While Sri Lanka’s economy stabilizes, activists warn of declining civil rights and worsening inequality
A year after Sri Lanka’s dramatic popular uprising forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign, the nation’s economy has seen some recovery, but many challenges remain. In the summer of 2022, thousands of citizens, frustrated by soaring prices, shortages of essential goods, and crippling debts, stormed Rajapaksa’s palace with cries of “Go home Gota.” This mass protest led to the president stepping down on 13 July, but political stability has come with its own set of issues.
Under Rajapaksa’s successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, the country has secured financial support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the form of a $3bn bailout. However, experts warn that the government must take more drastic measures to ensure long-term growth. Despite the bailout, poverty rates in Sri Lanka doubled in 2022, and activists argue that political stability has been achieved at the cost of civil rights and the wellbeing of the poorest, particularly women.
The government’s response to the uprising has raised concerns. Protesters have been detained and questioned, and civil liberties appear increasingly under threat. The IMF’s financial package, while crucial, has yet to translate into the wide-reaching reforms many believe are necessary to set Sri Lanka on the path to sustainable recovery.
