Sri Lanka may have militarily “won” the war, but the final chapter of it remains stained by the horrors of grave war crimes, authoritarianism and the tyranny associated with your father’s regime. This was no “victory day” to Sri Lankans. It’s a stark reminder of how racist, majoritarian politics ruined our island nation for decades. A reminder that the war didn’t start out of a vacuum.
Whether it’s Netanyahu’s Likud or Rajapaksa’s SLPP, there are similar political patterns: ethnonationalist rhetoric, concentration of power, mega corruption allegations, divisive hardline politics, attacks on journalists and dissent (including murder and torture) and governance built around fear and loyalty networks.
Both represent extreme right wing nationalist political cultures that have left deep social damage in their wake. In Sri Lanka’s case, that legacy also includes democratic erosion, institutional decay, and the economic collapse the country is still recovering from.
Democracy is important. Opposition is important. But Sri Lanka would be far better off without your brand of politics and the ideology that comes with it.