We will get what we deserve.

Reflections on future Sri Lankan Elections

According to our Constitution, Sri Lanka must have a Presidential Election by October 2024, and a General Election by August 2025. The tawking classes are already debating who should be the next president.

Who should be the next president? Who should we vote for? What should we do?

Obedient Subjects

Amongst my friends, four types of opinions prevail.

• X is good. Therefore, I will vote for X.
• X is the least bad. So, I’ll probably vote for X.
• No one is good enough. I don’t know who to vote for.
• Everyone is bad. I will not vote.

By election day, most people in “No one is good enough” and even some in “Everyone is bad” will move to “X is the least bad.”, because we are like that. However terrible the candidate, we will turn up and vote for someone.

If you don’t believe me, look at the election turnout. In the past, only the threat of extreme violence or severe weather have prevented Sri Lankans from voting, never abysmal candidates.

Some claim, that this is because Sri Lankans are fundamentally civic minded and democratic. Personally, I take a more cynical view. Most of us vote because we’ve been told to vote. And we do as we are told. As we’ve done for thousands of years, mostly as obedient subjects of autocratic monarchies.

“The Aragalaya was a Bad Idea.”

Aragalaya (අරගලය) is an interesting Sinhala word, with various meanings from “a big noise” to “a struggle” to “a conflict”.

And of course, Sri Lanka’s Aragalaya is all of these. I’m not going to try and answer what the Aragalaya was for, or who the Aragalaya is, or what the Aragalaya ended up achieving.

That said, there is one thing everyone who was part of the Aragalaya agrees with: The status quo was deeply wrong. And we have to change this.

The most recent Aragalaya commanded unprecedented public support, and at one point over 50% of the population viewed it favorably. Most Sri Lankans still believe that “The Status quo is deeply wrong.” — but, paradoxically, the Aragalaya has lost the widespread support it had, or at least this support feels significantly muted.

The problem must be about “And we have to change this” bit. In other words, most of us are happy to bitch, but at the same time, there is something that holds us back from doing anything about it.

To me, it seems, that our inner “obedient subjects” continue to cancel any sense of better judgement we might have.

So, what to do?

The rest of this article is for anyone who thinks that “obedient subjects” doesn’t apply to them, or at least for anyone would like to dump that shackle and be free.

No one is forcing you into this opinion, if you want to be an obedient subject, then you are welcome to be so. But if so, please stop talking about how bad things are, because you are very much part of the problem. To quote an enthusiastic (former) supporter of the Aragalaya, “[Kindly] Shut up, and sit down”.

There is only one path forward. And that is to join the Aragalaya. And by that, I don’t mean join some far-left group, or throw stones at the police, or disfigure public property.

I mean, accept that “We have to change this.”.

Because no one else will.

Organize!

Change is all very well in theory. What does it mean in practice?

1. Education: It’s crucial to understand the political, economic, and social issues facing Sri Lanka. Education goes beyond formal settings; it involves engaging with a variety of news sources, attending public forums, and participating in discussions. This knowledge allows us to make more informed decisions and advocate for policies that align with our values. Even many, so called “educated” Sri Lankans are highly ignorant about what is going on. And too many, in true “subject” spirit, expect the same rogues who are duping them to enlighten them.
2. Beyond Elections: While voting is a critical aspect of democratic engagement, our involvement should not begin and end at the ballot box. How many of us have tried to engage with the people we vote for? And if there is no party or politician that is good enough for us, we should start our own and be our own.
3. Activism: We should join or support movements that align with our need for change. Activism can take many forms, including peaceful protests, online campaigns, or community organizing. We have a culture of turning up our nose at people who advocate (often on our behalf). We need to change this attitude.
4. Collaboration: One of the challenges of political engagement is overcoming polarization and finding common ground. We need to accept that in order to progress we need to team-up with some people with whom we don’t completely agree. The Aragalaya was a good example. If you want to criticize it; you can find a thousand flaws. But that was not the point. Politics isn’t about being perfect. It is about finding something that is good enough. And when things are terrible, good enough is good enough.
5. Integrity: We must be the change we want to see. This means practicing personal integrity and ethical behavior in our daily life, as well as supporting leaders who exemplify these qualities. Change often starts from the ground up, and personal actions can inspire others and set the stage for broader societal shifts.

If there is one word that summarizes all of the above it is: Organize!

I don’t like telling you what to do, and if this sounds like a pep-talk, my apologies. If it is a pep-talk, it is more one for myself. This is what I personally want to do, and if you’d like to do the same, please join in.

On the other hand, you are also free to disagree. You choose what path you want to take.

But there is one thing we can all agree on. Whatever we do, and whatever happens, We will get what we deserve.