https://www.scmp.com/rss/512273/feed Dimuthu Attanayake is an independent journalist and a researcher from Sri Lanka, covering business, tech, social issues, and environment. She was one of the 12 international journalists shortlisted for Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist Award in 2018. Previously, she worked as a big data researcher for LIRNEasia, and has also served as a Business Adviser for an Australian aid programme. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Dimuthu Attanayake Dimuthu Attanayake Aggressive pricing, shrewd tax engineering and a trusted local partner have propelled China’s BYD to a commanding position in Sri Lanka’s electric vehicle and hybrid market, disrupting a sector long constrained by import restrictions and setting the stage for dramatic expansion. Sri Lanka’s car market, starved of new imports for nearly five years under a sweeping ban imposed in the lead up to the economic crisis of 2022 to stabilise foreign reserves, reopened in February as the government lifted... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3319625/how-chinas-big-winner-byd-conquered-sri-lankas-high-tariff-car-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3319625/how-chinas-big-winner-byd-conquered-sri-lankas-high-tariff-car-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Jul 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Dimuthu Attanayake Dimuthu Attanayake A long-delayed free-trade agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and China appears to be back on the agenda, even as analysts warn that the crisis-hit South Asian nation is not expected to benefit much from it for years after its implementation. Sri Lanka’s officials are cautiously optimistic the FTA could help narrow the country’s huge trade deficit with China. First proposed in 2014, talks between both sides for an FTA have been on hold after 2018 because Sri Lanka did not agree to some of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3313264/will-sri-lanka-and-china-push-fta-or-just-engage-economic-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3313264/will-sri-lanka-and-china-push-fta-or-just-engage-economic-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jun 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Dimuthu Attanayake Dimuthu Attanayake On a Monday morning that began like any other, Nandani*, a machine operator at the Next Manufacturing factory in Sri Lanka’s Katunayake Free Trade Zone, was unexpectedly asked to go home early. Later that day, the news came – not in a meeting or an official letter, but via WhatsApp. The factory was shutting down. Permanently. “I am 49 years old. My livelihood suddenly ended. I don’t know what to do,” said Nandani, who had worked for 19 years at the Next factory. Like Nandani, more than 1,400 of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3312428/sri-lanka-workers-limbo-after-uk-garment-factory-abruptly-shuts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3312428/sri-lanka-workers-limbo-after-uk-garment-factory-abruptly-shuts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 06:17:13 +0000 Dimuthu Attanayake Dimuthu Attanayake Sri Lanka’s long-standing policy of non-alignment is facing renewed scrutiny, as deepening ties with India strain its neutrality amid rising tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad. Analysts say Colombo’s recent tilt towards India in the security realm – most notably through a formal defence pact – risks unsettling its delicate balancing act, particularly as it continues to rely heavily on Chinese investment. India and Sri Lanka signed a landmark defence cooperation agreement on April 5 during... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3311416/sri-lankas-neutrality-strained-india-pakistan-tensions-rise-after-kashmir-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3311416/sri-lankas-neutrality-strained-india-pakistan-tensions-rise-after-kashmir-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 11:54:22 +0000 The maiden budget from Sri Lanka’s recently elected leftist government highlights expanded trade pacts and foreign investment as vital pillars of recovery from the island’s debilitating economic crisis – an approach analysts have described as surprising but strategically pragmatic. Drafted in line with the conditions attached to the US$2.9 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) package negotiated after the country’s 2022 sovereign debt default and subsequent economic crisis, the budget... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3301539/crisis-comeback-sri-lankas-new-budget-bets-big-trade-and-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3301539/crisis-comeback-sri-lankas-new-budget-bets-big-trade-and-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Mar 2025 11:00:38 +0000 Sri Lanka’s nationwide blackout this month has raised concerns about the country’s ability to integrate renewable energy into its power grid, exposing vulnerabilities that experts say could deepen as climate conditions strain hydropower and investment in energy infrastructure stalls. Sri Lanka experienced the mass outage on February 9 when a sub-power station was disrupted by the electrocution of a monkey. The Ceylon Electricity Board said the resulting nationwide failure stemmed from