Ranil became President after Gotabhaya resigned, and when IMF representatives visited Sri Lanka, the people thought they had received Manna from heaven. Everyone in Sri Lanka believed that the IMF was the country’s saviour. The people of Sri Lanka, regardless of political party or colour, accepted the IMF. However, when IMF delegates arrived in Sri Lanka today, despite the fact that the Colombo elites accepted the IMF, the people of the country viewed them with fear and suspicion. This is demonstrated by some opinion poll results as well. This is due to two reasons. The first is that the government does not have a programme to educate the public about IMF conditions which they do not like. The second is an attempt by the President to claim IMF facility is his victory.
When Ranil became president; he was a leader who could not even win a parliamentary seat and whose popularity had declined in Sri Lanka. The majority of people in this country who supported the ‘Aragalaya ’ did not approve Ranil becoming the President. They were all hoping for a snap election. The IMF came to Sri Lanka immediately after Ranil became president and said to implement the IMF programme the government needs a mandate. But the IMF Later changed this policy. Ranil in his attempt to show IMF relief as his victory lit firecrackers in the party headquarters.
Ranil is not a popular leader. The Norwegian peace effort started by Ranil in 2002 caused a lot of opposition in the country because Ranil led it. When the Norwegian peace effort started, the people of Sri Lanka supported it. But Ranil did not implement a program to gather people around that peace effort. The opposition took advantage of this. That’s what happened today to the IMF programme. Ranil was the prime minister who was in power with a popular mandate when the peace effort started. But Ranil, who is the president today, by the will of the Rajapaksas. Because of this, the opposition to Ranil has turned towards the IMF.
This writer wrote, in this column, Ranil by trying to show IMF as his victory, the IMF would become unpopular, and China could raise its head below is a section of that piece of writing.
‘The looming danger here is whether Ranil will make room for the crestfallen Chinese dragon to raise its head once more. Because present IMF Ranil deal is an ideal opportunity for the pro-Chinese communal forces to raise their head once again’.
My Serendib
20.03.2023
That is what is happening today. Recently, former Central Bank Governor Ajit Nivard Cabral appeared before the Special Parliamentary Select Committee investigating reasons for the country’s bankruptcy and said that declaring bankruptcy is a wrong move. He said that he negotiated with another country to find money to avoid bankruptcy. He meant ‘China’ one and only present UNP MP Vajira Abeyawardena also acknowledged this view in the select committee. Cabral’s story is gaining recognition among the people of Sri Lanka. This happened due to the manner Ranil executed the IMF deal. Finally, the opposition, which tried to support IMF, has also fallen into trouble. For this, the blame should be placed on IMF, for entering into an agreement with Ranil, who has no public mandate.
