President, IMF and the Aragalaya

Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) is a man with determination, an achiever and a remarkable man. In this model democracy in Asia, he was blotted out at the last general election. A few months later he was an MP and the sole representative of his old grand party. 

Another few months, later he was appointed as the Prime Minister. After a lapse of few more months, he was elected by Parliament to replace the highest ever voted president, who fled the country. Those who said Ayi for the 20th Amendment have not dreamt that the end beneficiary of that is RW. This is not a national record but a world record, perhaps a universal one. Even Gnanakka could not have predicted. 

“Reliance of people on the political system and politicians has broken. Expectations of the people regarding the state mechanism have been exhausted. This is the reason for the activists to demand a change in the system.
The struggle that started all over Colombo expecting a system change was later centralised in Galle Face. This was expanded to several major cities in the island. This struggle was conducted on a non-violent basis and creative manner. These activists did not commit any act of violence. Therefore, families joined the struggle to express their protests. Parents were not afraid to even bring children to the places of protest.”

Who is chanting this slogan? Is it Rev. Omalpe Sobitha Thera? Or is it Father Jeevantha Peiris? Or is it imprisoned Wasantha Mudalige? Or actress Damith Abeyratna? You are way away. It is none other than President RW during making his policy statement.

In his policy statement delivered in Parliament on August 03, the president declared, “I took over a country that was in disaster – severe economic crisis on one side, massive public opposition on the other. Today we are facing an unprecedented situation that our country had never faced in recent history. We are in great danger.
“We were engaged in competitive, short-sighted and destructive narrow politics.” 

In presenting the interim Budget Speech on August 30, the president in his capacity as the finance minister stated, “Due to these short-sighted economic practices, the country’s progress has been hampered from time to time.” This is a repetition of what he said during his policy statement.
At the end-of-mission press conference held on September 01, after reaching the staff-level agreement on an Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement with Sri Lanka, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission declared, “Sri Lanka has been facing an acute crisis.” 

These were the very words we have been hearing at the Aragalaya site (Gota Go Gama (GGG)) since March for over 100 days. They were chanted outside the Presidential Secretariat. The president has penned them inside the Presidential Secretariat. 
The president himself said, “It is a widespread slogan these days to claim that the country has deteriorated for 74 years after independence.”
As a matter of coincidence or as an accident, the president, IMF and Aragalaya activists are echoing the same message.

“The country is in turmoil due to short-sighted policies and ill practices during 74 years since independence.”    
“A country cannot be sustained by taking loans and therefore should reduce the borrowings to the extent possible,” proclaimed the president when making the policy statement. 
“The new EFF arrangement will support Sri Lanka’s programme to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability,” the IMF declared in its statement. 
Debt sustainability is assessing how much debt an economy can safely carry.

The Aragalaya activists chanted, “Every successive government since independence has contributed to turning a prosperous, stable, model economy towards the present pathetic debt-driven begging economy during last 74 years. They mortgaged our future to beg a dollar for their comfort.” Is it another coincidence?  
“In the effort of stabilising the economy, we pay close attention towards the less privileged of society. We are preparing a national economic policy to lay the foundation for a social market economic system, securing development for the poor and underprivileged groups and encouraging small and medium entrepreneurs.” – President RW

“Inflation recently exceeded 60 percent. The impact has been disproportionately borne by the poor and vulnerable. Mitigate the impact of the current crisis on the poor and vulnerable by raising social spending and improving the coverage and targeting of social safety net programmes,” said the IMF team having reached staff-level agreement.
All the governments were catering to the rich to become richer, making the poor poorer and finally eliminate the poor. The poor can hardly make ends meet. The poor have no access to electricity, water, education, health and other basic necessities. The government makes highways for the urban rich and fails to provide a foot path for the rural poor. – An Aragalaya slogan

“Today, the majority of the youth have accepted that they want to continue my policies. They chant slogans against racism and bigotry. Protests are being carried out mentioning the necessity of peace among ethnic groups of Sinhala – Tamil – Muslim – Burgher, etc. Sinhalese youths say that all the ethnic groups, including Tamils and Muslims, should be treated equally. I am glad that the young generation understands the truth that I tried to explain to this society for about five decades.” – President RW

Prepare the ground for economic recovery and promoting sustainable and inclusive growth. – The IMF 
Our leaders preached division among communities for 74 years. They did not tolerate unity. They destroyed national harmony for their own political gains. They divided our society. They divided youth. They harboured animosity among different groups. They cultivated acrimony. In GGG we work in harmony. There is no division according to race, religion or cast. We cultivate peace and unity among different ethnic groups. – Aragalaya activists

President RW explained; Aragalaya activists demonstrated; IMF proposed

It is essential to completely eliminate bribery, corruption and fraud from our society. I will implement a national policy to combat bribery and corruption. New rules and regulations and orders in this regard are being prepared by the Justice Ministry. – President RW

Reducing corruption vulnerabilities through improving fiscal transparency and public financial management, introducing a stronger anti-corruption legal framework and conducting an in-depth governance diagnostic, supported by the IMF technical assistance. – IMF

Our rulers have exploited and sold out national resources; they extorted; they looted; they misused; they cheated. They were corrupt; they take bribes; they take commissions. They are wheeler dealers; they are commission agents. They can be bought by money. They strike deals for their personal gains. – Aragalaya Activists 
Reliance of people on the political system and politicians has broken. Expectations of the people regarding the state mechanism have been exhausted. This is the reason for the activists to demand a change in the system. – President RW 

Delivering the guest speech at the conference themed ‘Let’s Reset Sri Lanka’, organised by the Advocata Institute, the president said the proposals of the IMF must be implemented to recover from the economic crisis, regardless of whether they are good or bad and regardless of who likes them or not. 
He added, “I don’t think there is any other way out … whether we like it or not, we have to deal with the IMF.” 
We have been praying, pleading, compromising, reaching consensus and trying to convince citizens, bankers, policymakers, donors, lenders and parliamentarians on the virtues of the IMF assistance. All roads were heading to Mecca. 

Aragalaya was ended. But we repetitively hear the slogans chanted in Aragalaya in the president’s statements and the IMF mission-end press conference. What is the difference? Aragalaya chanted slogans. The president made statements. The IMF laid down conditions. Aragalaya spoke in Tamil and Sinhala. The president speaks in Sinhala and English. The IMF speaks in English. Aragalaya chanted slogans outside the Presidential Secretariat. The president prepared his statements inside the secretariat. The IMF negotiated in the Treasury building next door to the secretariat. 

At the end, we all have been compelled to eat the humble pie, as we were ignorant of what American motivational speaker Denis Waitley once said. “Expect the best, plan for the worst and prepare to be surprised.” It’s a post- warning to the Aragalaya activists and a pre-warning to the president.
(Chandrasena Maliyadde, a Ministry Secretary and currently a Vice President of the Sri Lanka Economic Association, can be reached via [email protected])