– As delivered –

Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly

3 May 2019

Your Excellency, Dr Rohan Perera, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations,

Dear Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed,

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Ayubowan, Vanakkam,

It is with profound sadness that I join with the Sri Lankan Mission to the United Nations to commemorate the horrific attacks that took place in Batticaloa, Colombo and Negombo on Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019 – resulting in the tragic loss of over 250 lives and the injury of many more.

Targeting worshippers, families, workers and holidaymakers on a day celebrated by Christians around the world, as well as Sri Lankans of all faiths, is cowardly and despicable.

These attacks have ignited fear among communities in Sri Lanka – a country still grappling with the deep wounds inflicted by three decades of civil war. Against this backdrop, I was deeply moved by the images of Sri Lankans – Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sinhalese, Tamil and others – donating blood to treat survivors. Mosques and temples have opened their doors to Christian services. That is an inspiring expression of courage and resilience. Of unity.

It is imperative the international community stands with Sri Lanka at this challenging time, and keeps its promises to support lasting peace and reconciliation.

Excellencies, dear friends,

It is devastating that we are here again this morning to reflect on tragic events, barely a month after the General Assembly adopted Resolution 73/285 on “combating terrorism and other acts of violence based on religion or belief”. Since then, there have been attacks against churches, mosques and synagogues in several other countries too.

I hope that we can use today’s commemoration to express our solidarity with Sri Lanka, first and foremost, but also to strengthen our resolve to combat violent extremism. We must increase multilateral cooperation on security. We must tackle the financing of terrorism. We must ensure that new and evolving technologies promote – and do not harm – human security.

While protecting freedom of expression, we must also find ways to address incitement to violence through traditional and social media. It is sobering that the theme of World Press Freedom Day today is: journalism in times of disinformation.

Above all, we must work together to tackle the root causes of extremism. We must find ways not only to promote tolerance, but to foster understanding, kindness, empathy and compassion. No one should feel they have so little to lose, or feel so alienated from political processes, that murder holds more appeal than conversation and dialogue.

It is imperative the international community stands with Sri Lanka at this challenging time, and keeps its promises to support lasting peace and reconciliation.

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés

President of the UN General Assembly

Excellencies,

As we remember the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks – Sri Lankans of all backgrounds and nationals of over 15 countries – let us send a strong message today:

The international community stands together in the fight against extremism and violence in all its forms.

We reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law, to multilateralism, and to the values of peace, development and human rights for all.

We are united in embracing our common humanity.

Istuti.

Nandri.

Thank you.