Q/ How would you describe the situation in Sri Lanka? What has changed and what has not?
A/ President Ranil Wickremesinghe has managed to restore law and order, and has addressed certain basic issues, like 16-hour-long power cuts and long queues at fuel stations. There was a problem with supply chain. It has been resolved and the economy is stabilising. But I am not saying that the government has done everything to put the economy back on track. Yet, there has been a massive change in the past 12 months, considering where we were last year.
Q/ You say there was a conspiracy to dethrone the Rajapaksa family. Who was behind it?
A/ There were many forces behind it. This is not the first time that Sri Lanka has gone through something like this. I am sure countries like India, as it heads towards becoming an economic superpower, will always find people who do not want to see certain countries in Asia becoming bigger because we were colonies once. I will not blame anyone, because as a government, we must be prepared to face this. But we have to make sure that something like this will not happen again.
Q/ Has Sri Lanka lost confidence in the Rajapaksas, particularly in Mahinda?
A/ Mahinda Rajapaksa is still very popular among the masses. He is very active and has his own policies and vision. And the SLPP (Sri Lanka Podujana Party) is his party. The SLPP has a bigger role to play now.
This story is from the July 02, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the July 02, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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