an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3299646/does-sri-lanka-have-energy-crisis-blackout-exposes-weaknesses-facing-islands-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3299646/does-sri-lanka-have-energy-crisis-blackout-exposes-weaknesses-facing-islands-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:30:12 +0000 For a week, seven-year-old Nathushika suffered from diarrhoea, vomiting, and a high fever. Her mother, Easwary, was baffled by her daughter’s sudden illness, as no one else in the household was sick and Nathushika had not eaten any outside food. At the time, Easwary did not realise that her daughter, like many others in their flood-stricken community, had unknowingly been exposed to a waterborne disease. It was the monsoon season in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka, where Nathushika and her... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3294310/sri-lankas-children-suffer-amid-climate-change-fuelled-floods-and-disease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3294310/sri-lankas-children-suffer-amid-climate-change-fuelled-floods-and-disease?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Sri Lanka’s new leftist government, which won a landslide election earlier this month by promising to ease an austerity regime imposed by an IMF bailout, risks upsetting voters early into its term by following an unpopular debt repayment plan set by former president Ranil Wickremesinghe. The National People’s Power (NPP), a coalition of left-wing parties, gained support amid frustration with Sri Lanka’s debilitating economic crisis and the spending cuts required by the US$2.9 billion... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3288747/dissanayakes-sri-lankan-government-scratches-imf-revamp-sparking-doubts-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3288747/dissanayakes-sri-lankan-government-scratches-imf-revamp-sparking-doubts-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:22:21 +0000 A notable number of women are contesting Sri Lanka’s general elections on Thursday, signalling a potential shift in the nation’s male-dominated political landscape, but analysts warn that simply having more female candidates is not enough to transform the country’s leadership culture. The rise in female candidates come as Sri Lankans prepare to elect the first parliament under the country’s inaugural leftist government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the National People’s Power... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3286442/sri-lankas-election-sees-surge-female-candidates-can-it-break-patriarchal-norms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3286442/sri-lankas-election-sees-surge-female-candidates-can-it-break-patriarchal-norms?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 13:16:40 +0000 As Sri Lanka heads into a snap general election next month, the spotlight is on its newly appointed president who is aiming to secure a parliamentary majority to push through crucial reforms and deliver on his promises to the people. The country last month marked a historic political change by electing into office its first president from a socialist background – leader of the leftist National People’s Power (NPP) Anura Kumara Dissanayake. While Dissanayake did not secure a simple majority... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3282810/sri-lankas-dissanayake-seeks-strong-win-election-advance-crucial-reforms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3282810/sri-lankas-dissanayake-seeks-strong-win-election-advance-crucial-reforms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 04:00:11 +0000 Sri Lanka’s historic election of its first socialist president has sparked guarded optimism and doubts among analysts about his capacity to renegotiate the terms of the International Monetary Fund’s loans to the heavily indebted country. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the leftist National People’s Power (NPP) coalition, was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s ninth president on Monday after securing 42.3 per cent of the votes in Saturday’s presidential election. “I am not a conjuror, I am not a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3279775/sri-lankas-new-president-sparks-optimism-even-doubts-over-imf-loan-revamp-persist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3279775/sri-lankas-new-president-sparks-optimism-even-doubts-over-imf-loan-revamp-persist?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:38:25 +0000 As Sri Lanka approaches its first presidential election since a devastating economic crisis, close to 80 per cent of the population is poised to cast their votes in what is shaping up to be a three-horse race. The election, set for September 21, comes on the heels of severe shortages of essentials and skyrocketing food prices that have left the island reeling. Observers say that the policies of the incoming leader will be crucial in steering the South Asian nation’s economic recovery and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3278444/sri-lankas-3-way-presidential-race-economy-and-minority-rights-take-centre-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3278444/sri-lankas-3-way-presidential-race-economy-and-minority-rights-take-centre-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Sep 2024 07:00:08 +0000 As candidates in Sri Lanka prepare for next month’s pivotal presidential election, analysts warn its future relations with India and China will hinge on the winner’s policies. The race is on, with a diverse field of 39 candidates vying to lead the island nation out of its worst economic crisis in decades. It’s the country’s first presidential elections since the turmoil of 2022, which saw the once-dominant Rajapaksa political dynasty tumble from power amid mass protests and a crippling financial... