Sri Lanka is facing its most dire economic situation since gaining independence in 1948. As Reuters reported on 5 April 2022, this has led to large-scale, anti-government demonstrations and an unprecedented
ministerial reshuffle involving some members of the Rajapaksa family, among them the finance minister.
World Watch Research analyst Thomas Muller comments: "While the crisis has been exacerbated by the pandemic, its roots predate the emergence of COVID-19. The government has now sought financial help from the IMF and also from China and India, but assistance cannot be expected to materialize quickly nor at the levels needed to keep the debt-laden country afloat. The average Sri Lankan is facing shortages of literally everything and has to queue for long hours in the hope of getting even the most basic of supplies. In response to the protests, which included demonstrations in front of the private home of the president (and of Rajapaksa children living abroad), the government called an island-wide curfew. This move has been condemned by both the
Catholic Church (UCA News, 4 April 2022) and
Protestant organizations such as the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL, Press Statement, 4 April 2022)."
Thomas Muller concludes: "After the opposition refused President Rajapaksa"s invitation to join the government - an apparent move by the president to create national unity - it is unclear how the political situation will develop. It is, however, clear that the shortages and suffering of many Sri Lankans will continue. The fact that the new Finance Minister, Ali Sabry,
resigned less than 24 hours after being appointed and 41 lawmakers left the governing coalition, leaving the government without a majority, is a sign of more challenges ahead. The news that the government had also closed a number of the country"s embassies abroad is yet another illustration of just how dire the economic situation has become (Reuters, 5 April 2022)."
