In May 2009, Sri Lanka’s strong man Mahinda Rajapaksa was celebrated as the most successful, victorious politician. The majority Sinhalese distributed KiriBath (rice cake) in the streets. The Lankan lion flag was hoisted in every street as people hailed Mahinda. Thirteen years later, on Monday, Mahinda Rajapaksa has turned to be the most unpopular prime minister in the country's history. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was one hailed as the war hero, is the most hated man in the island nation’s history now.
Sri Lanka’s history has repeated itself. This time as a tragedy for the Rajapaksa clan. The tactics and political stunts by the Rajapaksa clan to stay in power and resolve the crisis have continuously failed since April, as the people were out on the streets protesting. The protests hit historical heights when Mahinda was heckled by the people at Sri Lanka’s Buddhist capital Anuradhapura.
His party legislator AmaraKeerthi Athukorala, reportedly, killed himself during a clash among the protesters demanding the resignation of the Rajapaksa clan. Hours later, MP Sanath Nishantha’s house was set on fire by a section of protesters, when he visited a Buddhist temple there. It was here that Gotabaya Rajapaksa took oath as president in 2019, sending out a strong message that he is for the Buddhist nationalist ideology.
Irked by the protests and the worsening economic crisis, Mahinda had no other option but to resign. “I am prepared to make any sacrifice for the people,” Mahinda told his supporters before stepping down.
Earlier in the morning, as news of his resignation began spreading, his supporters gathered at Temple Trees in Colombo, the official residence of the prime minister. The protesters raised slogans in favour of Mahinda. Hours later, the supporters of Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party walked to the Galle Face and began attacking the “Go Gota Gama” protesters or the anti-government protesters. At least a dozen people were injured in the ensuing violence. The Go Gota Gama, however, was later reconstructed by the anti-government protesters at the Galle Face in front of the president secretariat. “Mahinda Rajapaksa should be arrested for instigating violence and the attack on protesters by organised thugs. Let the law take its course. For now, the world is amazed at the non-violent protests that went on for one full month. I would request to the citizens to please maintain calm. Don’t indulge in violence,” M.A. Sumanthiran, MP from Jaffna, appealed.
But with Mahinda resigning and the violent attack on the protesters, the battle to get the Rajapaksa clan out of power has turned worse. “Sri Lanka is in a political deadlock. There seems to be no immediate way out. There is no political leader in our country who can resolve the economic crisis and keep the people in peace,” academic and political analyst Nilanthan Mahadeva told THE WEEK from Jaffna. The Rajapaksa clan had lost public confidence way back in February 2022, when the economic crisis began building up. People hit the streets from April 8 and there were persistent calls for the Rajapaksas to step down. President Gotabaya as a face-saver, first dropped his elder and younger brother Chamal Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa from the cabinet.
There are speculations that Sri Lankan leaders might be attacked even more violently, if there is no immediate political solution. Sources also say that Gotabaya is neither in a mood to resign nor give up his executive powers. “There could be an interim government if everything falls in place. There is proposal to have Karu Jayasuriya as the prime minister,” Nilanthan said.
But there is talk in the Sinhala political circles whether opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who was heckled by Rajapaksa supporters, would go with the idea of the nationalist government. Sajith had earlier accepted the proposal. On the other hand, even if there is an interim government, Gotabaya will remain in power, as the Sri Lankan constitution does not allow dissolving the parliament within two and half years of the president taking oath of office.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s remedial measures by seeking loans from International Monetary Fund (IMF) is also hanging in balance. Finance Minister Ali Sabry, on May 4, declared that Sri Lanka’s usable reserves dropped down to $50 million. He admitted that the island nation was witnessing its worst downturn since independence in 1948.
Sri Lanka’s violent protests today, Mahinda’s resignation and the political deadlock will only delay the IMF negotiations, putting the country in a precarious position.
