International reporting
Sri Lanka: fuel shortage drives people into poverty
Audio 02:17
Sri Lankans wait to buy some gasoline at a gas station on July 17, 2022 in Colombo.
© AP/Rafiq Maqbool
By: Sébastien Farcis Follow
3 mins
In Sri Lanka, the president resigned, paving the way for a peaceful political transition.
After a week of demonstrations and the capture of many seats of power, the political crisis has therefore gone down a notch.
But the social and economic crisis is still just as serious.
One of the symptoms is the shortage of oil, which has become so serious that you have to queue for days to hope to have any.
And that pushes a large part of the population into poverty.
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From our special correspondent in Colombo,
Navanima Rajamani has red eyes and a drawn mien.
This man has been sleeping in his car for 4 days, waiting for gas.
“
I am exhausted.
I haven't been home for four days, I have to save the place.
And the distributors told me that the gasoline will only arrive in 4 days
.
»
Behind him are almost a thousand other vehicles, in a line about 1 km long.
This gas station in the center of Colombo, which belongs to an Indian company, is one of the only ones in the district to supply fuel, the others are closed.
► To read also: Sri Lanka: during the political crisis, shortages worsen for the population
In Sri Lanka, because of these shortages, it becomes an incredible luxury to drive a car.
A large part of the population walks or travels by bicycle, like this 50-year-old bank branch manager, riding a fluorescent green bicycle.
I took my son's bike.
I use it for two weeks to come to work.
I live 11 km from here, I have to travel for more than 50 minutes.
It's difficult this season, because it's hot, and I'm clearly not used to it.
I used to come by car, but now I leave it at home, with half the tank full, and only use it for emergencies.
Those who can't live without oil
But there are those who cannot avoid riding, such as scooter drivers.
On the bay of Colombo, Sanjeeva Madushankar waits for potential customers, in almost deserted streets.
“
I spend almost a week in the queues and I work the following week.
Sometimes I buy gasoline on the black market, at 5 times the price, which forces me to charge more for the race.
But very few people accept this fare, so I have few passengers
.
»
This fuel shortage began several months ago when the state ran out of foreign currency to buy it.
But it has only gotten worse since, plunging millions of Sri Lankan families, like his, into food insecurity.
“
My income has dropped suddenly, so in my family we only buy the essentials.
We eat less and meat or eggs are now exceptional
,” observes a Sri Lankan.
According to the government, the next delivery of oil to the island should arrive at the end of the week.
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Sri Lanka
Oil
Poverty