ALL QUIET ON THE WATERFRONT

A YEAR AFTER THE GALLE FACE PROTESTS, SRI LANKA IS LARGELY PEACEFUL, BUT THE ACTIVISTS WHO LED THE MOVEMENT FACE GOVERNMENT PERSECUTION. AND, THE ECONOMY REMAINS A MESS

- LAKSHMI SUBRAMANIAN

The iconic Galle Face Green near the presidential secretariat in Colombo is eerily quiet. Even the usually crowded space around the statue of former president S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike is deserted. A year ago, it was the nerve-centre of the anti-government protests that rattled Sri Lanka. The historic Aragalaya (people’s struggle) was launched from here on March 1, 2022, which led to the ouster of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Sri Lanka is now largely peaceful. The country has been offered a bailout package by the International Monetary Fund. Luxury cars are back on the roads. Wedding parties and celebrations have returned to the European style buildings in Colombo. The beaches are full of foreign tourists. The long queues outside petrol stations and supermarkets and the unending power cuts are largely absent.

But while life is back to normal for rich Sri Lankans, the poor and the middle class continue to struggle. Prices of essentials still remain high, the Sri Lankan rupee continues to be volatile and the fuel and power crisis could return any moment. The growing inflation and price rise have made economic recovery difficult. “I used to make 10,000 rupees (6,000 Indian rupee) before the protests. With that I was able to feed my family and even save some money,” said Hasan Mohammed, an autorickshaw driver from Wellawatte, a Colombo neighbourhood. “Now what I get is not enough for buying fuel for my auto rickshaw. How do I provide for my family?”