With dismay, politicians worldwide have responded to the attacks in Sri Lanka. Federal President Steinmeier spoke of „cowardly terrorist attacks“. Chancellor Merkel said that religious hatred should not win.
The series of Sri Lankan attacks on churches and hotels has created worldwide horror and outrage. Several heads of state and government expressed dismayed by the attacks.
Merkel: „Religious hatred and intolerance must not win“
Chancellor Angela Merkel and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the attacks sharply. It was „shocking that people who had gathered to celebrate Easter together were a conscious target of these sneak attacks,“ Merkel said. Religious hatred and intolerance that have manifested so terribly today must not win. “
Steinmeier called the attacks „cowardly“. It was particularly vile that many peaceful prayers in places of worship were the target of these insidious attacks. Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas commented on the events on Twitter. To experience so much hate at Easter, it hurts. „Easter is a feast of love that teaches us: Hate on our part can never be the solution.“ Nothing could justify the targeted murder of innocent people.
Juncker: „We are ready to help“
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was „shocked and sad“. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the attacks marked a „truly sad day for the country and the whole world“. Violent acts on a holiday such as Easter are acts of violence against anyone who values religious freedom and the freedom to practice religion.
UN Secretary General António Guterres said he was „shocked by the terrorist attacks on churches and hotels on Easter Sunday, a holy day for Christians around the world“.
Pope Francis also remembered the victims of the attacks on Easter Sunday. He had heard the news of the series of attacks „with sorrow and pain,“ said the pontiff in front of tens of thousands of faithful in St. Peter’s Square.
„We are all children of God“
French President Emmanuel Macron described the attacks as „heinous acts“. On Twitter, he expressed his solidarity to the people of Sri Lanka. The thoughts were on this Easter day with all relatives of the victims. British Prime Minister Theresa May called for getting together now. Nobody should be afraid to confess their faith.
„We are all children of God, an attack on a religion is an attack on all of us,“ tweeted Israel’s head of state, Reuven Rivlin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the events a „cruel and cynical crime in the midst of the Easter holidays“ in a letter to the President of Sri Lanka. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke of an „attack on all humanity“. US President Donald Trump tweeted his „heartfelt sympathy“. The US was ready to help, he offered.
Neighbors show solidarity
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India’s direct neighbor, said that such „barbarism“ has no place „in our region“. India is in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan also declared his country’s „perfect solidarity“. He condemned the „terrible terrorist attack“ that led to the loss of „valuable lives“.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Sarif said that „terrorism is a global threat and has no religion“. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani wrote on Twitter that his country is condemning „this vile act of terrorism“. Attacking churches and hotels and targeting worshipers is terrible.
