'Where is God?': Sri Lankans stunned after deadly blasts

As Shantha Prasad carried children wounded in Sri Lanka's deadly attacks into a Colombo hospital, memories of the country's deadly civil war flooded back.

"I carried about eight wounded children yesterday," he told AFP on Monday, a day after a string of blasts hit hotels and churches, killing nearly 300 people.

"There were two girls aged six and eight, the same age as my daughters," said Prasad, who helps carry stretchers into the hospital's triage area and wards.

"Their clothes were torn and drenched in blood. It is unbearable to see this kind of violence again." For many Sri Lankans, Sunday's attacks against churches and high-end hotels brought back painful memories of a conflict that lasted three decades and killed as many as 100,000 people.

During those years, bomb attacks were a regular occurrence, and left many Sri Lankans on edge in the streets and on public transport.

In the capital, street sweeper Malathi Wickrama said Monday he was now nervous doing his job.

"Now we are afraid to even touch black plastic bags with garbage," he said.

"The string of blasts yesterday brings back memories of the time when we were afraid to go in buses or trains because of parcel bombs."
"We have seen so much violence during the civil war. For the outside world it may be big, but for us life goes on," he added. "We have to gather ourselves and move on."