The British High Commission (BHC) in Colombo yesterday reiterated that the British Government is firmly determined to fight the scourge of terrorism in the United Kingdom and help others to fight it on theirs.
The High Commission’s statement came in the wake of newspaper reports suggesting Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith might have questioned the UK’s commitment to fight against terrorism.The statement said the UK reconfirmed the UK’s readiness to support Sri Lanka during a conversation between Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and British Prime Minister Theresa May.
“The British High Commission is issuing this statement following reports in several newspapers on May1 that suggest that Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, might have questioned UK’s commitment to the fight against terrorism.
“The British Government has consistently made clear its unreserved determination to fight the scourge of terrorism on the United Kingdom’s own soil, and to help others to fight it on theirs. It has also made very clear its view that the international community must remain firm in its determination to counter and defeat poisonous ideologies that lie behind terrorist attacks around the world.
On Tuesday April 23, the National Day of Mourning in Sri Lanka, the British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt MP, led a debate in the House of Commons on the Easter Sunday attacks. He said: “Today, the flags in Downing Street and on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are flying at half-mast following the horrific Easter day terrorist attack in Sri Lanka.“These attacks were a primitive and vile attempt to sow division between people of different faiths. Religious tensions have caused some of the bloodiest battles in human history, and it is sombre and sobering that even in the 21st century attempts continue to set believers of different religions against each other. Our response must be to deny the perpetrators the satisfaction of dividing us by being united in our condemnation of the attacks and united in our support for religious tolerance, surely one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
“The UK will never stand by in the face of such evil. Today, we stand in solidarity with the Government and people of Sri Lanka, who have made enormous strides towards stability and peace following the conclusion of the civil war almost exactly ten years ago. To attack Christian worshippers at Easter, which is a celebration of peace and the holiest day in the Christian calendar, betrays in the attackers an absence of the most basic values of humanity. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and British Prime Minister Theresa May spoke last week. May told Wickremesinghe that the UK would stand with Sri Lanka in the fight to counter terrorism and tackle extremist ideologies. She reconfirmed the UK’s readiness to support Sri Lanka.
A Metropolitan Police team and British counter terrorism experts have been in Sri Lanka since soon after the attacks and are working very closely with the Sri Lankan authorities and other international partners.
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