Having Fox Hill race on Easter Attack anniversary day was unintentional: Army

Army deny links to after party with DJ music in Bandarawela

23 April 2024 02:01 am - 19 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Colombo, April 23 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka Army yesterday said organising the Fox Hill Super Cross race on April 21st when the fifth Easter Attack commemoration was taking place in the country was unintentional, as heavy public criticism was underway for holding the event on a day of public mourning.

Public criticism is currently underway through various dialogues on social media presently about the date selected by the race organisers to hold it on April 21st, the day of the Easter Bombings which took place in 2019 and also the same day the last motor race was held and stopped on the way as a result of the terrorist attacks.

Criticism is also charged towards an after-event organised in line with the races with DJ music at a location in Bandarawela that was held on Sunday night amidst the unfortunate accident at the races which left seven spectators killed and 30 others injured.

According to a senior military official, holding the motor race following an interval of four years on the very date of April 21st was considered the next best holiday weekend subsequent to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and nothing intentional.

Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Chairman Army Motorsports Committee Major General Indu Samarakoon told the Daily Mirror the event has been organised after four years concerning the heavy demand of the spectators and the country’s motorsports enthusiasts for not witnessing a motor cross in a long time.

He said the date April 21st was picked as the next immediate holiday of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year as usual.

“Usually we have to pre-plan the dates for our sporting events and send them to the Ministry of Sport to be included in the national sports calendar. That is how this event came into being this year,” the Major General said.

General Samarakoon who was a contestant as well as a member of the organising committee of the last Fox Hill Super Cross in 2019 said they took immediate measures to cancel the races as soon as the news of the Easter bombings reached their ears.

However, Maj. Gen. Samarakoon denied any Army’s link to the after party that had been organised on Sunday night, saying the Fox Hill Super Cross had never organised after parties in its 28-year history.

“Even I too witnessed certain social media posts about a party to be held in a holiday resort in Bandarawela but the Army has no connection to it,” he said.

A post was widely published on social media platforms about a party themed as ‘Fox Hill Journey’ an event to be somehow held despite the critical incident, saying the cancellation of the event was impossible owing to the already made commitments. The event advertised with a ticket priced at Rs.4,000 had commenced at 6.00 pm and had gone till late in the night.

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Comments - 19

Nimal Tuesday, 23 April 2024 06:36 AM

Unintentional though it may be, you celebrated it well and truly and in the midst of all this carnage conducted a party also during the night. Excellent, second only to the infamous Nero of Rome.

Joshua Tuesday, 23 April 2024 09:00 AM

Yeah because you have no memory. Shows what kind of humans you are

Concerned Citizen Tuesday, 23 April 2024 09:08 AM

How come none of the Army organizers were arrested ?? They are directly responsible for the death of innocent people and conducting these races in an extremely Unsafe manner. Also this is an environmental disaster with so much dust in the hills and destroying the natural environment...

L Jaya Tuesday, 23 April 2024 10:12 AM

The resultant of the motor race was 8 death and many injuries. This is a message coming from the heavens.

Anura Hettiarachchi Tuesday, 23 April 2024 10:32 AM

Okay get your hands washed... Nothing is abnormal in this funny land..

Citizens Tuesday, 23 April 2024 10:47 AM

There are so many days of mourning in this country, not just the 21st of April! If we are to mourn each of those, there won't be a suitable day left to hold any events!

Sue Kirthisinghe Tuesday, 23 April 2024 11:15 AM

What an insensitive comment! Yes, There are many such events, but none of them as recent as the 21st April 2019 Easter Sunday attack. Shame on you.

Be a human first Tuesday, 23 April 2024 11:55 AM

You are absolute insensitive human being. The dictionary doesn’t have words to describe people like you.

Caxton Tuesday, 23 April 2024 11:56 AM

You can fool yourself and people around. You can't fool god and Nature.

FredSnR Tuesday, 23 April 2024 12:12 PM

Its either about importing cars or racing cars. Priorities all wrong Sri Lanka. Wake up.

Kapila Nanayakkara Tuesday, 23 April 2024 12:21 PM

May be not intentional, but definitely insensitive and stupid showing lack of morality by the organisers and who gave permission to hold it on this day in an unsafe manner.

Affected Tuesday, 23 April 2024 12:36 PM

The army is always good at avoiding taking responsibility in everything.

Thambipalan Mukadewan Tuesday, 23 April 2024 04:17 PM

What has happened when Namal did racing? No one noticed the and no cases against? Now the election is coming and taking these advantages to pretend the law and order is in place!

Kumar Soysa Tuesday, 23 April 2024 05:13 PM

Mathew 24:38. The Lord Jesus, coming very soon declares, "But the day and hour, no one knows but only My Father in heaven. But as the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man will be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark.........." On the one hand, there is abject poverty, especially in the rural areas. But the GOSL and the smaller percentage of people find the funds and energy to indulge. I am not surprised that it did not occur to the army general that the day was Resurrection (Easter) Sunday. They are blind, and the blind are leading the blind.

Bernard Jayatilake Tuesday, 23 April 2024 05:26 PM

If the organizers were very keen to hold the race in April they should be reminded that the next holiday after the New Year was 20th April given the fact that the 5th anniversary of the Easter Sunday attack fell on the 21st April and it was a slap on the faces of the mourners worldwide.

dinesh Tuesday, 23 April 2024 06:10 PM

don't worry, a tone deaf state does not understand or care about anything...so its not a surprise...

Gune Tuesday, 23 April 2024 06:26 PM

The sports minister must answer this question more than the army. We are an utterly insensitive nation particularly when you are a minority religion or ethnicity.

Ian Bertus Tuesday, 23 April 2024 06:58 PM

Can agree considering their ignorence of almost everything. But Races ended up memorably...

Andrew Silva Wednesday, 24 April 2024 04:27 AM

Does the Army know what national mourning is? They only cares to appease the whims and fancies of the politicians like the Rajapakshas and Ranil. no-da-kin.

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Having Fox Hill race on Easter Attack anniversary day was unintentional: Army

Army deny links to after party with DJ music in Bandarawela

Comments - 19

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