Outrage over misusing public funds in wake of Aragalaya

Monday, 10 February 2025 01:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

In the aftermath of the 2022 people’s uprising, the distribution of colossal sums of public money as damages to politicians has sparked outrage. While it might be common for insurance companies to compensate individuals for damages to property or personal injury, this is not the case when it comes to Government funds being handed out without due process. These funds are not drawn from an insurance policy; they come directly from the taxpayers of Sri Lanka—ordinary citizens struggling to survive in the midst of the worst financial crisis the nation has faced in its post-independence history.

What makes this scenario all the more troubling is the lack of transparency and accountability in how these funds have been distributed.

The approval of Parliament, the very institution that represents the people, has been bypassed. The public was never afforded the opportunity to weigh in on how these funds would be spent, or even to understand the criteria behind the compensation. In a democracy, it is incomprehensible that public money—money that belongs to the people—can be disbursed in such a haphazard, secretive, and politically motivated manner.

Among those who received substantial sums are individuals with a long history of financial mismanagement and dubious dealings. One prime example is Keheliya Rambukwella, who received an eye-popping sum of Rs. 95 million, despite being accused of numerous financial crimes. Rambukwella is not alone in benefiting from this questionable distribution of funds. He is part of a group of 44 individuals who collectively received Rs. 1.2 billion in Government compensation. This happened at a time when Sri Lanka’s citizens were dying in long queues for food and gas, unable to meet their basic needs.

The ethical breach here is as large as the financial one – during a period of unimaginable hardship for the general public, the Government chose to allocate huge sums of money to individuals who are directly associated with the mismanagement of public resources.

Tens of thousands of Sri Lankans have lost property and undergone personal loss during its long history of violence. People in the North and the East have been waiting for decades to retrieve their private lands that have been occupied by the military. From the 1983 pogrom against the Tamil people to terrorist attacks throughout the country, many victims are yet to receive a red cent in compensation for damages incurred.

It is time for Sri Lanka to establish a system of governance that treats public funds with the respect and accountability they deserve. In a nation that is struggling to rebuild, politicians must be held to a higher standard. Public money should not be treated as a slush fund to be used for political patronage. It is the people’s money, and it is time to ensure that it is spent for the public good, with transparency, respect, and most importantly, accountability. The Government must demonstrate that it is ready to put the needs of the people ahead of political ambitions and self-serving behaviour.

The financial crisis has revealed the deep flaws in Sri Lanka’s political system. It is up to the people, civil society, and lawmakers to demand a higher standard of governance, one that values ethics over expediency and the welfare of the citizens above the self-interest of politicians.

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