A descent into violence - hunger is also violence - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka is facing its worst crisis since independence. Our people’s lives  are fast becoming unprotected, with hospitals running out of medicines for heart disease, rabies, diabetes and anti-venom serum.

World Bank statistics show that around 70% of the workforce in our country in 2019 comprised informal workers. They comprise workers in the tea, rubber and coconut plantations as well as those workers involved in construction industry in the cities of this country. According to the Ceylon Workers Congress, a worker is paid Rs.1,000/- per day for 20 days work a month, if work is available.

At today’s prices a family of four would need at least Rs. 30,000/- per month if they are to have two square meals per day. In turn this means, a majority of families in the country are not only able to provide their children with two square meals daily. It lalso leaves them with no money to meet medical expenses, educational needs, travel, clothing or recreation.
MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara’s claim during the parliamentary debate, that 60% of the country’s population is malnourished was shocking, but appears to be true given the fact that food is in short supply. Prices of all commodities are way beyond the reach of a majority of the population and cooking gas needed to prepare meals is not available.

Today the vast majority of our citizens are fighting for their very survival. It is not only the poorest of the poor, but has grown to include the middle classes as well. Adding to the misery, fuel is not readily avainable and cooking gas is completely out of stock.
On top of all these, people are faced with 4 to 5 hour power cuts.
Not surprisingly thousands have spontaneously taken to the streets calling for the resignation of the president and his cabinet. But this spontainity also means a lack of direction or follow-up action. 

In an unfortunate turn of events the political opposition is still divided, and unable to give political leadership to protests on the streets. The largest opposition political party insists the president must step down before it can consider any interim measures. It demands a vote of no confidence on 
the president.

The political parties which were aligned to government and recently declared themselves independent, are opposed to the removal of the president. They call for an interim administration, but have not sugested a timeframe. The JVP is also calling for a motion to impeach the president. 
Without two-thirds of the legislators signing up to the motion, it is impossible to force the hand of the Speaker into accepting the motion and many will remember the fiasco of the last no faith motion brought against late President Ranasinghe Premadasa. 

None of these political groupings have had serious discussions with the political leadership of the minority communities - the Muslim and/or Tamil political parties. 
It was only two days ago - an external actor - not allied to any of these groups brought the minority communities into mainstream discussions to seek a way out of the current political crisis.
Many among the protestors, especially young adults are losing confidence in the party political process. There is a growing belief among them (sections of young adults), that the party-based political opposition is using the growing unrest as a means to get Cabinet posts.
In another unfortunate turn of events, the Prime Minister’s address to the nation offered no solutions to the current crisis - only an exhortion to the public to make more sacrifices and references to his crushing the LTTE.

Even worse was the example of a particular Chief Minister who attempted to lead a confrontational counter protest which turned physical. 
There is also a danger of unscrupulous elements rousing religious and racial hatred bringing to mind ‘men of the cloth’ in Myanmar leading attacks on minority communities.
Such an event would spell disaster to any chance of obtaining an IMF debt rescheduling facility and will lead to a ‘Somalisation of Lanka’.