- Lankans living abroad voice their thoughts
Since the protest on 31 March in front of the private residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa which resulted in an overnight curfew and multiple arrests, there have been recurring protests taking place islandwide. Despite the curfew imposed and the declaration of a state of public emergency by the President, which has since been revoked via a Gazette notification, the country continues to protest. Monday (4) saw a massive culmination of protestors gathering at various corners of the island, and the public protest has continued throughout this past week.
There are countless Sri Lankans currently living outside of the island – students who moved away temporarily for their studies, families who have settled abroad for generations but continue to identify as Sri Lankans, those who have migrated for work purposes as well as many others – who are also eager to express their thoughts.
Joining their fellow Sri Lankans here on the ground expressing their displeasure at the actions of the current Government, the state of the nation, the economic crisis and resultant power cuts and so on, these Lankans living away from home have also taken it upon themselves to express their thoughts via protest and demonstration. Brunch reached out to a few of these expats living in a number of countries around the world to share their thoughts on the situation in the country.
Standing in solidarity from distant shores
Many of the expats we spoke to collectively expressed that they wished only to support their country and countrymen in their time of need, adding that even though they could not be here on the streets physically, they were here in spirit.
Sulanjali Rathnayaka, a Lankan residing in Dubai said: “Sri Lanka is a beautiful country rich with natural resources. Today Sri Lanka is going through the worst economic crisis in history due to economic mismanagement by the current and previous regimes. We are resilient and will rise up again.”
Sulanjali added: “Despite being away from our country during this challenging time, we are taking a stand against corruption,” noting that there was nothing but support from her Lankan community in Dubai and that they stood in solidarity with the protestors in Sri Lanka.
Trevan Trinity Jayasinghe, a student living in Malaysia said: “It’s really saddening to see what the people of Sri Lanka are going through and it’s quite disappointing to me that I can’t be there to fight on behalf of my country and also for the people who can’t fight for themselves. Most of the people back home seem to be fed up with the power cuts, but to be honest the focus should be on the people who can’t even afford to buy their basic necessities. Sometimes I feel like I’ve abandoned my country by being abroad during this time, but the Sri lankan community here in Monash Malaysia and all around the world should try our best to spread awareness and facilitate the economic recovery of our country.”
While the majority shared similar sentiments as Sulanjali, many of the students who are currently studying abroad shared that they too were facing the consequences of the current economic crisis as they were struggling financially.
Sri Lanka’s crisis doesn’t just impact those at home
Theruni Ranatunga, a Master’s student in the UK shared: “Students are suffering. We had no choice but to leave the country because we saw no future for ourselves. Not all of us come from families that own Lamborghinis. Our parents had to take out loans to send us here,” she said.
“Even people who have money can’t send money to their kids! I bus tables 20 hours per week and I’m living off that. Luckily my parents telegraphed my course fee and rent for the year last October so I’m okay. But so many are struggling.”
For those not supporting themselves alone, many students are currently challenged to even access the money that their families are trying to send. “You can’t withdraw more than £ 150 a week, and some telegraph transfers don’t seem to be coming across,” Theruni explained. “Banks don’t open student files anymore because the Central Bank doesn’t approve them. People should know this because otherwise they think we are abroad, and that we got away and are living luxuriously, but it’s far from the reality.”
On an emotional note, Theruni also stated: “They left us no choice, so we left the country. And now we are stuck. This is not just me talking about one family. This is me blaming 74 years of our corrupt political culture. Some of us come from families where we are the first generation to get a university education. Our families made lots of sacrifices to send us here. Our survival is their only hope. Imagine the impact all this has on our education and how that affects our families in turn? It’s like a vicious cycle. They are calling all the youth who left the country to come back to form an independent political party. But I don’t know if most of us are optimistic enough about such things. I know for a fact that I am not.”
A majority of the students studying abroad shared similar thoughts to Theruni, notably about the challenges in being able to pay their semester fees and affording rent and daily expenses. Many expressed that they had not had the opportunity to find jobs, while those who had jobs said they worked in the campus, which was sometimes not sufficient to cover the rent and their course fees.
This is about more than fuel and electricity
Iranga Mendis, a data scientist residing in the US said: “Based on past experiences of the average Sri Lankan thinking, my theory is that people are just pissed off that there’s no electricity, etc. Once authorities somehow manage to provide electricity/gas/fuel and other necessities, these protests will die down, and people will forget. We are just a bit inconvenienced right now. Yes, it’s really great that the people are speaking out and pushing hard for change. But what should we do now? Instead of just settling for the lesser evil, as we always do, we should instead stand for solutions (whatever they may be), that the people so badly need. Despite who the leaders are, they will have to come up with programmes to get there. So the implication here is, let’s not just settle for #GoHomeGota. Let’s use this people’s force to push even harder for short- and long-term solutions simultaneously.”
Similar to Iranga, there were several others who shared that while they were currently living abroad, having left the country for greener pastures with their families, they had experienced the careless rule of incompetent leaders in Sri Lanka. A majority shared that for far too long Sri Lanka’s leaders have had their priorities messed up – as had its public.
We need to keep our eye on the prize
Nethmini Medawala, an Attorney-at-Law from Berlin, Germany also shared her thoughts: “I moved overseas for my studies a day before the protests started. Coming from the development sector with a legal background, I am thrilled and humbled to see the middle class finally realising the struggle that the not-so-privileged ethnic/ideological minorities faced for decades in Sri Lanka. The ones on the streets have social capital and what we should be doing now is to capitalise on it.”
Nethmini went on to reiterate a point that is being widely expressed amongst the protesting population: “Sending Gotabaya or current politicians home won’t make Sri Lanka a trouble-free nation. Economic reforms are pertinent and with that comes a series of sacrifices. The prices of essentials won’t go down and fuel and energy prices will in fact increase. We will have to pay more taxes and do so ardently. Be prepared. Above all, when things start to slowly ease up, don’t forget how bad it was. Don’t fall for the racist and extremist sentiments again. The narrative of ‘we need to save the country and ensure national security at the expense of everyone else’ should not hold water,” she said.
She further added: “Going forward, we should do everything in our power to vote for politicians who can truly represent us. Even if it is just one person you believe in, just vote for that person. That is fundamental. Young people are more interested in politics now than ever before. Please consider elected office as a real career choice. Be great at your profession and make politics a service. We need real experts to restructure our systems and policies. We need to work on our integrity and perseverance individually if we are serious about joining politics. Even if you don’t want to be a politician, be political.”
Nethmini concluded that if one wished to rebuild the country, they should start with themselves. “Don’t attend a protest and bribe a policeman on your way home when you run a traffic light. Don’t call in favours or pull strings when you want a promotion or start a business. Be what you want your politicians to be. We don’t want to be hypocrites, do we?”
