Saturday 10 / May / 2025
Muscat: The Sri Lankan Community Social Club has cancelled their New Year celebration following the deadly attacks in Sri Lanka which killed 290 people and injured 500 more.
Tourists were targeted at three hotels, and worshippers at Easter Mass. “The Sri Lankan Community Social Club has called off the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations which were scheduled on 26th April at Muscat Club Grounds at Wadi Kabir due to this tragedy,” a spokesperson of Sri Lankan Community Social Club said.
The official went on to give details of the service for the victims of the attack which has been organised on Tuesday in Muscat.
“On Tuesday at 8:30 pm, there will be a Holy Mass offered for the repose of the departed souls, for the speedy recovery of the injured and their families and for Sri Lankans to find solace in overcoming the difficult period that we are going through currently” the official said.
The mass will be at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Ghala. “All Sri Lankans, irrespective of their creeds, and any well-wishers from other nationalities who wish to attend are most welcome to this service. Please pass on this message to all Sri Lankans, so we can gather together to offer our prayers,” the official said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan expatriates living in Oman are in a state of shock, desperately trying to contact their loved ones back home. Roy Lasantha, General Secretary of the Sri Lankan Community Social Club, told Times of Oman, “No expat living in Oman has so far been reported as injured in the attack.”
The Social Club is reaching out to Sri Lankans in Oman regarding their safety and that of their loved ones and, according to Lasantha, while no expats have so far reported any casualties among family members, there are some relatives and friends affected.
More than 21,000 Sri Lankan nationals live and work in Oman, according to National Centre for Statistics and Information.
