Sri Lanka has been deep into the economic and political crisis. The President and Prime Minister has resigned after being forced by people’s movement. Protesters in the island demanded the resignation after suffering month of blackouts, acute food and fuel shortages, galloping inflation. It has been the worst downturn since Sri Lanka’s independence from United Kingdom in 1948. People’s movement have been proven to be effective in 1917 November Revolution as well, when Bolshevik’s uprooted the Tsar dynasty and established USSR.
The South Asian country has emerged from a devastating civil war in 2009. And the Easter Sunday church bombing in 2019, before being hit by Covid-19 pandemic. Which toppled the vital tourism industry for Sri Lanka. The crisis has been unfolded since march. Here is a trajectory how the crisis unfolded leading to resignation of the President.
March 31: President’s Home Threatented
Hundreds of protesters, rallied by infamous social media activists, trying to storm into the house of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, demanding resignation. Police open fires tear gas and water cannons at the protesters and many people gets injured. The capital of the country comes under curfew.
April: “Which is a Cruel Month”
As protesters spread, Rajapaksa declares a state of emergency, giving security forces all the powers. This is followed by 36- hours of nation-wide curfew and troops were being deployed. This raises anti-government protests. On April 3, Sri Lanka’s cabinet resigns at a late night meeting, leaving the government office isolated. On April 5, Rajapaksa’s problems deepens as Finance Minister resigns just after the day he was appointed. The President also loses majority in parliament. State emergency is lifted. Doctors in the country comments that there is shortage of life-saving drugs for corona. On April 10, biggest mass protest is taken out on the streets of Sri Lanka against the government.
May: Month of Casualty
Protesters, protesting outside the president’s seafront office in Colombo are attacked by mob. Nine people are killed and many are injured in the reprisal attacks that follows. Mahindra Rajapaksa resigns as prime minister, and has was rescued by the troops. He is replaced by Rainl Wickremesinghe, a political veteran who has already served previously. On May 10, defense minister orders open shoot for the troops for anyone who is involved in looting and “causing harm to life”.
June: Out of Control
The UN warns of the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka which needs aid immediately. There is dire shortage of food, due to which people have reduced their intake of food. On June 27, Sri Lanka runs nearly out of fuel and halts all the petrol sale.
July: Kingdom Collapses
The government portrays a statics which showcases that inflation has hit high for the ninth consecutive month. Sri Lanka reins in high prices and galloping inflation. On 9 July, President Rajapaksa fled his office in Colombo with the assistance troops, shortly before the protestors took over the presidential compound. Wickremesinghe’s residence is set ablaze. Police confirmed that his family was not in the house. On July 13, Rajapaksa offers step down from his post.
All the trajectory showcases that a dynasty cannot control a country. Country needs to be run by a democratic leader and also with set of social reforms. The protesters storming the compound of president is the same example that people’s power is more that any dynastical bureaucratic power. Karl Marx had rightly interpreted that only people’s movement can make the world a better place. Lenin’s November revolution and Parie Commune are the two example of people’s power.
