Photo courtesy of NPP
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, AKD as popularly known, is currently leading National People Power (NPP) movement for a system change and social renewal from the bottom up including economic, political, cultural and ideological change, quite effectively. He is an unusual leader with a comprehensive knowledge and understanding about how the system works, its fundamental weaknesses, how we need to change it for the betterment of country and those who are left out from the economic and political experiment launched in 1977 by former President Jayewardene and his followers on both sides of the political spectrum. His ability to articulate what is wrong with the system in place, how it is manipulated by a select group of ruling class members and their families is quite appealing to many who knew there is something wrong but did not know the reasons well.
AKD has been travelling across the country in the last few months speaking to hundreds and thousands of common folk with inspiring speeches that included deep analysis of the core problems we face as a nation. He has galvanised a nation that has been subjected to the trauma emanating from the 30-year war, natural disasters, corruption and marginalisation by those in power and the effects of implementing a neo liberal economic policy that gave priority to global capital and external players like multinational corporations in the name of development and progress. AKD uses Sinhalese language cleverly to articulate not only what happened but how to get out of the current malaise in an organised way. The dependencies created by following a failed policy by the political and administrative authority over the last few decades are so influential that without a deep analysis and a vision based on a clear understanding of the dark pit we have fallen into, it is not possible to come out with any clarity, strength and sustainability. For this purpose, the NPP led by AKD has obtained the expertise of eminent Sri Lankan professionals locally and those living abroad to develop sector-specific policies and programs. In recent months, we observed the launching of these one by one in public forums.
AKD says that the changing of the guard in previous elections since independence in 1948 has been to keep a few families and their friends in power that neglected the larger electorate for their own gain. He uses concrete examples to illustrate this in his speeches. His personality, manner, style of operation and the program of action being promoted resonate with the larger electorate – urban and rural – to the extent that we may witness a change of guard on Saturday when voters cast their vote at the presidential election. If the current trend continues, we may even see another 56-style democratic revolution, this time aided by the new generation of young professionals and others like labouring women in the middle east with international experience about how other systems work.
In his own words, social transformations including significant political change of the magnitude contemplated at the next weekend do not happen regularly. What is unique this time is that the change we may witness will not come from the top of various hierarchies but from the bottom to middle layers of society. In other words, it is a change not only advocated and highlighted by NPP but also wanted and aspired by the masses who have suffered from recent economic down turn and the many taxes imposed by the existing government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Those who support President Wickremesinghe in the current campaign to preserve power in the hands of the rich layers of society and the ruling elites may see a surprise this time that they may not forget for a long time.
All this is happening in a context where the population has lot trust in the governance process and system in place to do so. A democratic government is one between the citizens and those are entrusted to govern for the benefit of all, not a select category. The relationship is a trust relationship. Average citizens should be able to rely on various institutions and processes set in place to serve the population for day to day needs. If they have to spend days and months to obtain the services be they in health, education, justice, licensing, immigration or anything else and compelled to go after minor officials or pay a bribe, it is not an acceptable situation. Given the political and administrative culture in place, Sri Lanka is known to suffer from delays and obstacles in government offices where customer relations can be improved. People in modern societies do not have to spend hours and days to get a simple task. Time is valuable as money itself.
The system of governance by the political class, its maintenance cost, archaic nature of practices within government institutions, customer dissatisfaction, reported corruption and misuse of public funds and the frustration of people of all ages have brought the country to a standstill to the extent that scores of young professionals from most sectors are leaving the country for greener pastures. The conditions in so-called developed countries have also changed for the worse due to supply chain issues, increasing cost of living, and wars. In a sense the problems faced by Sri Lanka after the pandemic are not unique to Sri Lanka. Overthrow of the government in Bangladesh is an example of the way that political authorities that ruled countries are being overthrown by the disaffected populations. Malaysia witnessed a similar change of government not long ago. Let’s hope that Sri Lanka also witness a peaceful transfer of power desired by many millions after the Saturday election.
The dependencies created by the colonial rulers and maintained by the ruling elites since independence in one form or another have created conditions that make some layers of society richer and the majority poor. Surplus extraction by private sector players, local and global, is taking place at a rapid rate. Public assets are being transferred to the private sector in an accelerated rate. Working conditions for the wage earners are becoming intolerable with increased taxes and other impositions. A country governed for the privileged – not for all – with the power of state cannot move forward without further upheavals. Therefore, if the country is to stabilise and its systems are to be reformed reformed for a better Sri Lanka, a change of government through a peaceful election is the best alternative that Sri Lankans have. AKD’s desire to change the system for the better and set in place the core pillars to stand as a truly independent nation may yield results after all.