Worsening situation in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, the South Asian island nation, is on the verge of descending into complete anarchy. The Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa has resigned amidst worsening law and order situation across the country. After violent clashes between Rajapaksa supporters and anti-government protesters in Colombo, the country was placed under curfew. Mahinda Rajapaksa's resignation has not come as a surprise. There had been days of speculation he'd go. He was virtually forced to resign after a day of violence saw seven people, including a ruling party MP, killed. Reports emerged of people attacking properties linked to the ruling party in different parts of the country. Shots were fired from inside the Sri Lankan prime minister's official residence on Monday. Thousands of protesters breached the main gate and torched a parked truck there. The country has descended into absolute chaos, with no light at the end of the tunnel. 

Interestingly enough, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa is still the president. Sri Lanka has gained the dubious distinction of having the first-ever democratic republic to have a family-run government in the world. Many people believe Mahinda Rajapaksa paved the way for his family to plunder the country's wealth for their own financial gain. When brothers, cousins, and nephews usurp powerful positions in the state administration, the government will naturally turn dictatorial. And that is what has happened in the island nation. What the world is witnessing in Sri Lanka has resulted from the pent-up frustration of the citizens after years of autocracy, misrule and poor governance. People are furious because the cost of living has become unaffordable. Sri Lanka's foreign currency reserves have virtually run dry. It can no longer afford essential items, including food, medicines, and fuel.

There are three major pillars of Sri Lanka's economy- revenue from tourism, foreign currency remittance from Lankans residing abroad, and textile export. During the Covid-19 pandemic, revenue from all three fronts slowed down considerably. Foreign debt has escalated to a staggering $12 billion. The government has no money to pay even its regular installments and has declared itself bankrupt. The ban on chemical fertilizers crippled the agriculture sector including the tea. To propel popularity among the public, the incumbent Rajapaksha government that ascended the throne in 2019 reduced various types of taxes and started distributing free food grains. As a result, the foreign debt mounted beyond bounds.

Millions have taken to the streets across the country. People have come out agitating against the Rajapaksa government in towns, villages, and cities. To wriggle out of the worsening situation, the panicked government proposed the idea of a united government to the opposition parties, which they summarily rejected.

The Rajapaksa government first declared a state of emergency and imposed many restrictions on the communication system. However, all these failed to prevent the ouster of the PM, who was one of the most popular leaders in Sri Lankan history when he crushed the Tamil insurgents in 2009. In hindsight, it is evident that the victory inflated his ego and gave him an outsized sense of his own self-worth. And self-serving members of the Rajapaksa clan only helped worsen the situation. The Sri Lanka masses are not satisfied with the prime minister's exit. This is natural as other members of the clan, including the President, remain in power. The Sri Lankans have suffered for long and have seen their country's economy go down the drain. People's power has risen in Sri Lanka, and historical evidence suggests that people's power ultimately triumphs.

We hope that good sense prevails. We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate events in the country. Sri Lanka must find a way out of the crisis. But it may not be able to do so on its own. Regional and international cooperation should be extended to the country. The current leadership has apparently failed the country of 22 million people. Sri Lankans deserve to have empathetic leadership that can take decisive measures to halt the downward spiral.