Today marks two years since the bombings on Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019. Eight attacks in just over six hours, and while arrests were made in the coming days, on the streets of Colombo, the fear of another attack persisted for days.
Since that fateful day, Sri Lankans have come to experience a feeling of dread on Easter Sunday, a festival commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But for all of us, the festivities are marked with grief. When 5 April Easter Sunday rolled around in 2021, everyone was reminded of one of the worst tragedies Lankans have had to endure in the recent past. Now today, we remember those whom we’ve lost and reflect on the healing we as a nation have had to do.
Artist and activist Prof. Chandraguptha Thenuwara shared his thoughts on the matter, commenting that the most important thing for Lankans at this moment in time is to maintain reconciliation. “People shouldn’t allow political agendas or religious influences to have a say in the peacebuilding,” he said, adding that: “All Sri Lankans were victims of the tragedy, everybody suffered with no exception; no one escaped.”
Prof. Thenuwara, who showcased his last exhibition titled “Atmosphere | At/Most/Fear” commemorating the July 1983 riots in 2020 held virtually through the Saskia Fernando Gallery Viewing Room platform, has remained an outspoken advocate for reconciliation and peacebuilding, particularly through art. He is best known for hosting his annual commemorative exhibition and portraying critical issues in Sri Lanka’s political landscape, whether it is the dangers of extremism, the effect of political wrongdoings, or other critical issues affecting political and national growth.
The professor shared that we as a country and her people have suffered, politically and economically, and all these relationships were damaged, and that is why we must focus on healing. He also stated that democratically appointed rulers must act democratically until justice prevails, making note of recent changes in terms of influences allowed by way of constitutional amendments for the executive to have a say in independent commissions which he notes defeats the purpose of“independence”.
He also stated that despite it being two years since the tragedy, for those looking for closure, the truth has yet to be revealed, commenting that the Government must be transparent in who was responsible for the attacks, so that we know enough and history does not repeat itself when the perpetrators are revealed and are treated as they should be. “Then only can we truly maintain actual peace, security, and intelligence in this country,” said Prof. Thenuwara.
An artist who has had his work exhibited internationally from Australia, Asia, and Europe, Prof. Thenuwara shared that there must be reflection as we look to the world for indication, stating that with it being two years already and having seen zero prosecutions, one could possibly make an inference that the political blame game will continue further without much resolve for those effected and no real efforts adopted to bring parties responsible to justice.
He also shared, in closing, that, as someone who has been particularly vocal about the importance of memorialisation and the significance of memory, contributing pieces of art in the name of the cause, that it is important to commemorate and remember, and on a day such as today (21), memory initiatives can be a great healer and an enabler of reconciliation, paving ways and opportunities for healing between divided societies and a community recovering from immense grief.
