Response by Sri Lankan Tech Community on Easter Sunday Attacks in Sri Lanka

Below is the statement prepared by the Sri Lankan startup community in response to the attack took place on the innocent on 21st April 2019. On 23rd April, the same community, now referred to as “Sri Lanka United” started a campaign to raise funds to support the needy.

Many of us in the Sri Lankan startup community, spent some of our formative years in the shadows of a 30 year old civil war that scarred our lives forever. Some of us lost our loved ones, some of us were harmed and all of us lived under the constant fear of paying the ultimate price for a crime that we did not commit. We believe that most of you reading this message share the same gloomy experiences that we did.

Since the war ended in 2009, we faced a diverse set of challenges in our lovely island nation. Thankfully, terrorism was not one of those challenges. This changed on the 21st of April 2019. Once again, we are forced to live in a state of terror because a small group of people decided that intimidation through terrorism is the way to resolve problems.

We vehemently condemn these attacks and urge the relevant authorities to take all necessary actions to bring the situation under control as soon as possible and we assure our continued support to them in this time of need.

Those represented below are a tiny, vibrant group of hard-working people who have been building entrepreneurial ventures to move Sri Lanka forward, economically. We speak different languages, wear different clothing, come from different places, worship different Gods and some have no Gods at all. The one thing that brings us together is OUR country, Sri Lanka. As a group of people, we aspire to do great things and we dream of a flourishing Sri Lanka.

In this difficult time, we request our brothers and sisters to remain calm and not engage in spreading hate. We have a lot to look forward to. But disharmony among our community and terror are definitely not welcome.

We offer our deepest sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones in these attacks and wish all those who are injured a speedy recovery.

We also appreciate and acknowledge the sincere work carried out by the members of the tri-forces, Police, emergency services, medical services, blood donors and everyone else who provided help whatever the way they could. Because of you, we truly believe that we are standing on the shoulders of giants.

In these trying times, we must stand united. We urge all Sri Lankans to stay strong and aspire to be ambassadors of goodwill, empathy and tolerance.

Let us stay united. Let us emerge stronger than ever.