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3274831/china-or-india-sri-lankas-presidential-election-becomes-battleground-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3274831/china-or-india-sri-lankas-presidential-election-becomes-battleground-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:21 +0000 As Sri Lanka gears up for its first presidential election since the crippling 2022 economic crisis, the once-powerful Rajapaksa family has announced a political heir in a move seen by observers as its comeback bid. This week, the Sri Lanka People’s Front (SLPP) led by the Rajapaksa clan unveiled Namal Rajapaksa, the 38-year-old son of popular war-time leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, as the presidential candidate for the election on September 21. Analysts say a “herculean task” lies ahead for the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3273985/sri-lankas-rajapaksa-clan-eyes-comeback-presidential-election-faces-herculean-task?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3273985/sri-lankas-rajapaksa-clan-eyes-comeback-presidential-election-faces-herculean-task?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Aug 2024 22:00:21 +0000 Eyeing a potential cobalt windfall on Sri Lanka’s sea floor, New Delhi is seeking to deepen ties with its island neighbour. Experts see the Indian foreign minister’s recent visit to Colombo and the emphasis on maritime support as a calculated play for dominance in the strategically vital Indian Ocean region. In late June, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar chose Sri Lanka as the destination for his first bilateral trip since his party’s re-election. Much publicity was given to him... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3269395/indias-neighbourhood-anxieties-fuel-pursuit-sri-lankas-untapped-seabed-cobalt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3269395/indias-neighbourhood-anxieties-fuel-pursuit-sri-lankas-untapped-seabed-cobalt?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:14 +0000 Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced much awaited agreements on debt restructuring with bilateral creditors, but many analysts see his politically charged speech as more of an effort to boost his standing before the coming elections rather than an accurate portrayal of the country’s still dire economic situation. Wickremesinghe announced the conclusion of a final agreement on debt restructuring with Sri Lanka’s main bilateral creditors, including Japan and India, marking the end of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3268343/sri-lanka-presidents-debt-deal-speech-raises-doubts-real-relief-or-election-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3268343/sri-lanka-presidents-debt-deal-speech-raises-doubts-real-relief-or-election-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2024 13:49:29 +0000 In May 2009, Leeladevi Ananda Nadaraja’s 34-year-old son surrendered to the Sri Lankan army at a military checkpoint after being conscripted by a separatist militant group fighting for a homeland for the country’s Tamil minority. That was the last 72-year-old has heard from her son. She has spent the last 15 years searching for him, weeping, protesting, and demanding justice. Nadaraja’s son was among the tens of thousands of Tamils who went missing in 2008 and 2009 during the last phase of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3264148/we-want-our-children-back-sri-lankan-families-still-demanding-justice-their-missing-loved-ones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3264148/we-want-our-children-back-sri-lankan-families-still-demanding-justice-their-missing-loved-ones?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 May 2024 10:00:13 +0000 India is set to wield greater influence in Sri Lanka as its companies flock to sign deals with the heavily indebted island nation in sectors ranging from energy to maritime logistics, even as some analysts question their commercial viability. Among the recent high-profile deals involving Indian companies was a 20-year power purchase agreement with Adani Green Energy, a subsidiary of India’s Adani Group, announced by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe earlier this month. Adani Green is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3263152/india-sees-chance-make-sri-lanka-virtual-province-amid-its-rivalry-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3263152/india-sees-chance-make-sri-lanka-virtual-province-amid-its-rivalry-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 May 2024 04:00:35 +0000 Sri Lankan Jeewani Bandara had moved to Kuwait to work as a domestic helper as her country’s economic situation deteriorated, but the 45-year-old returned home last year after an accident left her unemployed. In a village near Talawa town in north-central Sri Lanka, Bandara currently survives with a minimal income she earns from selling groceries at a makeshift shop from her home. She has not yet been included under Aswesuma, a new social welfare programme introduced last year to provide better... