Life becomes a struggle in Lanka

Misery unites. For the first time in the history of independence Sri Lanka, people of different ethnicities, religious backgrounds, languages and political viewpoints are on the roads unitedly protesting against the government.

Skyrocketing inflation and a weakened rupee against the dollar have pushed the food and other things of basic necessities out of the reach of common man. Sample this: potatoes are selling at Rs.300 per kilogram, sugar Rs. 230/kg, pulses Rs. 490/kg, rice Rs. 205/kg, big onion Rs. 240/ kg, milk powder Rs. 1900/kg and a litre of petrol is selling at Rs. 303.

With acute shortage of everything, people have been forced to drastically cut their expenses and lakhs of families are making do with just one meal a day. Parents writhe in pain as they helplessly watch their small babies crying with hunger and unbearable heat in the face of hours long power cuts. Many cannot afford to purchase the milk powder at this time.

However, of late there is some respite in the 13-hourlong power cuts after the arrival of 40,000 MT of diesel from India under the Indian Line of Credit of $500 million. Sri Lanka produces only 300 MW of hydropower.

Farming and fishing industries are among the severely affected due to the shortage of fuel and electricity.

Government hospitals, however, are getting almost uninterrupted power supply, but a doctors’ body has warned that there would be shortage of medicines and the health system may collapse if the situation continues. Private hospitals use their own power generators but getting fuel for those generators is getting difficult. The manager of the Petroleum Corporation used to approve their fuel requests. Now the power has been handed over to the Government Agent (a higher-level government official) of the district.

People have largely stopped using private vehicles and are commuting through public transport. It’s because they have to wait in long queues to get fuel for their vehicles. Sometimes they don’t get fuel even after waiting for hours.

Offices are using their own power generators. Working from home also is not possible because there is no electricity at homes. Some sectors have been severely affected. For example, hotel owners suffer a lot without tourists.

The government is offering no relief in terms of free ration. People have to spend their own money to buy food and groceries et al. Those who have money can buy, those who don’t can’t. Some low-income families though are entitled to Samurthi benefits. Using this, they can purchase some things to fulfil their basic needs. The price rise has affected the amount of things they get under this welfare programme. Also, university students are given some money for their expenses. It’s called the mahapola. This amount has been cut since the last two months.

The US dollar rate against Sri Lankan rupees reached the height of Rs. 308.00. Ajith Nivard Cabraal, who was appointed as 16th governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka last September, resigned from his post following the resignation of the cabinet ministers. He also served as the 12th governor of the bank from July 2006 to January 2015. During his first term in office, Mr Cabraal helped stabilize the economy of the country. This time, he was against the government decision of seeking IMF assistance to come out of the present economic crisis.

A large number of young lawyers, journalists and various professionals took part in a peaceful protest organized by the Young Lawyers’ Association and Young Journalists Association. It was held in the Lipton Roundabout in Colombo.

There were also several protests organized by the artists in front of the Battaramulla Diyatha Uyana, Rajagiriya Flyover, Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo. A large number of artists including actors, actresses and singers took part in this.

Former cricketers Sanath Jayasuriya, Roshan Mahanama, and the wife of former cricketer Kumar Sangakkara also joined in a protest held in Colombo.

The Sri Lankan diaspora also organized protests in different cities in the USA including Washington D.C. and the Times Square in New York. There were also protests in the cities of Canada, Italy, Australia, Japan etc. One such protest was organised in front of President Gotabaya’s son’s residence in the USA.

(This was first published in National Herald on Sunday)