The 2019 Easter Attacks and the Architecture of Managed Violence in Sri Lanka - Part II

President Nila
Jun 2
3 min read

Abstract

This section argues that the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks cannot be adequately explained through the lens of isolated religious extremism or intelligence failure. Instead, the attacks must be located within a broader pattern of “managed violence” in Sri Lanka’s post-independence history, where crises are permitted, engineered, or exploited to consolidate Sinhala-Buddhist political power and legitimize authoritarian governance. This analysis calls for an international, independent investigation into the full scope of state involvement.

1. Historical Roots of Religious and Ethnic Hierarchies

The ideological roots of Sri Lanka’s exclusivist nationalism can be traced to the Sinhala-Buddhist revivalist movement of the late 19th century. Spearheaded by Anagarika Dharmapala and supported by figures like Henry Steel Olcott, this movement constructed a mythic Buddhist civilization under threat from Hindus, Christians, and Muslims. It laid the groundwork for an ethnicized state ideology, carried into the post-colonial era through policies like the Sinhala Only Act (1956) and the 1972 Constitution, which privileged Buddhism.

2. Historical Precedent: State-Enabled Crises

Sri Lanka has a pattern of turning internal crises into political capital:

Black July (1983): A pogrom against Tamils triggered mass emigration, armed rebellion, and the justification of war.

Easter Attacks (2019): Occurred just before national elections, creating a climate of fear and enabling the return of Gotabaya Rajapaksa on a security platform.

In both cases, the state gained power through chaos, raising questions of calculated negligence or strategic orchestration.

3. Intelligence Ignored: A Failure by Design?

Indian intelligence agencies had warned Sri Lankan counterparts about the impending Easter attacks. The perpetrators were known to local security services. These warnings were ignored. Even church officials, including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, have repeatedly called for investigations into possible state collusion.

The immediate political beneficiary was the Rajapaksa regime, which weaponized public fear to recast itself as the sole guardian of national safety.

4. Sectarian Fallout and Minority Suppression

Following the attacks, Muslim communities were collectively penalized, with mass detentions, mosque surveillance, and political crackdowns. Meanwhile, Christians were positioned as symbols of national victimhood, used to justify increased militarization and digital surveillance.

The state strategically divided minority groups, ensuring their disunity while re-centering Sinhala-Buddhist authority under the pretext of counterterrorism.

5. Geopolitical Leverage and Securitized Foreign Policy

The attacks occurred at a moment of growing geopolitical interest in Sri Lanka—particularly from China, India, and Western states. A securitized narrative allowed the Sri Lankan state to justify:

· Military modernization

· New surveillance infrastructure

· Strategic partnerships under the banner of “fighting extremism”

The Easter attacks thus served not only domestic political consolidation but also international positioning in the Indian Ocean theatre.

Conclusion to Part II

The Easter attacks are not an aberration but a continuation of Sri Lanka’s historical use of violence for political gain. These events demand more than internal inquiries; they necessitate a fully independent international investigation, with full access to intelligence archives, political communication, and security command chains.

Final Remark

It must be noted that when the Sri Lankan state publicly admits to one statistical figure, the reality is often 1.5 to 2 times higher, based on patterns of historical underreporting, particularly in casualty figures, military occupation, and detainee numbers. This calls for methodological caution and critical inquiry in interpreting all official data.

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(Disclaimer: Images are AI generated and are used for representational purposes only)

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SMALL DROPS