By Basil Fernando

April and May 2022 will be remembered as the most important months in the post-independence era. During this short period the much hoped for people’s awakening expressed itself powerfully. People who wielded authority failed to see the writing on the wall although the wall was just next to the Presidential Secretariat and everywhere in the country. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thought he was merely seeing ghosts. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa believed in the comforting words of his friends despite knowing that the treasury was empty. The entire political establishment preferred to take shelter in a fool’s paradise.

Some of them rallied around Mahinda Rajapaksa on the May 9 to try bullying tactics to suppress the protest movement. It misfired badly and nation rose to defend the protesters and retaliate against violence. That brought Rajapaksa era to an end although Gotabaya Rajapaksa nominally remains president. He is now an isolated person taking shelter in some unidentified place

The real issue now is what is next? It is only the people who can provide a workable answer to that question. Without their direct participation, no solution can emerge. The major issue is how to enable people to become agents of political and social change to resolve the economic crisis. That can happen only if the nationwide protest movement takes a further step towards achieving the goals they are fighting for by initiating a discourse on how to achieve system change. That they want the existing political leadership, which is unwilling and incapable of dealing with the serious demands of the people, to go is quite clear.

There are several issues on which there is consensus among the people.

The law and law enforcement

There should be a review of the legislation and practices regarding failures of the corruption control system. It is essential to reveal to the people why this system has failed to achieve its objectives in such a dramatic manner, causing hardship and difficulties not only to individuals but also to the economic and political system. Legislative and institutional mechanisms can be developed to ensure methods to control corruption. There are many lessons to be learnt from other countries and experts in the field may voluntarily help Sri Lanka.

Democracy and rule of law

A system of governance based on democratic principles and rooted in the tradition of the supremacy of law and the rule of law should be incorporated into every law including that of the constitution. Any provision of law whether it is in legislation or in the constitution should be regarded as having no validity in law if the principles relating to democracy, supremacy of law and the rule of law are violated. If this recommendation is put into effect, many problems relating to the 1978 Constitution can be corrected.

In all discourses that deal with solving the current economic crisis, people should be informed of the discussions; attempts at secrecy should be disallowed. People should be encouraged to participate in their localities and in their professional capacities to discuss ways to end the economic crisis and to lay the foundation of principles and practices for dealing with matters of the economy. Local traditions and conventions should be built that would become part of social consciousness as has happened in countries where there has been genuine democratic change. People should be able to intervene in any interference to their economic system and wellbeing.

Taxation

A just and equitable taxation system should be established as soon as possible. The affluent classes have resisted being subjected to a system of just taxation. When some attempts were made by previous governments, the propaganda machinery was unleashed and the governments were defeated. A decisive attempt should be made to develop and implement a taxation system where better off income groups share the burdens of keeping a healthy economic life.

A clear agricultural policy

A clear agricultural policy should be developed in consultation with farmers, agricultural experts, economists and everyone who has a concern to ensure that food supply is not sabotaged by unnecessary imports and also to eliminate commissions when bringing imports. This is linked to strengthening the legal system.

Opening political space for youth

The youth are now playing their role in political and social life. They are a new generation with a different understanding of society and with attitudes that were not possessed by past generations. Every attempt should be made to bring these younger elements into the public discourse. The respect for freedom of expression, association and assembly are essential when it comes to dealing with a societal crisis. When the younger generation is entering into public debates, they should be allowed to participate. This will cause a major shift in the political culture.

Right to education

It is essential to preserve the right of education. In dealing with the economic crisis, no attempt should be made to deprive the rights enjoyed by youth for a better education, which will contribute to economic development as well as economic and political stability.

Food and medicine

There should be no food or medicine shortages. The first priority is to ensure that a food crisis will not result due to measures taken to overcome the economic crisis. From now on, the government as well international humanitarian organizations should assist Sri Lanka to avoid a catastrophic situation. There is already increased malnourishment as well as suicides related to hunger.

Money laundering and recovery of stolen national assets

The misappropriation of national wealth by individuals should be a matter of highest concern. Neither Sri Lankans abroad nor foreign investors will assist in overcoming the economic crisis if they think funds are being misappropriated. Many measures should be taken to deliver justice and fairness in all investigations and prosecutions and in ensuring that culprits will not escape. Whatever has been taken away illegally and deposited elsewhere should be properly investigated and the recoveries made. Many international organizations work on the issue of discovering wealth from stolen nations with greater cooporation among the nations.

