Sri Lanka: the population at the end of the face of the economic crisis
The Sri Lankans are at the end of their rope in the face of the economic crisis which is paralyzing the country (Illustration image).
© Eranga Jayawardena/AP
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
Short of foreign currency, Sri Lanka can no longer import enough food, fuel and other essentials.
Fuel and diesel have been rationed for several months and delivered in dribs and drabs.
The private buses which represent two thirds of the country's fleet only run at 20% of their capacity.
The lack of fuel is likely to get worse in the coming days.
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The population is at the end of its tether, as Michael, a resident of Negombo, north of the capital Colombo, tells us: “
It feels like we are
in full confinement
.
People who have cars save some of their fuel for emergency needs.
I do the same.
I try to keep half the tank full and I get around by bike.
I don't want to take any risks.
If something happened to my wife or my daughter, I wish I could take them to the hospital.
I save fuel for this kind of situation.
“
Then you have the police who use their uniforms to fill up their motorbikes, which creates tension between the police and the civilians.
Everywhere, there are fights breaking out and that's what the leaders want, fights so that they can continue to live quietly
, ”explains the Sri Lankan to RFI.
Sri Lanka is bankrupt and not ready to emerge from the crisis, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe admitted to Parliament on Tuesday, predicting a deep recession accompanied by serious shortages, including in 2023. “
It is the truth.
It is reality.
»
Negotiations are underway with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but the outcome depends on a plan to restructure Sri Lankan debt with its creditors by August, said the Prime Minister.
"
We are now entering the negotiations as a bankrupt country
," he said.
“
Because of the state of bankruptcy in which our country finds itself, we must submit to them, separately, a plan on the viability of our debt.
Only when [the IMF] is satisfied with this plan can we reach an agreement.
»
Cooking over a wood fire due to the lack of gas
Despite negotiations with the IMF, the population no longer believes in it: “
People are exhausted, they are tired and don't know what to do.
People want a change of government
, launches Michael.
We no longer believe anyone, including the Prime Minister.
Protests continue across the country, but our hierarchy does not want to see anything.
»
Overwhelmed by the severe economic crisis and shortages in their once relatively wealthy country, Sri Lankans are now forced to cook with firewood.
Sri Lanka was once a middle-income country, with a GDP per capita comparable to that of the Philippines and a standard of living that neighboring India envied.
But
the Covid-19 pandemic
, which has brought tourism to a screeching halt, coupled with economic mismanagement and corruption, have plunged the country into its worst economic crisis since independence and depleted liquidity, cutting off most exports.
Gas is now either unavailable or too expensive for most 22 million people.
Some have tried to switch to kerosene stoves, but the government has run out of dollars to import them, nor gasoline or diesel, also hit by shortages.
►Also listen: Grand Reportage - Sri Lanka, a country on the brink but standing
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Sri Lanka
Economic crisis
Economy