Sri Lankan cricket greats urge their countrymen to stay united in tough times

Updated - 07 Mar 2018, 11:07 PM

Daily News Roundup, Mahela Jayawardene
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Sri Lanka’s cricket greats Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara condemned the latest act of violence which has stormed the island nation of Sri Lanka. The cricketing trio urged the people of the country to stay united and stand strong in tough times.

Sangakkara, who is one world’s greatest wicket-keeper batsman of all time, expressed his concern on the micro-blogging site.

“No one in Sri Lanka can be marginalised or threatened or harmed due to their ethnicity or religion,” he tweeted.

“We are one country and one people. Love, trust and acceptance should be our common mantra. No place for racism and violence. Stand together and stand strong,” he tweeted.

Former opening batsman Jayasuriya conveyed his message of being wise at this difficult hour.

“Disgusting and sickening to see the acts of violence in Sri Lanka. I condemn strongly and to bring the involved culprits to justice. I request people of Sri Lanka to be wise and stay together in these tough times,” he tweeted.

Another former great Jayawardene said that justice should be served irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity. He said that he grew up under gloomy days and doesn’t wish for the same when it comes to the future generation.

“I grew up in a civil war which lasted 25 years and I don’t want the next generation to go through that,” he tweeted.

A state of emergency has been imposed for the very first time since the civil war. There have been strong communal violence between the island’s Sinhalese and Muslim communities. The city of Kandy has suffered the worst. Sinhalese Buddhist sum up to about 75% of the city’s population. The death of a young Sinhalese Buddhist at the hands of Muslim men, sparked the war.  Sri Lanka is currently hosting a tri-series featuring India and Bangladesh.

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