wednesday.

This was revealed by Rev. Fr. Prasad Harshana who heads the counselling activities carried out by the church after the bomb attacks.   

Fr. Harshana told a media conference that some children who were at the church at the time of the bombing and managed to survive still cry out and faint when they see blood flowing even from a small wound. “We met a child who burst out crying when he saw his friend’s finger bleeding when he tried to sharpen his pencil with a blade and cut himself. There are some children who needed to change their school vans because of the route these vehicles were taking. School vans had to be changed as the children get frightened whenever the vehicles pass the churches which were bombed. 

These affected children did not want to go pass the bombed church,” Fr Harshana said.   Meanwhile Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo J. D Anthoney Jayakody revealed that a sum of Rs 350.7 million was received from various bodies as aid to help those who were affected by the terrorist attacks on April 21 this year.