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3256654/sri-lankans-struggle-basic-needs-and-imf-measures-even-economy-recovering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3256654/sri-lankans-struggle-basic-needs-and-imf-measures-even-economy-recovering?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2024 11:00:16 +0000 Sri Lanka’s vital location in the Indian Ocean and Japan’s rivalry with China over Indo-Pacific influence are strong incentives for Tokyo to mend bilateral relations with Colombo strained by the cancellation of a major infrastructure project, experts have said. “Japan’s prime minister, foreign minister and finance minister have reached out to Sri Lanka in a consistent manner in recent months,” said George I.H. Cooke, a historian and academic who formerly worked for Sri Lanka’s diplomatic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3254971/ball-sri-lankas-court-japan-seeks-deepen-ties-bid-counter-chinas-indo-pacific-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3254971/ball-sri-lankas-court-japan-seeks-deepen-ties-bid-counter-chinas-indo-pacific-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 11:30:09 +0000 Sri Lanka’s recent free trade agreement (FTA) with Thailand is only the country’s second with the Asean bloc, but experts see it as a significant part of the crisis-stricken nation’s longer-term plans to broaden its trade partnerships and strengthen its economy. Signed in Colombo by Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in early February, the FTA offers both immediate and phased-out tariff concessions over a 15-year period. Under the deal, Thailand... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3254001/sri-lankas-deal-thailand-could-open-doors-greater-trade-boost-debt-stricken-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3254001/sri-lankas-deal-thailand-could-open-doors-greater-trade-boost-debt-stricken-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Mar 2024 04:00:09 +0000 India last week welcomed the leader of an ascendant Sri Lankan communist coalition for an official visit, in a sign New Delhi wants to strengthen ties with a political force that’s poised to win control of the island nation’s government – but is more naturally aligned with China. Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist-Leninist party whose name means the “People’s Liberation Front” and which has led armed uprisings against Sri Lanka’s government in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3251749/sri-lanka-india-embraces-resurgent-old-foe-keep-china-bay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3251749/sri-lanka-india-embraces-resurgent-old-foe-keep-china-bay?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Feb 2024 09:00:16 +0000 This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. Shiroma Sandamali, 36, used to run when she knew debt collectors were coming. Then she would hide, sometimes inside a house, sometimes in a woody patch of her village. “Even when I was heavy with my daughter, I used to hide for so many hours. She was born underweight. After the child was born, I could not even peacefully breastfeed her. I was busy avoiding loan collectors or somehow trying to find the money [to pay them back],” she told This Week... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3251582/sri-lanka-climate-change-traps-women-farmers-exploitative-cycle-economic-violence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3251582/sri-lanka-climate-change-traps-women-farmers-exploitative-cycle-economic-violence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Feb 2024 06:00:18 +0000 The controversial passage of an amended bill in Sri Lanka to regulate online content has raised alarm that the legislation could be weaponised to target people critical of the government in the lead-up to a coming election and beyond. First proposed in September last year, the Online Safety Bill that was passed by the Sri Lankan parliament on Wednesday has drawn criticism from human rights groups and tech giants, who fear its rushed implementation will stifle freedom of expression. Before the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3249950/sri-lankas-chilling-online-content-law-lambasted-tool-silence-government-critics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3249950/sri-lankas-chilling-online-content-law-lambasted-tool-silence-government-critics?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:00:17 +0000 Isuru Alagiyawanna, 32, arrived in Yemen just six months ago in search of a better life away from the debilitating economic crisis of his native Sri Lanka. But as Colombo plans to join the US-led operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, he fears “being caught in the crossfire”. Early this month, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that the country had decided to send a navy vessel to join the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian, aimed at securing commercial shipping... