Independence sans meaning

Sri Lanka celebrates 75 years of independence this week amidst its worst economic crisis since that momentous event. Having been one of the very first non-white colonies to have achieved dominion status within the British Empire, Ceylon had a lot going for it in 1948. A stable economy, a commodity boom in the world market favouring key exports, a reasonably literate electorate, competent civil service and significantly a peaceful transfer of power from the colonial authority to the local political leaders.

All Ceylon had to do was to come up with reasonable and inclusive power sharing mechanisms among its different ethnic groups. The state of the country at present is testament of the abysmal failure of the political leadership in that task.

As Sri Lanka reached its demographic sweet spot in the 1970s and 80s when the median age of the population was in the yearly twenties, usually the best years for a country to step into the high gear of development, the country spiralled into violence. An insurgency in the South by the Sinhala youth and a full-blown ethnic conflict led by Tamil youth in the North and the East ensured that those best years were wasted in civil wars. Today, Sri Lanka is saddled with the same system and the leaders who had failed to deliver on the promise and correct the many wrongs since independence. Rather than celebrating milestones and achievements of progress in the last 75 years, Sri Lankans, who still remain in the country, are left to ponder the many paths not taken and the many promises not kept.

What is even more tragic is that there was a slight possibility of altering this course during the last year. For the first time, a head of state of the republic was ousted by a peaceful popular uprising. For a moment in time, there was much hope of a system-wide change in the governance of the country. 75 years of corrupt politics based on ethnic nationalist supremacy had nurtured a political client system that benefited a few at the cost of many. Yet, in that brief moment somewhere in mid-2022 there seemed to be a new awakening, even amidst the worst economic crisis the country had ever faced. The realisation had dawned that politicians had hoodwinked the masses, not only in the contemporary administrations but for generations. Fed on a hefty dose of hatred and ethnic nationalism, the divisions within the country based on race, religion and class had fuelled and sustained a system that has failed to deliver on all fronts. The consequences were evident for all to see.

It is at this moment when all seemed possible that one of the biggest betrayals in Sri Lankan political history occurred. Besieged president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was out of viable options for a prime minister within his own ranks and a majority of the opposition contenders had laid conditions for taking up the job, including much needed constitutional reforms. However, Ranil Wickremesinghe, a man without a popular mandate for himself or his party used the chaos to fulfil his personal ambition. Within two months of being appointed prime minister by Rajapaksa it was Wickremesinghe’s turn to be president through machinations in Parliament.

Sri Lanka deserved to be in a better place after 75 years of self-rule. The geriatric leaders who will bask in the glory of a military parade and the pomp and pageantry of the day that the nation cannot afford nor have an appetite to incur will be the symbols of every wrong path taken in the last 75 years. For a vast majority of Sri Lankans it will be a day to reflect on the many shackles they have been burdened with by the ruling elite.