The management of the Covid-19 epidemic is turning into a health, economic and democratic disaster in Sri Lanka led by the Rajapaksa brothers, who have held all the levers of power for almost two years but whose popularity has eroded over the years. weeks. Gotabaya Rajapaksa holds the presidency and Mahinda, head of state between 2005 and 2015, is prime minister. Three other family members, brothers or sons, have been promoted in government, notably to the key finance ministry.
The island, with 21.9 million inhabitants, is one of the countries most affected by the virus. It has recorded in recent weeks an average of 3,300 cases per day, including 200 deaths, which officially brings the total to 459,459 infections since the start of the epidemic and nearly 10,000 deaths, a toll that is necessary, according to experts, multiply by two. The third epidemic wave began to hit the country in April, on the occasion of the New Year celebrations. People congregated in the markets, the public authorities did not react. In June, the first cases of the Delta variant were detected. Hospitals are now saturated and oxygen is lacking. India, which experienced such a crisis in April and May, sent 150 tons of oxygen.
Under fire from criticism from health professionals, the head of government blew a fuse on August 16 by sacking the Minister of Health, demoted to the Ministry of Transport. Pavithra Wanniarachchi had distinguished herself by encouraging the consumption of a ” Magic potion “ prepared by a wizard that she herself had swallowed and then poured water ” blessed “ in a river on the advice of a guru in order to end the pandemic, which did not prevent her from contracting the virus and being hospitalized in intensive care.
A debt of $ 3.7 billion
For the sake of preserving a dying economy, the Sri Lankan president refused to impose constraints. It was not until August 20 that a night curfew was imposed. ” A joke “, according to the president of the College of Medical Laboratory Science, Ravi Kumudesh, who points out that garment factories or construction sites have remained open without their workers being tested. Doctors and the opposition urge the government to decree real containment of the population.
Economically, the country is bloodless. The island, which attracted more than two million visitors a year, has seen tourism plummet, first with the bloody attacks of 2019 on Easter Day against Christian churches and hotels, and then with the pandemic. GDP shrank 3.6% in 2020. Foreign exchange reserves collapsed from $ 7.5 billion in November 2019 to $ 2.8 billion at the end of July. The rupee, on the other hand, has lost 20% of its value against the US dollar. The country is no longer able to repay its colossal foreign debts, especially that contracted with the Chinese on whom Sri Lanka is increasingly dependent. It must repay an external debt of 3.7 billion dollars this year. The opposition called on the government to seek IMF support, but the president refused.
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