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3248829/sri-lankans-yemen-fear-being-caught-crossfire-colombo-plans-join-us-led-attacks-houthis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3248829/sri-lankans-yemen-fear-being-caught-crossfire-colombo-plans-join-us-led-attacks-houthis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jan 2024 01:00:25 +0000 For years, several China-linked projects in Sri Lanka have come under fire for being “white elephants” that have failed to contribute significantly to its economy, but a free-trade agreement between both countries, policy revamp and more involvement by joint ventures could turn the tide, analysts say. Among the underperforming projects are the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), built with US$191 million financing from the Exim Bank of China; Hambantota International Port (HIP) built... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3241918/china-backed-white-elephant-projects-sri-lanka-dent-investor-confidence-amid-calls-policy-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3241918/china-backed-white-elephant-projects-sri-lanka-dent-investor-confidence-amid-calls-policy-revamp?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:30:27 +0000 The Sri Lankan Supreme Court’s decision this week to hold key figures from the country’s ousted regime, including the former president and his brothers, responsible for the country’s financial crisis, marked a pivotal moment in the nation’s pursuit of justice and economic recovery, but legal experts and activists say further action, including criminal proceedings, are still needed for the country to move forward. On Tuesday, Sri Lanka’s highest court ruled that former president Gotabaya... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3241814/sri-lanka-faces-heat-hold-ousted-politicians-account-after-court-ruling-fight-economic-justice-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3241814/sri-lanka-faces-heat-hold-ousted-politicians-account-after-court-ruling-fight-economic-justice-not?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:24:03 +0000 Rajitha Wickramasinghe, 33, was living a comfortable life as a product development and innovation engineer, but as Sri Lanka reels from bankruptcy, he is among a growing number of professionals looking to emigrate. Disposable incomes of professionals like Wickramasinghe shrivelled as Sri Lanka was thrust into a deep economic crisis last year, crippling the country with severe shortages of essentials such as medicine and fuel. The crisis triggered a regime change amid mass protests as the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3237117/sri-lanka-taxed-austerity-measures-walks-tightrope-between-imf-demands-and-rebuilding-society?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3237117/sri-lanka-taxed-austerity-measures-walks-tightrope-between-imf-demands-and-rebuilding-society?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Oct 2023 06:00:26 +0000 Sri Lanka and India have cemented their long-standing ties with a rush of energy and maritime deals amid a push by New Delhi for more strategic influence in the region to counter China’s rising clout – even as analysts warn Colombo against becoming overreliant on its larger neighbour. Both South Asian nations agreed to boost maritime, air, energy and power cooperation, among other areas, during Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3229657/india-eyes-chinas-triangle-death-race-influence-sri-lanka-energy-maritime-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3229657/india-eyes-chinas-triangle-death-race-influence-sri-lanka-energy-maritime-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Aug 2023 01:30:14 +0000 President Ranil Wickremesinghe must be careful to protect Sri Lanka’s security interests in talks with India, experts have warned, as an ongoing debt-restructuring programme casts a “new complexion” on his first official visit to New Delhi. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry last week said officials would discuss renewable energy projects, a potential oil refinery, an energy hub and a port in eastern Trincomalee, adding that talks on an undersea cable between the countries could also be... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3227929/sri-lanka-urged-not-let-debt-india-take-different-complexion-energy-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3227929/sri-lanka-urged-not-let-debt-india-take-different-complexion-energy-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jul 2023 04:00:09 +0000 As cash-strapped Sri Lanka begins its long-awaited domestic-debt restructuring process this week, local experts have voiced optimism that the plan will enhance a reform road map agreed upon with the International Monetary Fund earlier this year. Nandalal Weerasinghe, the country’s central bank chief, announced on Sunday that the process would get under way over the coming five-day bank holiday weekend – extended with a special additional holiday on Friday recently announced in the government... