When 2022 dawned, no one would have imagined ‘we the people’ were about to begin a year of what could be described as one of an unimaginable and unmitigated disaster. Despite rising inflation, economists and political parties in the opposition predicted an economic crisis in the offing and none were prepared for the events which were about to engulf the country.
By early February the country was experiencing food, medicine and fuel shortages. Rolling blackouts became the order of the day. The cost of living skyrocketed and insecurity reigned supreme. Younger people recognising the economy was in freefall began leaving the country in droves.
Then-premier Mahinda Rajapaksa drew attention to the fact, pointing out that the young persons who were responsible for voting the government into power, a year earlier, were now fleeing the country -as witnessed by long queues of young men and women crowding the passport office.
In an effort to control the crisis, the then president declared an ‘economic emergency’ and authorised the military to regulate the prices of essential items. But to no avail. Shortages of essentials grew -stocks of fuel and gas ran out creating miles-long queues outside fuel depots country-wide. Irate members of the public began blocking roads.
In March spontaneous candle-light silent road-side protests against shortages sprang up all over the city. They soon snowballed into loud and vociferous calls for the president, the premier and his cabinet to resign.
Protest sites ‘Gota-go-gama’ and ‘Myna-go-gama’ demanding the president and his premier resign began springing up across the country. Worse was to follow. On 21 April the country declared it would be defaulting payment of its foreign debt of US$ 51 billion.
The protest movement meanwhile continued to grow apace in all parts of the country, while in Colombo thousands upon thousands joined in day-night protests at the sites at Galle Face and opposite ‘Temple Trees’.
On May 9 the Prime Minister and his cabinet were forced to resign in the aftermath of a pro-government mob from ‘Temple Trees’ attacking peaceful demonstrators at protest sites.
In turn, the attack led to retaliatory violence and a situation of near anarchy followed with retaliatory attacks on the mobsters, burning of vehicles and the burning of many government supporters homes. Ranil Wickremasinghe, a national list member of Parliament of the United National Party, was appointed Prime Minister. But his appointment as PM failed to satisfy the protestors
On June 9 with nearly a million-strong crowd surrounding his official residence, President Gotabaya fled the country. Subsequently, PM Wickremasinghe, who despite not even being an elected an MP, by virtue of being PM was sworn in as Executive President of the country.
With the appointment of Wickremasinghe as president, the protest movement appeared to lose its steam. Protestors seemingly felt Wickremasinghe had the ability to ease the main problems people were facing.International financial agencies and India in particular, too seemed to be of similar mind, with India promising urgent emergency aid as well. .
By mid-June the first stocks of fuel arrived and by mid-July stocks of LPG gas were more freely available country-wide. A system of rationed fuel requirements per vehicle was introduced and the miles-long queues for fuel and gas disappeared.India also helped provide stocks of essential food and medical requirements which eased the crisis in the country.
Talks to restructure SL’s foreign debt are in progress and the country is temporarily more stable.On assuming the office of president of the country Mr. Wickremasinghe came down heavily on protestors who indulged in violence such as arson and violence. Sadly he has not been seen to be pursuing the then government supporters who in fact initiated the violence on May 9 or pursue whose corrupt practices bankrupted the country.
Meanwhile inflation around the globe is rampant. Especially badly hit are Western countries -a fallout of the war in Ukraine. Despite being dependent on cheap Russian oil for their energy (heating) needs these countries sanctioned Russia. In retaliation Russia has cut their supplies of oil and gas, which in turn has led to rising inflation in the countries concerned.
Now 301-days-old (21.12.2022) the Ukraine war has continuously grabbed headlines with the west pouring arms and ammunition into that country. The UN earlier this year a described Israel’s 55-year occupation of Palestinian territory as apartheid.
In the UK we saw a rapid turnover of prime ministers in seven weeks. We also witnessed the death in September the world’s longest serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II.Earlier this month in Afghanistan, the Taliban banned women from higher education, ending a tumultuous and not very happy year.
We are hopeful 2023 will reverse this trend and be easier on this world.
