Syndicated Surveys: Easter Sunday Attacks (October 2023)

Abstract

More than half the Sri Lankan population – 53% – believes local political forces were involved in the Easter Sunday attacks carried out in 2019, according to a survey commissioned in October by Syndicated Surveys. 53% believed local political forces were involved -- 30% selected the second answer, and 23% selected the third answer. Only 8% believed that it was carried out without the involvement of local political forces (the first answer). A high percentage, 39%, said they have no opinion or refused to comment. The attacks were carried out on 21 April 2019 (Easter Sunday) with three churches and three luxury hotels targeted in a series of coordinated suicide bombings, killing a total of 269 people. The poll was conducted in October 2023 and was based on an island-wide, nationally representative sample of responses from 1,029 Sri Lankan adults. The poll has a maximum error margin below ±3% at a 95% confidence interval.