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3225461/sri-lanka-takes-5-day-holiday-manage-economic-shocks-domestic-debt-restructuring-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3225461/sri-lanka-takes-5-day-holiday-manage-economic-shocks-domestic-debt-restructuring-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jun 2023 04:00:11 +0000 Sri Lanka’s garment sector made up almost half its export revenue last year, after remaining resilient even through the pandemic and the country’s debilitating economic crisis. But shocks in the international market have led to a plunge in demand, prompting factories to lay off hundreds of employees. For one such worker, who wished to be known as Sunil, the loss of income came as a blow but he felt his youth was an advantage in the job hunt. For senior workers, especially older women, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3220304/sri-lanka-garment-workers-face-job-losses-factories-lose-bangladesh-amid-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3220304/sri-lanka-garment-workers-face-job-losses-factories-lose-bangladesh-amid-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 May 2023 06:00:22 +0000 Almost four years ago, Rupika Rosairo’s two daughters left the family home near Colombo in their Sunday best to attend Easter mass with their grandmother. But that evening, her 13-year-old younger daughter returned home in a coffin. Rosairo’s children were victims of Sri Lanka’s Easter bombings that killed more than 260 people and injured some 400, after eight local Islamist militants blew up three churches and hotels in a coordinated terrorist attack. Evidence later came to light that the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3216323/sri-lanka-must-find-out-truth-2019-easter-blasts-say-survivors-and-families-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3216323/sri-lanka-must-find-out-truth-2019-easter-blasts-say-survivors-and-families-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Apr 2023 03:00:24 +0000 The long-awaited IMF financing will not “drastically change the trajectory of things” for Sri Lankans struggling with rising costs of living, but it could provide a much-needed confidence boost that the country’s economic recovery is on the right track, experts have said. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected to give final approval later this month for its US$2.9 billion, four-year bailout package after Sri Lanka had secured financing assurances from China, India and all its major... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3212877/imfs-us29-billion-bailout-endorsement-sri-lankas-economic-recovery-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3212877/imfs-us29-billion-bailout-endorsement-sri-lankas-economic-recovery-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Mar 2023 04:00:19 +0000 Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s seeming reluctance to hold a local election that would have offered clues about his popularity levels has raised questions among the public and observers about the administration’s commitment to democratic norms. The government had initially indefinitely postponed the March 9 poll to elect some 8,711 members of municipal councils, urban councils and divisional councils, claiming it did not have the 10 billion Sri Lankan rupees (US$30 million) required... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3212555/sri-lankas-fragile-government-faces-scrutiny-over-attempt-delay-local-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3212555/sri-lankas-fragile-government-faces-scrutiny-over-attempt-delay-local-election?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Mar 2023 04:00:13 +0000 Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s plan to “fully” implement a long outstanding constitutional amendment, transferring more power to provincial authorities, has left critics sceptical amid widespread instability. While some politicians and analysts said the move could benefit the country, they have questioned Wickremesinghe’s motive in raising the issue as Sri Lanka’s political and economic turmoil continues, with millions living in dire straits amid soaring living costs. Professor... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3211331/will-sri-lankas-bid-devolve-power-provinces-provoke-extremist-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3211331/will-sri-lankas-bid-devolve-power-provinces-provoke-extremist-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Feb 2023 01:53:28 +0000 Sri Lanka has announced plans to halve its military by 2030 as part of efforts to cut costs in light of the country’s current financial crisis, a move experts say could result in better long-term security “if done the right way”. State minister of defence Premitha Bandara Thennakoon said the proposals to help downsize the army post-war would reduce the number of approved military personnel from 200,783 to 135,000 by 2024, and projected to be further reduced to 100,000 by 2030. The army was also... