By U.H. Hyder Ali –
U.H. Hyder Ali
For the past 76 years, Sri Lanka has grappled with pervasive corruption that has deeply entrenched itself within the political fabric of the nation. Successive regimes, particularly the United National Party (UNP), the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), and the Rajapaksa family, have been accused of mismanagement and theft, leading to the deterioration of the country’s assets and the suffering of its citizens.
The political landscape of Sri Lanka has largely been dominated by a few powerful families whose governance has often prioritized personal gain over national welfare. These regimes have systematically depleted the country’s resources, leaving Sri Lanka in a precarious economic position. Many citizens believe that the wealth generated by the country’s natural resources and public enterprises has been siphoned off, with assets being transferred to foreign lands.
The allegations of corruption have not gone unnoticed. Investigative journalism, including high-profile reports like the “Panama Papers” and other international inquiries, has shed light on the offshore dealings of Sri Lankan politicians and public figures. These revelations have painted a grim picture of a political class that has exploited its position for personal enrichment, while the general populace struggles with poverty and high living costs.
The “Panama Papers”, released in 2016, implicated numerous global figures in offshore financial dealings. Among the Sri Lankans mentioned were several politicians and public figures whose names raised eyebrows regarding financial transparency and ethics. While specific names can vary and should be verified from credible sources, it is known that some prominent figures were scrutinized for their financial practices and offshore accounts.
Despite the gravity of these revelations, successive governments have shown little interest in pursuing investigations into these allegations. This lack of accountability has fueled public disillusionment and anger, particularly among the youth, who are increasingly vocal about the need for justice and reform. The call for the recovery of stolen assets has become a rallying cry for many, as citizens seek to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake In this context, the election of Anura Dissanayake as the new president has sparked a glimmer of hope among the populace. His campaign focused on the recovery of stolen assets and the promise of accountability resonates strongly with the people, particularly the younger generation. After just one week in office, his actions and initiatives have instilled a renewed sense of hope in Sri Lankans, whether they voted for him or not. His leadership is seen as a crucial step toward restoring faith in governance.
The upcoming parliamentary elections will be pivotal, as the people have shown a strong desire for change. There is a growing expectation that two-thirds of the members of the last parliament will be sent home by the electorate, who are eager to exercise their democratic power against the corrupt politicians that have bankrupted the country. Sri Lankans are anxiously awaiting how they will utilize their voting power in the future, hoping to elect representatives who prioritize integrity and accountability.
The road to recovery for Sri Lanka will be challenging, but the collective desire for justice and accountability among the citizens is a powerful motivator. As the new administration embarks on this journey, many are asking whether the same corrupt politicians will regain power or if new, honest candidates will emerge to lead the country toward a brighter future.
The corruption that has plagued Sri Lanka for decades is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention and action. With the new leadership of Anura Dissanayake, there is hope that the stolen assets will be recovered, justice will be served, and the country can begin to heal from the wounds inflicted by years of mismanagement and greed. The people of Sri Lanka are looking forward to the upcoming elections, ready to make their voices heard and choose candidates who embody their aspirations for a fair and prosperous future.
*U.H. Hyder Ali -MA, Resource Development Consultant, Paris – France
RBH59 / October 1, 2024
Historical Overview Of Political Mismanagement, Gota with his military background, brings a management style focused on controlling, but critics argue it lacks the flexibility and inclusiveness needed for democratic governance. His approach often leans toward military control, which some view as a threat to democratic principles. Ranil, on the other hand, is known for his political maneuvering, often relying on parliamentary alliances and backroom deals rather than direct support from the public, leading to questions about his democratic legitimacy. Sajith represents a continuation of traditional political methods, rooted in the old guard, but he struggles to break away from the inefficiencies and stagnation of past leadership. Meanwhile, the NPP is still in its testing phase, with both its leadership and policies being evaluated for their ability to offer a real alternative to the established political order. What should people support for
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Raj-UK / October 1, 2024
Corruption in SL has always been associated with politicians but it was the Rajapakses & their cronies who took corruption to new heights, probably, inspired by CBK. While embezzlement, such as, openly syphoning tsunami donations to the private account of MR, as alleged, can be investigated, commissions & kickbacks will be difficult to trace, China is a master in hiding the money trail & other kickbacks, such as, from war procumbents & COVID blackmarket deals, will be difficult to prove. There has also been gross mismanagement of public funds but how much of it is criminal is another story. The Rajapakses & some of their cronies have already been ruled by the courts for mismanagement & incompetence but there has been no punishment. Has Sirisena compensated the Easter bomb victims? Naming & shaming is like water off a duck’s back for these criminals who have armour plated skins.
