The Sri Lankan community in Fiji is still trying to come to terms with the bombings back home, which has left near 300 people dead and hundreds more in hospitals.

Eight co-ordinated blasts shook the island nation, three in churches where worshippers had gone for Resurrection Sunday prayers and three hotels targeting tourists with two other areas where alleged suicide bombers struck.

Sri Lanka’s Honorary Consul to Fiji Ajith Kodagoda confirmed that there were no reports of any Fijians injured in the bombings, adding that they were all shocked at what had happened.

“Well we are very, very surprised and saddened. Our community in Fiji consists of all faiths and we are altogether without any differences on this matter. We have never had this amount of casualties in one incident even during the civil war. It’s now close to 300 deaths,” he said.

Fijian Holdings Limited chief executive officer Nouzab Fareed lost a close friend who had gone to one of the churches attacked in the blasts.

He recalled visiting those areas in Sri Lanka and shared his disbelief that something of this nature happened there.

Speaking about the church in Colombo which was torn apart in the bombing, Mr Fareed said people from all faiths frequented that church.

“The belief is that the church has healing powers. I have been there with my wife and people from different religious backgrounds go there often. That is a place of miracles and that is a symbol of Sri Lanka’s multiculturalism,” he said.

Of the four hotels that were bombed, the Shangri-La was Sri Lanka’s newest five-star hotel while also targeted was the island nation’s first five-star hotel – the Cinnamon.

“The Cinnamon was our grand old lady and the first five-star hotel built in Sri Lanka.”

Mr Fareed said no one expected such an incident to take place back home.

“We have hardly had any issues at international level and I don’t think this is linked to international terrorists,” he said.

Mr Fareed confirmed that there were no reports of any Fijians losing their lives or sustaining injuries in the blasts.

As questions continue to be asked, the Sri Lankan community here continue to frantically reach out to friends and families back home to get details of their welfare.

Edited by Epineri Vula

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