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3207794/downsizing-sri-lanka-army-could-mean-better-long-term-security-if-done-right-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3207794/downsizing-sri-lanka-army-could-mean-better-long-term-security-if-done-right-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jan 2023 12:02:33 +0000 From the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, Rohingya activist Mohammed Rezuwan Khan watched for weeks in hope and dread as the fishing boats carrying his sister and niece drifted south without sufficient food, water or safe harbour, but targeting a fresh start thousands of kilometres away. Their boat was one of at least five to set out in late November, Khan said, in information backed up by the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Each boat met a different end,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3205108/left-die-fates-5-rohingya-boats-across-asia-spotlight-enduring-crisis-stateless-muslim-minority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3205108/left-die-fates-5-rohingya-boats-across-asia-spotlight-enduring-crisis-stateless-muslim-minority?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:22 +0000 Bankrupt Sri Lanka’s 22 million people, already battling rampant food inflation and severe fuel and medicine shortages, are set for yet more misery as progress falters on a US$2.9 billion International Monetary Fund bailout. Colombo reached an agreement with the IMF in September, subject to conditions such as tax reforms and changes to the way electricity is priced, to inject life back into an economy suffering its worst-ever crisis since independence and reeling from this year’s historic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3204148/struggling-sri-lanka-waits-china-unlock-its-us29-billion-imf-bailout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3204148/struggling-sri-lanka-waits-china-unlock-its-us29-billion-imf-bailout?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Dec 2022 09:30:16 +0000 Eighteen months after the X-Press Pearl environmental disaster, Sri Lanka has filed charges against the ship’s crew, but the government stands accused of being opaque on the true extent of the unprecedented tragedy, being too slow in suing for compensation, and not demanding enough of it. The Singapore-registered vessel, carrying hazardous chemicals and plastic pellets, caught fire off Sri Lanka’s west coast in May last year, apparently because of a nitric acid leak. All 25 crew were evacuated,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3202249/sri-lanka-waits-x-press-pearl-disaster-answers-and-compensation-18-months-after-singapore-registered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3202249/sri-lanka-waits-x-press-pearl-disaster-answers-and-compensation-18-months-after-singapore-registered?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Dec 2022 00:30:24 +0000 Sri Lanka’s recently appointed president may have presented his first full budget to parliament, weeks after a vital agreement with the International Monetary Fund was arranged, but Ranil Wickremesinghe’s “open economic system of social protection” strategy is not enough, experts say, to overcome the fiscal crisis still battering his country’s people. In line with IMF conditions laid out for the nation to secure US$2.9 billion in financing, the budget proposes various measures including income... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3200181/sri-lankas-new-budget-had-be-imf-friendly-it-friendly-enough-nations-beleaguered-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3200181/sri-lankas-new-budget-had-be-imf-friendly-it-friendly-enough-nations-beleaguered-citizens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Nov 2022 03:00:21 +0000 With food and fuel prices soaring, protests on Sri Lanka’s streets and her debt-saddled country engulfed by political crisis, Geethika Dilrukshi’s urgent priority each day was to provide nutrition for her underweight five-year-old son. But over recent weeks, her son has slowly got heavier, like other malnourished kids at his preschool after receiving a full daily meal for free from a community kitchen for preschoolers. Last month, year-on-year food inflation hit 95 per cent, meaning millions of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3195152/crisis-hit-sri-lanka-community-kitchens-are-dishing-out-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3195152/crisis-hit-sri-lanka-community-kitchens-are-dishing-out-help?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Oct 2022 06:00:14 +0000 Following months of negotiations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the government of Sri Lanka have reached a so-called staff level agreement on an extended fund facility, but several challenges lie ahead in meeting some of the conditions, experts say. Announced last week, the formal arrangement offers Sri Lanka around US$2.9 billion over a two-year period, subject to approval by IMF bosses. The ambitious IMF conditions include “major” tax reforms, electricity and fuel pricing that is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3191994/sri-lanka-imf-have-agreed-way-out-nations-economic-hell-what-will-it-mean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3191994/sri-lanka-imf-have-agreed-way-out-nations-economic-hell-what-will-it-mean?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Sep 2022 08:00:24 +0000 Self-employed transwoman Teena was a bridal makeup artist in Negombo, Sri Lanka, but as the country became more entrenched in an economic crisis and her client pool dried up, she lost her monthly income of about 45,000 Sri Lankan rupees (US$145) and became a sex worker. “I cannot go hungry. I had to do something else to earn money; to be able to buy food and pay the rent. So these days I do deals,” the 33-year-old said, referring to sex work. Even before the crisis, finding and retaining... