Dissanayake Gets Absolute Power In Sri Lanka, Will He Deliver?

Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the man of the moment in Sri Lanka. People have voted in a government, signalling a change in the political culture of the country. It’s something Dissanayake has promised to deliver. Will the days of struggle for the average Sri Lankan begin to end? Let’s rewind a bit.

The Aragalaya or The Struggle began in March 2022 and ended in November 2022 with the ouster and resignation of then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. It was the result of deep and unprecedented public anger at the events of the previous year when, in 2021, there was a complete breakdown of the economy.

Fuel, electricity and cooking gas were not available and people were in dire straits due to double-digit inflation. Sri Lanka then declared bankruptcy and till Indian assistance came in the form of a much-needed dollar infusion plus a good word with the IMF, Sri Lanka seemed to be on the brink.

People blamed the corrupt practices of the government of the time and the utter mismanagement of the economy for the crisis. And anger and disgust at the entire political dispensation found expression in violence, with politicians feeling the heat of public anger as their homes and properties were set ablaze.

Gotabaya and Ranil

With Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaving office and temporarily the country, and Ranil Wickremesinghe taking over, the worst of the anger seemed to have dissipated and it seemed like everything would return to normal.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the new president, enforced law and order very firmly. And a potential attempt to storm parliament was thwarted by the police. It was deemed that such an act, though a felt need of segments of the population (as a way of demonstrating anger at the political establishment), would destabilize the country and the economy even further.

President Wickremesinghe and his team set about addressing the issues related to the economy and secured an IMF agreement that was crucial to get the country back on track.

But the austerity measures agreed on with the IMF and implemented resulted in a population already struggling with increased prices due to inflation, saddled with extra taxes. They found themselves squeezed from both sides.

The public used to the populist tax structure of the Gota regime had to suddenly absorb the impact of IMF-driven taxes. This caused severe hardships to many and though the government and administration continued to communicate the need for this ‘bitter pill’, clearly it was too bitter for most.

Also, the fact that Ranil Wickremesinghe relied on the same 225 politicians to set the economy right made him the target of accusations. He was called Ranil Rajapaksa, suggesting he was a protector of the Rajapaksa family.

Come the NPP, Dissanayake

The NPP (National People’s Party) under Anura Kumara Dissanayake, which in 2019 had only three seats in the 225-member parliament, started actively organising themselves as an alternative on the back of the Aragalaya.

They constantly reminded people of the misdeeds of the current crop of politicians, blaming them for the plight the public found themselves in. They promised a new political culture if elected that would transfer power from the failed elite politicians and bring it to the ordinary man on the street (meaning the NPP).

Interesting to note that the JVP which has a militant past, did not project itself and instead focused on a new brand, the NPP and an untainted leader AKD (Anura Kumara Dissanayake).

The lead-up to the 2024 presidential election saw a very aggressive campaign mounted by the NPP under AKD. Dissanayake even travelled overseas including to the U.S. and India, giving credence to the belief that his stock was rising among the masses.

On the ground, the campaign was intense. While the UNP machinery was split between SJP (Samaji Jana Balawegaya) and the few UNP cadres, (the SLPP folk kept a low profile due to negative public sentiment), Dissanayake and his team mobilized voters effectively and efficiently.

The presidential election in October saw Anura Kumara Dissanayake assume office, a significant gap separated him from Sajith Premadasa, who trailed far behind. The voter had spoken and it was clear the people wanted change even at the risk of empowering a party and leader inexperienced in governance.

Except for the north and east which voted for Sajith and Ranil, the rest of the island voted overwhelmingly for Dissanayake.

Anura Dissanayake And NPP

Subsequently, Parliament was dissolved and parliamentary elections were called in 54 days as the constitution requires. And the well-oiled election machinery of the NPP continued its juggernaut roll on the same platform of ‘change’ and clean government.

AKD made a special appeal to voters in the north and east, seeking their votes and addressing some of their key concerns. He said it was time to leave the race issue behind and work together to build a new Sri Lanka.

The election results declared on November 15, 2024 are a watershed in Sri Lankan political history. The people have willed and voted for a complete change. Most old names no longer feature – the 2024 parliament will have a totally new look, led by AKD as the president and his team in the NPP.

NPP with 159 seats has more than two-thirds majority to run the country. In a media interview prior to the election, AKD was quoted as saying that they are looking for a simple majority (113) and that two-thirds majority are only sought by ‘oppressive’ regimes. Clearly the people have granted him more than what he sought.

What’s most interesting is that for the first time ever in a general election, the people of the north and east (barring Batticaloa) have voted for NPP candidates. In fact, most Tamil parties have been relegated to second and third positions.

This means a paradigm shift and in a way the ballot has united the country (north and south voting along similar patterns). It seems that just like the south and rest of the island, the northerners too wanted the political stable cleaned out and voted the NPP in. This provides a unique opportunity to the new political dispensation to heal the wounds of the past and hasten the integration process

The people of Sri Lanka have shown they do not have short memories. Certainly not if a smart politician keeps reminding them of their suffering and offers a credible alternative.

Aragalaya Over

The Aragalaya can now be declared over. What some elements of the population sought to do – bulldoze parliament has been achieved vide the popular vote.

Now the onus is on the NPP to deliver. To make sure the economy is revived, ensure no default and compliance with all IMF obligations. At the same time to deliver on the people’s wishes – a transparent clean government that mitigates the suffering of the common man and provides hope and fuel to the aspirations of the young in Sri Lanka.

For the people of the north, the key is to address issues related to return of their land and disappearances of family members. The maritime boundary and encroachment by neighbouring fishermen is another notable issue that impacts livelihoods and redressal is needed.

It maybe cliched to say this but “With great power comes great responsibility”, and, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

The NPP and its MPs have their task cut out for them.  Let’s hope they will take their responsibility seriously and the lure of absolute power will rest lightly on their shoulders. The Aragalaya ends today. Now what’s next for Sri Lanka is the moot question.