Title: A resolution condemning the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, offering sincere condolences to the victims, to their families and friends, and to the people and nation of Sri Lanka, and expressing solidarity and support for Sri Lanka.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution condemns the terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka by Islamist extremists against innocent civilians on Easter Sunday. It also offers condolences to the victims and their families and friends. It notes the importance of national unity in light of the 10th anniversary of the end of Sri Lanka's civil war.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 184 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 184

 Condemning the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, offering 
sincere condolences to the victims, to their families and friends, and 
 to the people and nation of Sri Lanka, and expressing solidarity and 
                         support for Sri Lanka.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 2, 2019

   Mr. Risch (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Romney, and Mr. Murphy) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, offering 
sincere condolences to the victims, to their families and friends, and 
 to the people and nation of Sri Lanka, and expressing solidarity and 
                         support for Sri Lanka.

Whereas, on April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka suffered a horrific series of coordinated 
        terrorist attacks that killed more than 250 people and injured more than 
        500 additional people;
Whereas the attacks targeted Christian churches, in which innocent men, women, 
        and children were celebrating Easter Sunday;
Whereas the attacks targeted several locations frequented by foreign tourists, 
        resulting in the deaths of over 40 people from nations other than Sri 
        Lanka, including four American citizens: Dieter Kowalski, Amelie Linsey, 
        Daniel Linsey, and Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa;
Whereas Sri Lanka has determined that a local Islamist militant group 
        perpetrated this horrifying attack and is responsible for the resulting 
        loss of life, injury, and destruction;
Whereas the use of nine suicide bombers in multiple locations demonstrates a 
        high degree of coordination and planning;
Whereas growing evidence links the Islamic State to these attacks, demonstrating 
        this terrorist organization's continued reach and capability to inflict 
        terror, violence, and brutality around the world, despite its loss of 
        physical territory;
Whereas religious freedom is a foundational and universal right of all people, 
        and religious freedom and tolerance are important to the flourishing of 
        multi-religious societies like Sri Lanka;
Whereas Sri Lanka has worked towards a lasting peace, ethnic and religious 
        harmony, and prosperity for all;
Whereas the rights of all religious minorities must be protected, including the 
        rights of Christians, who, among other religious communities, have faced 
        increased violence in recent years from terrorist groups around the 
        world;
Whereas the United States values its partnership with Sri Lanka and seeks to 
        build on that partnership by pursuing shared goals in the Indo-Pacific 
        region;
Whereas the United States is home to a large Sri Lankan diaspora, who make 
        significant contributions to American society; and
Whereas American law enforcement officials and military personnel are supporting 
        the Sri Lankan Government's investigation of this attack: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns, in the strongest terms, the terrorist attacks 
        perpetrated by violent Islamist extremists against innocent 
        civilians on Easter Sunday;
            (2) condemns the use of violence against people of 
        religious faith, including in their places of worship;
            (3) offers its sincere and heartfelt condolences to the 
        victims, their families and friends, and to the nation of Sri 
        Lanka;
            (4) reaffirms its solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka 
        and its support for the United States partnership with the 
        nation of Sri Lanka;
            (5) notes, on this 10th anniversary of the end of Sri 
        Lanka's civil war, the importance of national unity and 
        encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to foster such unity, 
        including religious and ethnic tolerance;
            (6) supports efforts to ensure the protection of all Sri 
        Lankans against retaliatory attacks as the country recovers 
        from this tragedy;
            (7) reaffirms its commitment to religious freedom and the 
        importance of protecting the rights of all religious 
        minorities, including Christians;
            (8) calls attention to the continued and serious threat 
        posed by the Islamic State and other international terrorist 
        organizations; and
            (9) calls upon the United States Government and all other 
        governments to continue the fight against violent extremism.
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