Rocky road to recovery

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s resignation as Sri Lankan prime minister on a day which saw protests against the Rajapaksa clan take a decisively violent turn leaves only the president, Mahinda’s younger brother Gotabaya, clinging precariously to his post. While Mahinda hoped his resignation would pave the way for a unity government, the opposition and protesters are unlikely to budge until Gotabaya also quits. Violent attacks by Rajapaksa supporters against the protesters have also worsened the situation.

Mahinda, the patriarch of the family, had enjoyed cult status until the economic downturn for strong leadership that ended three decades of LTTE-LED violence in Sri Lanka. But the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and severe shortages of fuel and foodstuffs, combined with depleted forex reserves, have knocked the bottom out of that support.

With the opposition’s impeachment motion against Gotabaya with the speaker, it remains to be seen if Parliament or the protests will decide his fate. What’s certain is that the opposition, with its current strength, is in no position to offer a cohesive government. A ruined Sri Lanka is staring at a long, rocky road to recovery.

This opinion is not necessarily shared by Stuff newspapers.