Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

The following official can be Contacted with regard to any Consular and Media inquiries one the explosions that occurred on 21/04/2019 Sri Lanka

 Consular /Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka

1. Mr. U.L. Mohommed Jauhar

           Director General /Consular Affairs

           Mobile:+94 774 513 222

        2.  Ms. Sachini Dias

             Assistant Director / Consular Affairs

             Mobile : +94 766 230 974

 Media/Ministry of  Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka

               1.  Mrs. Saroja Sirisena

                  Director General / Public Diplomacy

                  Mobile : +94 777 328 8348

            2.   Mr. Niluka Kadurugamuwa

                  Director / Public Diplomacy

                  Mobile : +94 773 398 9623

            3.   Mr.Thulan Bandara

                  Assistant Director /Public Diplomacy

                  Mobile : +94 714 253 117

Following the explosions that took place in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa, earlier today, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as deceased at the National Hospital in Colombo stands at eleven.  The fatalities are: three (03) from India, one (01) from Portugal, two (02) from Turkey, three (03) from the UK, and two (02) holding US and UK nationalities.

Additionally, while nine foreign nationals are reported missing, there are twenty five unidentified bodies believed to be of foreigners at the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer’s mortuary.

Furthermore, as at 6pm today, 19 foreign nationals injured in the attacks are receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.

Directors of Negombo and Batticaloa General Hospitals and the Colombo North Teaching Hospital have informed the Foreign Ministry that no foreigners have been admitted with injuries or declared dead at their respective hospitals.

Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha and Tourism, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs Secretary S. Hettiarachchi visited the Colombo National Hospital this afternoon where victims were receiving treatment and also the mortuary to express condolences to the bereaved families. The respective Colombo-based Heads of Mission of the countries of the deceased as well as Sri Lanka Missions overseas have been informed of the casualties.

The Foreign Ministry is in close contact with the relevant hospital authorities on the identification of the remaining victims. The Ministry will continue to monitor the welfare of the foreign nationals receiving treatment.

An emergency hotline to assist families of the affected foreign nationals will be operational 24 hours at +94 112323015.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

21 April 2019

On behalf of the Government,  I would  like to offer my deepest  sympathies  to the injured persons and the relations  of the deceased  consequent  to the recent attacks occurred  this morning.  I see this as an attempt to make the country and its economy unstable.

I condemn these attacks which targeted religious places and some hotels. We all should join hands to protect law and order. I have already instructed the Secretary I Defence, Tri Forces Commanders and the Inspector General of Police to take stringent action to ensure law and order in the country.

Further, I and some ministers had a discussion with HE the President in this regard.  Secretary to the President, Attorney General, and Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary I Disaster Management and Security Chiefs were among the present.

Law will be strictly enforced against the persons those who are responsible for these attacks after finalizing the investigations,

We shall bear with this unfortunate situation and work together to uphold the law and order. Thank you!

Text in Sinhala (PDF)

Text in Tamil  (PDF)

President Maithripla Sirisena expressed his, shock, deep pain and dismay over the brutal attacks on places of religious worship and other civilian establishments.

He said that that he has instructed all law enforcement agencies and defence services to take every possible step to maintain law and order and conduct speedy investigations into the dastardly attack and bring the culprits and those who were behind this conspiracy to book.

“I have given instructions to take very stern action against the persons who are responsible for this conspiracy,” the President said and added that all required steps have been taken to fulfill the responsibilities as a government.

President Sirisena appealed to the nation to act with utmost restraint and patience, and not to be misled by baseless rumours and false stories. He also urged the people to extend unstinted support and cooperation to the government for the steps taken at this trying occasion.

Source:http://www.pmdnews.lk/president-condemns-dastardly-attack-and-calls-for-restraint-and-patience-orders-swift-investigations-to-find-culprits-behind-conspiracy/

A special discussion was held with the participation of heads of security forces and all other departments regarding the current security situation in the country, and during that meeting, the government has decided to take steps to tighten  security at all the religious places, tourists hotels, hospitals and embassies and provide security to all the catholic religious leaders and to important places of the government.

Furthermore,   the President has instrcuted the Inspector General of the Police to impose police curfew across the country. Similarly, a National Action Unit has been established to conduct investigtaion under the guidance of the Chief of the Defence Staff and to conduct search operations to arest the culprists.  Already instructions has been given to all the authorities of the hospitals to provide prompt treatment facilities to the victims.

At present, the process of body identification is being carried out and the judicial authorities are taking steps to conduct their postmortems promptly. The Government has decided to bear funeral expenses of all the deceased persons.

Currently, the security sections are conducting investigations in a broad manner on these incidents and the government has taken steps to temporarily block all the social media avenues until the investigations are concluded.

Steps have been taken to declare April 22 and 23 as holiday for all the government and private schools.

The government requests the public to ensure the peace while remaining in homes and to provide necessary assistance to security forces as the security has been tighten across the Island.

The tri-forces have been summoned to ensure the security of the public and the tri-forces will ensure the security of the people with the coordination of the Police Department.

Udaya R Senevirathne
Secretary to the President
2019-04-21

 Source :http://www.pmdnews.lk/