Government mismanagement exacerbated the financial difficulties caused by “Covid-19”
Hunger surrounds the poor in Sri Lanka as prices rise
People gather in front of the immigration department to get passports to leave.
AFP
Poverty increases the hardships of life for a large segment of Sri Lankans.
AFP
Theodore Rajapakse teaches citizens how to produce fast-growing vegetables in confined spaces near where they live.
AFP
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Like many Sri Lankans, Milton Pereira, who looks very skinny, does not have the means to buy enough food at a time when the country is experiencing the worst economic crisis in its history.
The hyperinflation that led to a wave of demonstrations that resulted in the fall of the country's president last week, is causing a decline in the purchasing power of Sri Lankans, who are buying less, eating less and working less.
living is hard
"Living is very difficult, even an expensive piece of bread," Pereira told AFP in front of his modest home in the poor pocket of Slave Island in the capital, Colombo.
"We are unable to provide all the daily meals," adds the 74-year-old, whose family includes six children.
Since we lack money, we sometimes serve fish to the children, and the adults are satisfied with the sauce.”
Critics of the authorities assert that the government's mismanagement has exacerbated the financial difficulties caused by the "Covid-19" pandemic.
the most terrible thing
BJ confirms.
Rajitkumar, Pereira's son, an electrician who has been out of work for months: "This steady rise in prices is the worst thing I've experienced in my life."
"Food prices are rising daily," he added.
The rise in food prices in Sri Lanka in June was 80.1 percent over a year, according to official figures.
According to the World Food Program, about five million people, or 22% of the population, need food assistance, while five out of every six families do not eat the full daily meals, eat less, or buy items of lower quality.
The main wholesale vegetable market in New Manning, Colombo, witnessed a movement on Sunday, with buyers, traders and porters flocking to it.
However, traders confirm that the movement has more than halved since March.
"The prices of everything have more than doubled," said M. Mofeed, a merchant, stressing that his sales fell by 70%.
"Some of the unsold vegetables are thrown away, and many poor people come to pick them up after the market closes," he says.
However, potatoes, onions and garlic are still imported from India, Pakistan and China, says Ashley Jennicus, an import and export agent.
"Supply supplies are not a problem, but with the absence of fuel, things become more difficult and more expensive," says the trader Jiva.
Some people walk long distances to come to the market in the early morning and buy small quantities of vegetables at wholesale prices for cooking.
no choice
"I have no choice but to walk 10 kilometers, because the food here is cheaper than the shops near my house," explains Hozi, 50.
At the seat of the protest movement that led to the downfall of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former civil servant Theodore Rajapaksa shows citizens how to produce fast-growing vegetables in the confines of their homes.
“The country is facing difficulties,” he says, adding that he has taught these agricultural techniques to about 3,000 protesters since he joined the demonstrations.
However, the prospect of immediate improvement is narrow, while the outgoing president's potential successor, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, is loathed by protesters who see him as an ally of Rajapaksa.
On Slave Island, Pereira has little hope. "Gotha is gone, but there is no candidate to get us out of this terrible situation," he says.
Some people walk long distances to come to the market in the early morning and buy small quantities of vegetables at wholesale prices for cooking.
The hyperinflation that led to a wave of demonstrations that led to the downfall of the Sri Lankan president last week, is causing a decline in the purchasing power of Sri Lankans who are buying less, eating less and working less.
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