How much is the life of a Sri Lankan worth?

Many incidents that happen even today in our society further consolidate the deplorable new normal that prevailed in our society before COVID-19 – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara 

We are witnessing another tragedy in Sri Lanka; many are dying daily from the COVID-19 infection with the risk of escalating the number of deaths to unimaginable levels. Although COVID-19 is not confined to our country, I said another tragedy because it is yet another of a series of tragedies faced by our nation. Apart from the Tsunami that hit the country in 2004, this is growing to be the second massive natural disaster in our time unless we are able to control the spread of the virus soon.

All others on the list are manmade tragedies, which took many lives of our people. The insurgencies conducted by JVP in 1971 and 1988-89 together with the suppressive actions by the Government, the anti-Tamil pogrom in 1983, the ethnic war in the north and the east, and the Easter Sunday attack are significant events on the list. All these resulted in the loss of many lives and caused great sorrow for their kith and kin. However, none of the above incidents could achieve the intended goals of the planners and executors other than leaving us with a society where people are further divided and more hostile. 

As a person born in the 1970s, I have witnessed all these incidents except the 1971 insurgency. Let me share some of my bitter experiences. I can remember how we missed our schools for months due to both legal and illegal shutdowns of the country during 1988-89 and consequent delay in university entrance. I can remember how scared we were when we saw the military spy (Gonibilla) on our streets. It was reported that during that time people were abducted and killed for personal animosities as well. On many days, we saw burning bodies of people and mutilated dead bodies on the streets.

It was during the black July in 1983 that the car of our next-door family, who were Tamils, was burnt when they were shopping in the city. All their jewellery was also looted. I can remember how they prayed to us to help protect their lives and properties against the vandals. Anyhow, fortunate for them, the entire neighbourhood got together and safeguarded their lives and properties. Later they sold all their properties and left the area to live in a place they thought to be safer.

The aforementioned were some of the social ideals endowed to us by our elder generation during our childhood. Unfortunately, our younger generation is also experiencing more or less the same circumstances, but now, in different forms and contexts and any conscious citizen can understand the things happening around us. Consequently, there is a growing trend that some people in our society portray a lack of humanitarianism. When the perpetrators are concerned, it is not only the average person but also some elite in the society. 

Road accidents are one of the dreadful issues in the country where over 3,000 lives are claimed annually. Alas, it is higher than the number of deaths that occurred as a consequence of COVID-19 to date. Reckless and drunken drivers have contributed to the loss of the lives of innocent pedestrians most of the time. 

It was not long ago a responsible minister argued that an ordinary family in Sri Lanka can live a period of one month with Rs. 2,500. He challenged any person with fair knowledge of economics to come for an open debate with him over the matter as well. At that time according to the analyses, an average family of four needed more than Rs. 40,000 to ensure reasonable living standards. Probably, he wanted people to just eat and live while considering education, health, sanitation, clothing, entertainment, and other utilities as things they do not deserve. 

In another incident that happened very recently, a high-ranking Government official naively defended certain businesses despite their production of some food items that contained cancerous chemicals. According to the official, people had to keep consuming them for some more time until things were rectified. These types of incidents take place in a country where 16,691 people have died from cancer in the year 2020 alone, while prevalent cases stand at 75,909 (GLOBOCAN 2020).

The world often talks of the buzzword new normal where people have to act in a novel behaviour in order to control COVID-19. At present in our country, all the people are stressed to strictly follow the health guidelines to control the spread of the deadly virus. However, many people behave carelessly irrespective of the fact that daily deaths are increasing. It is reported that hospital capacities have already exceeded and as reported, we are short of ICU beds and oxygen. Surprisingly it is not only the ignorant but social role models as well, who violate such rules. Amidst all of the chaos, why the hell do the majority of our people behave in such a manner?

In my view, those dreadful incidents, both natural and manmade, that took place during the past 50 years claiming nearly half a million lives of our people have created a new normal situation in this country. A new normal situation where the value of human lives has been degraded. Many incidents that happen even today in our society further consolidate the deplorable new normal that prevailed in our society before COVID-19. 

It could be a new normal where many lack empathy. It could be a new normal where many do not respect others. It could be a new normal where many do not care about the life of others. Eventually, it could be a new normal where many do not care about their own lives. 

Hence, COVID-19 may not be so influential in creating and reinforcing a different new normal in our society as to accustom to a specified behaviour to protect our lives and that of others from the pandemic. Therefore, my question is, how much is the life of a Sri Lankan worth?

(Eng. Thushara Dissanayake is a chartered Civil Engineer)