ECONOMYNEXT – The Rajapaksas have their share of responsibility for Sri Lanka’s financial crisis but his critics in the now-divided opposition who shirked their responsibility also played a part in the collapse of the country’s political system, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said insisting that he’s not a “surrogate” for the powerful dynasty.
In an interview with India’s Firstpost, Wickremesinghe told journalist Palki Sharma on Wednesday November 22 that both the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) are now split.
Asked if he agrees with a recent Supreme Court verdict that held former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, then Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and a number of officials of that government responsible for Sri Lanka’s worst financial crisis in decades, Wickremesinghe said: “Well, that is what the court has said.”
Pressed by Sharma, Wickremesinghe stopped short of concurring with the verdict but said “The crisis took place during their time” and added later on in the interview that the Rajapaksas have “their share of responsibility”.
Wickremesinghe also defended his controversial participation in a birthday celebration organised for former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa last week, claiming that the two have always wished each other for their birthday and, this time, he had merely accepted an invitation by Rajapaksa’s son Namal, who incidentally abstained from voting for Wickremesinghe’s 2024 budget. Wickremesinghe said he would accept an invitation to any parliamentarian’s birthday celebration if he could find the time.
The president also criticised the opposition for “ducking” from their responsibility to take over following the resignation of Prime Minister Rajapaksa in May 2022 and again in July following the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The whole political system had collapsed as a result, he claimed.
“So the whole politics of this country has been topsy-turvy. There were a lot of irresponsible actions by everyone. So I think you have to look into all that, not merely one part of it,” he said.
“So you’re saying the Rajapaksas alone are not to blame?”
“The Rajapaksas have their share of responsibility.”
Sri Lanka had been used to a system of “slogans” designed to make the people happy and no one was prepared to make the “hard decisions”, Wickremesinghe said explaining his decision to take over.
“So if you look into that, the record is not good for anyone. As far as President Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa are concerned, they were there at that time. But it was a process that had started. Let’s say that they left office, what would’ve happened if the opposition was not willing to take over and I was not there?”
“I’m not defending the Rajapaksas. I’m saying Rajapaksas are responsible, but then [there was] no one to take responsibility thereafter. The critics are the ones who ran away,” he said.
Asked if he feels pressure from the SLPP, the president said: “Sometimes they have their requirements. They come along. Other times they won’t. It’s sort of not a normal parliament.”
Insisting that he’s not a surrogate for the Rajapaksa family, Wickremesinghe said the SLPP, the party controlled by them, is now split.
“One half is working with the SJB. The other half is with me. If you ask me if the whole of the Rajapaksas’ party is supporting me, no. And if you ask me if the whole of the SJB is supporting [opposition leader] Sajith Premadasa? No. All parties are split,” he said.
“I just asked people to get together, to pull the country out. And I got this majority. If I didn’t have the numbers, what would’ve happened?” (Colombo/Nov23/2023)