All life is sacred for it comes from God

The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) in a media release has urged authorities to be “sensitive to the cause of the families of the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, and for necessary support towards ‘reparation’ for renewal and restoration of their lives.  

“As a nation, 21 April 2021 reminds us with sadness, the dastard act of cowardice and terror perpetrated on Easter Sunday in 2019 which claimed over 260 human lives, injuring nearly 500 persons and destroying the very fabric of family and the religious freedom to proclaim life,” it said.  

The media release said:  
‘Life’, as a Gift of God, we believe is supreme and as such is in itself a celebration, given its contribution of enriching and nourishing society and creation as a whole. Acknowledging this enlightened truth, The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) whilst condemning and denouncing all forms of violence and bloodshed that denies and forfeits life, remembers with pain the many lives lost and injured over the past years, including those at religious places of worship.   Therefore, in respecting and honouring the life, The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL), whilst sharing with the grief of the aggrieved families in the loss of their loved ones, affirms its solidarity and prayers in their journey towards ‘healing and justice’.  

We also call upon the authorities to be sensitive to the cause of the families of the victims, and for necessary support towards ‘reparation’ for renewal and restoration of their lives.   Representing the member churches, the statement was signed by Rev. Ebenezer Joseph, Chairperson of The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka and President, Methodist Church of Sri Lanka, Rt. Rev. Keerthisiri Fernando, Bishop of Kurunegala, Church of Ceylon, Rt. Rev. Dushantha Rodrigo, Bishop of Colombo, Church of Ceylon, Rt. Rev. Daniel Thiyagarajah, Bishop of Jaffna, Church of South India, Rev. Heshan De Silva, President, Sri Lanka Baptist Sangamaya, Rev. Shirley Faber, President, Christian Reformed Church, Rev. Saman Perera, Moderator, Presbytery of Lanka Col. Nihal Hettiarachchi, Territorial Commander, Salvation Army of Sri Lanka, Rev. Dr Chrisso Handy, General Superintendent / Chairperson, Assemblies of God of Ceylon, Rev. George Niranjan, Acting President, Foursquare Gospel Church and Rev. Maxwell Doss, General Secretary, National Christian Council of Sri Lanka.  

Representing Member Ecumenical Organisations, the statement was signed by Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Student Christian Movement (SCM), The Ceylon Bible Society, Christian Literature Society, Theological College of Lanka and Back to the Bible Broadcast.