Hurt is felt a world away
A SHOCKED Sri Lankan community in Hobart is coming to terms with the worst attacks their birth country has experienced since civil war ended a decade ago.
Sri Lankan migrants gathered at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in New Town last night to mourn the loss of at least 290 people, including two Australians, in co-ordinated terrorist attacks across the South Asian nation on Sunday.
Tamara Ward, of New Town, who migrated to Hobart more than 30 years ago, said their community was celebrating a Sri Lankan festival when they heard the news.
“Everyone is so shocked and devastated because this is history, and then the country had peace and people could prosper,” she said.
“To happen again is what we wanted to hear.”
She said a vigil last night was a chance for the entire Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities to come together and support each other.
“I’m from Sri Lanka, I represent my country, yet I live in not Australia with a British husband and my children belonging to Australia, so we want to unite everybody because we all feel it,” Ms Ward said.
Nuwan Chamara Mananage, 33, of New Town, said the community was hoping to help affected families.
“There are a lot of friends of mine who were affected with the incident and I feel really sad,” he said. A memorial service is planned for Saturday at noon at the Hobart Town Hall. See the Multicultural Council of Tasmania’s Facebook page for more details.