EU condemns communal violence, urges action

Friday, 17 May 2019 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Calls on political and religious leaders to speak out against violence

The Delegation of the European Union yesterday condemned recent communal violence in Sri Lanka and called for urgent action to ensure rule of law.

Following is the statement issued by the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in agreement with the Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania and the UK High Commission, as well as the Embassies of Norway and Switzerland:

We are concerned about the recent incidents of communal violence that have occurred following the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.

We welcome the arrests made in connection with the violence, and call on the Government to ensure that the rule of law is upheld and that the law is applied equally to all instigators and perpetrators of communal violence.

Many European countries have experienced terror attacks and hate crimes in recent years. We understand the toll it takes on communities and the possible long-term repercussions such incidents could have on a country’s social fabric.

Clear leadership as well as the wholesale rejection of hate and violence are of paramount importance, and we encourage the Government to take all appropriate measures to reassure all citizens that it will protect and uphold their safety and their rights.

We call on political, religious and other community leaders to continue to speak out against violence and all those inciting unrest and distrust and to make every effort to promote understanding and harmony between communities.

We also note the responsibility of the media and the country’s citizens in ensuring that misinformation does not spread and lead to more incidents of violence.