Cont
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leelagemalli / October 2, 2024
“Naming and shaming these criminals with armored skins is like water off a duck’s back”.
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order and not implementing new reforms to existing weak laws is associated with corrupt mindset.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcq5gDDynyc
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Unlike in Europe, they are afraid to introduce new laws promised on the stage. Sure it is not easy to materialize them in our developping country, but we have to start it one day. Like they waited long to introduce ” taxes” to all until lately.
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I think, biased YouTubers and Facebook supporters will further paint the picture in favor of pranksters, however, people will have to see the real picture that blurs their illusions before long. SRILANEKNS are easily swindled. It’s in their genes
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Raj-UK / October 3, 2024
leelagemalli
I was sceptical about AKD/NPP recovering all that loot & banging up the culprits but, in the absence of a credible alternative, I was prepared to endorse AKD just on his promises. However, had I been living in SL, my priorities would be different & AKD would not have been my choice.
Going after corrupt politicians & their cronies would be opening a can of worms & I wish AKD & the NPP the best in their endeavour but does the average SL voter actually care? It is the voters who elected all the undesirables over & over. Misguided loyalty & ‘nationalism’, hypocrisy or plain stupidity, as you say, it’s in the genes.
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Raj-UK / October 1, 2024
Cont
The Panama Papers would be a good starting point. There are mechanisms for a legitimate govt. to request recovery of laundered assets but funds ‘invested’ in African & Middle Eastern countries, China, Seychelles, are gone for ever, Ironically, ultimately, such money will be enjoyed by third parties & not the preparators, who will have no legitimate right for these stolen funds. I would be happy if even 50% of the assumed loot is recovered, otherwise, the cost of recovery maybe more than the recovery it self. At least, the Inland Revenue should be tasked with investigating the wealth of all recent politicians & their immediate families, as well as, that of civil servants.
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LankaScot / October 1, 2024
Hello Raj-UK,
You may or may not know that the Inland Revenue has a Department that deals with Foreign Entertainers and their Tax Affairs, As most of the Sri Lankan Politicians can be deemed as Foreign Entertainers, maybe the new Government should take a leaf out of the UK’s book and create a Department dedicated to investigating their source of Wealth and where their Funds are held. I know from Personal Experience how effective the British Inland Revenue was in keeping tabs on these “Showbiz” people and ensuring that they paid the appropriate taxes.
Remember it was the US IRS that took down Al Capone “AL Capone was convicted on 11 counts of income tax evasion because he did not pay taxes on his illegal income (bootlegging, gambling). The Internal Revenue Bureau (forerunner to the IRS) under agent Frank Wilson did most of the hard work that brought Capone to justice”.
Best regards
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Raj-UK / October 3, 2024
LankaScot
I don’t have much faith in the SL IRS. Many years ago, a store keeper I knew very, had a lucrative side business of buying obsolete stock from his employer for pennies & selling them at exorbitant prices when the demand arose. He finally quit his job & set up his own spare parts shop & did very well. Since he had a registered business, he had to open a tax account & his accountant put him in touch with a tax consultant, who happened to be employed by the IRS. To cut the story short, my friend paid his tax consultant Rs 300,000 but not a cent in tax to the IRS. That was in the late 80s & I hope the IRS has reformed since then.
As for Al Capones, there are lots of them in SL & new prisons will be needed to bang them all up. There may be no funds for new prisons, therefore, they could all be given an amnesty if they promise to return some of that loot voluntarily or maybe the govt. can appeal to all those dodgy businessmen to come clean & build their own prison in N’ Eliya or somewhere remote with their own guards as the then Colombian Govt did with Escobar.
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leelagemalli / October 2, 2024
AKD seems to be miles away from their magical promises.
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Petrol and diesel prices cut by Rs 20, despite promises of down upto Rs 100 per liter . remember?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcq5gDDynyc
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Under Mr. Wickramasinghe’s government, JVP demos continued, but everyone else remained the same.
I feel that now the AKD leading groups are gradually realizing that everything they preached is impractical when it comes to getting the job done.
So it’s been a week under the Barbarians, not all that surprising. And shows end up as stories based on lies. Foolish people who have been deceived will no doubt realize that soon.
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a14455 / October 3, 2024
CORRUPTION CORRUPTION is the call of our fools. In my unpopular opinion, this is the clarion call of the NGO’s foreign propagandists and the local fool. I can only tell from my first-hand experience and I don’t believe third hand nonsense that people quote,
I stand to be corrected. I hope the JVP finds the pot of gold in one of these families. I do wonder if there is no such pot of gold what money this new government and use to help the poor.
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