The birth of a new social consciousness

This is the most agonizing experience many Sri Lankans have gone through. Such moments can shape the political consciousness of people. Nationwide protests are an indication that people are deeply concerned about their lives and the lives of their children. People are united in the cry to save the country from the economic and political crisis it is facing. This is when a deeper consensus emerges as to what people want to be and what are the kind of institutions their society needs. The people have a reason to show their resilience and to participate in a process to improve their prospects for the future.

Now the discourse should shift to pursue answers to these issues.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) observes that all bodies responsible for keeping law and order in the country have failed to cooperate in response to the tense situation occurred in the country recently.

In a statement, the Commission noted that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Army Commander were summoned to the HRCSL on the 11th in connection with the May 09 assault and that it received explanations from the two on how the Police and the Military had acted in controlling the situation.

Summons were issued to Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Thennakoon to appear in the Commission on May 13, it added.

Given observations on the recent events, the HRCSL also emphasised that there is a problem with the function of the intelligence units of the country.

MIAP

The curfew currently imposed in Sri Lanka will be relaxed tomorrow (12) from 07.00 am to 02.00 pm, the Presidential Media Unit said.

Ranil Wickremesinghe has reportedly agreed to accept the post of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, a faction of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) is set to meet with Wickremesinghe in the objective of preparing everything required for the formation of a new government, sources said.

LNW predicted the coming of Wickremesinghe by the middle of this year in 2021.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to deliver a special statement tonight (11) at 9 pm.

Sri Lanka witnessed a second night of arson attacks on Tuesday, with properties damaged in the town of Negombo, near the capital, Colombo.

A mob torched a luxury holiday resort owned by the son of the former Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

On Monday, frustration at the country’s economic crisis spilled over, after government supporters attacked protesters who want President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to quit.

Eight people have since died.

More than 200 are believed to have been injured in the clashes.

Sri Lanka had already seen weeks of protests over its dire financial situation, which has caused the Sri Lankan rupee to plunge, provoking severe food and fuel shortages.

On Monday night, mobs burned more than 50 houses belonging to politicians, reports say, while a controversial museum dedicated to the Rajapaksa family was also razed to the ground in the country’s south.

Shops, businesses and offices will be shut for a third day on Wednesday under a nationwide curfew in place until Thursday morning.

A meeting between Sri Lanka’s political party leaders has been moved online over security concerns.

The streets of Colombo bear the evidence of this week’s rioting – a heavy police presence, overturned and burnt buses.

Security forces have been ordered to shoot law-breakers and looters on sight, and thousands of them have been deployed to patrol the streets.

Nonetheless, protesters continued to gather at Galle Face Green, the main protest site in Colombo, on Tuesday evening. They insist President Rajapaksa has grossly mismanaged the economy and must stand aside.

The president’s older brother, Mahinda, stepped down as prime minister on Monday in a bid to placate demonstrators, but the move failed to bring calm.

President Rajapaska is holding talks with other political parties to form a new interim government. But the main opposition says it will not be part of the interim administration unless the president stands down.

At present, there is no clarity on which political parties will come together to form a government.

The political stalemate comes as Sri Lanka attempts to iron out a bailout package with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – the $81bn economy is near bankruptcy.

It has suspended its foreign debt payments, largely because of loans from China that paid for massive infrastructure projects.

While the pandemic shrunk Sri Lanka’s earnings and foreign exchange reserves, experts say problems have been exacerbated by populist tax cuts in 2019 and a disastrous ban on chemical fertilisers in 2021 that hit crop productivity.

Protesters gathered in front of Trincomalee Naval Base in the north-east on Tuesday amid unconfirmed reports that Mahinda Rajapaksa had fled there with his family after escaping from his Colombo residence.

There have also been rumours that he and others in the family fled to India, which the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka has denied.

From war heroes to villains

Anbarasan Ethirajan, BBC News, Colombo

Sri Lankans are still reeling from the violence that has erupted. Many politicians are sheltering in safe houses or avoiding appearing in public.

“It is not at all safe, particularly for politicians on the government side,” Nalaka Godahewa, until recently media minister, told the BBC. His house was among those torched.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, once celebrated by the majority Sinhalese as a war hero for defeating the Tamil Tiger rebels, has suddenly become a villain. Many blame his supporters for targeting anti-government protesters, which then set off a chain of violent events.

The Rajapaksas have always stood together, but this time their differences are out in the open. The problem appears to have started after Gotabaya asked the family patriarch Mahinda to “take one for the team” and resign.

How the family, who have dominated Sri Lankan politics for years, overcome this crisis is now an open question.

BBC