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3190357/sri-lankas-transgender-community-need-life-saving-assistance-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3190357/sri-lankas-transgender-community-need-life-saving-assistance-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Aug 2022 06:00:25 +0000 Ranil Wickremesinghe, a Sri Lankan political veteran who is currently serving as acting president after the toppling of the previous leader, will remain in that position for the longer term after winning a secret vote among lawmakers on Wednesday. Earlier, protesters who forced the resignation of ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa warned that demonstrations would continue if Wickremesinghe was selected, owing to widespread perceptions that he has close links with the ousted leader. Wednesday’s vote... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3185946/sri-lanka-crisis-ranil-wickremesinghe-voted-lawmakers-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3185946/sri-lanka-crisis-ranil-wickremesinghe-voted-lawmakers-president?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jul 2022 09:13:08 +0000 Most Sri Lankans are clear on what they think of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, blamed by so many for mismanaging the economic crisis that has brought the nation to its knees and blighted the lives of millions through food, fuel and medicine shortages. However, his whereabouts have been far less transparent since hordes of desperate protesters, some of them on the streets for weeks, swarmed government buildings in Colombo, including his official home, on Saturday, then refused to leave. The BBC... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3185057/where-sri-lankas-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-and-why-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3185057/where-sri-lankas-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-and-why-are?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jul 2022 13:18:23 +0000 For almost forty years, Chandra made a living by transporting people in his trishaw. Now nearly 71 years old, in recent weeks he has found himself frequently spending half a day or more seeking out petrol suppliers, as Sri Lanka struggles with the energy crisis that is at the heart of its deep economic woes. “Last week, I almost died while trying to get petrol. I waited in a fuel queue for close to 36 hours, and it was physically exhausting because I pushed the trishaw for miles before reaching... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3183513/sri-lankans-endure-days-long-waits-fuel-shuttered-schools-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3183513/sri-lankans-endure-days-long-waits-fuel-shuttered-schools-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jun 2022 11:00:27 +0000 When G. N. Niroshini opened her homestay accommodation six years ago in the village of Panama on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, she earned a steady income of about 100,000 Sri Lankan rupees a month (US$277), more than what an average office worker makes. Business was “so successful”, she was able to quickly expand and build a second room for tourists keen to enjoy the range of attractions near the area, from wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and the popular surfing destination of Arugam Bay. But... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3181671/can-sri-lanka-tourism-recover-triple-whammy-terrorism-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3181671/can-sri-lanka-tourism-recover-triple-whammy-terrorism-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jun 2022 00:00:23 +0000 Violet Mary, a 32-year-old Sri Lankan homemaker in the central town of Hatton, says she has a new task in her monthly routine: she washes old clothes and folds them into small strips. The mother of three says she can no longer afford sanitary pads – the cheapest menstrual hygiene product in the country – so these cloths are used as a substitute amid an economic crisis that has sent the cost of daily necessities soaring. In April, year-on-year headline inflation hit 29.8 per cent and food... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3179869/broke-sri-lanka-period-poverty-means-deciding-between?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3179869/broke-sri-lanka-period-poverty-means-deciding-between?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 May 2022 10:45:22 +0000 The continuing crisis at the heart of Sri Lanka’s elite politics may seem a sideshow compared to the grave reality ordinary citizens are facing with a lack of petrol, medicines and essential items amid the country’s economic meltdown. Nonetheless, restoring political stability in the medium term is key for the island nation to pull itself of its current mess, political observers say. While short-term deal making – which has seen the reappointment of five-times former Prime Minister Ranil... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3178553/sri-lanka-defaults-first-time-whats-next-rajapaksa-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3178553/sri-lanka-defaults-first-time-whats-next-rajapaksa-family?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 May 2022 06:00:21 +0000