What must happen after #GotaGoHome?
As the all-consuming desire of people to banish Rajapaksas from power hit fever pitch, let’s not underestimate the challenges such an event would bring to those unprepared to meet them. As events in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and others have shown, political uprisings don’t necessarily lead to a ‘happily-ever-after’ for its proponents. Especially when the underlying issues which led to the upheaval are too vast and complex for any one person or individual groups of people to surmount in the immediate aftermath. So while we relish the cathartic release of shouting expletives at the Rajapaksas or harbour fantasies about lynching them in public, we must prepare for the eventuality that our “GoHomeGota” and “GoHomeRajapaksas” aspirations might actually come to pass. Such a moment can be the make or break moment for Sri Lanka’s next chapter.
In order to prepare for this eventuality, members of all parties in Parliament (including members from within the government with a clearer conscience) must come together and form a National Government. This is not a time for partisan party politics — they’ll be time for that later. The sole objective now is to save Sri Lanka’s economy and preserve its democracy. I appreciate that nearly everyone in Parliament now is despised by the public, but calling for all of their heads on spikes or for fresh elections at this point to fill their seats is not the right move. Preventing anarchy or a military takeover should be the priority of anyone who wishes for a stable and sustainable future.
It is worth noting that the lack of brainpower which is endemic to the Rajapaksas or this Government is not indicative of all Sri Lankans. We have enough people with the right knowledge, skill-set, and experience to do what’s needed to get us out of this mess, but they cannot work in isolation. They also cannot work together without the underlying political infrastructure that underpins a functioning democracy. So a National Government with seasoned politicians must work together with world-class economists, policy-makers, and advisers—who should be brought into Parliament on a National list if required—and dedicate their combined expertise to fix our most immediate problems. And as much as it pains me to say this; Gota should remain, but as a figurehead President (20A should be immediately abolished) to oversee this process and prevent a power struggle which could ensue if he goes home too soon without fixing the problems he created.
And finally, transparency is key to appease the public. Similar to Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s nightly war-time addresses to his people, Gota (or someone easier on the ears from high up in the National Government) must address the general public on a daily basis and provide an update on the steps being taken to fix the economy and its effects. We the people know none of this is going to be easy or fixed overnight, but as long as we are treated with respect and made part of the process, we might not take to the streets to look for answers.
