Finance
Mass Protests in Sri Lankan as Devastating Economic Crisis is Blamed on ESG
Sri Lankans have had enough, gathering in unprecedented numbers to protest against their government – for reasons not yet agreed upon by mainstream media.
BRIAN SOCKINGTON: Sri Lankans have had enough, gathering in unprecedented numbers to protest against their government – for reasons not yet agreed upon by mainstream media. Hundreds of thousands stormed the streets of Columbo, breaking into its central bank and occupying the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, causing him to flee the country and later resign. His Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced he would resign after noticing his private residence had been burnt to the ground by protesters, but he was instead re-elected as President of Sri Lanka, by a secret ballot in parliament, using his new powers to heal the nation – by cracking down on protesters he immediately described as ‘fascists’.
RUPERT HOLESWORTHY: It was an insurrection on an epic scale, so-called ‘independent thinkers’ fed up with the progressive policies of the Rajapaksa government, choosing protest over praise for a progressive agenda which many foreign leaders and investors have celebrated in its prioritising of sustainability and ESG, or environmental, social and corporate governance. The new green policies banned the use of fertilisers 95% of farmers were reliant upon, contributing to widespread food shortages during an economic crisis that has seen record-high inflation across the country, an 80% rise in the cost of gas and fuel, a 128% rise in transport costs, daily blackouts, and scarcity of many essential goods.
But that doesn’t excuse the actions of these Sri Lankan insurrectionists, enjoying a day in the President’s Pool, and occupying the rooms and offices of his palace. The parallels with January 6th are frightening, although no swimming was allowed in the White House pool, and Sri Lankan police chose not to shoot anybody.
There has been some outcry from the international community over the use of authoritarian methods employed by the Sri Lankan government in their efforts to stop the protests, such as declaring states of emergency, mass arrests of civilians, imposing curfews, firing tear gas and restricting access to social media…
SANDY: “Hold on – Isn’t that [footage] from protests in Melbourne, Brian?”
BRIAN: “I’m not sure… Um, yes, I’m hearing from The Hand that this is the Victorian Government’s response to vaccine mandate protests! Our sincerest apologies to any Sri Lankans offended by the comparison…”
HOLESWORTHY: … that the Sri Lankan government was actually in breach of their own laws and constitution, as well as international human rights treaties, in their attempts to suppress the protests. Truckers and bus drivers who had joined the protest months earlier, caused traffic chaos. Tens of thousands gathered day after day in the largest street protests in Sri Lankan history. The police and army did their best to remove anti-government protesters, while the government blocked public access to social media communication. However hashtags like #GoHomeGota had already been trending internationally, forcing the ill-informed ban to be lifted. So where to now for the tropical island nation of 22 million?
Thankfully, that question lies in the hands of experienced leaders, including newly unelected President Wickremesinghe, 6 time prime minister of Sri Lanka since 1993, and his handpicked, 73-year-old unelected Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, his former classmate from the 1950’s.
