Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka performs in the mid-range across all four categories of the Global State of Democracy framework and is among the top 25 per cent of countries in the world with regard to Civic Engagement and Electoral Participation. Over the last five years, it has seen advances in Credible Elections but has suffered declines in Freedom of Association and Assembly, Freedom of the Press, and Civil Liberties at the broader level. Sri Lanka is considered a lower middle income economy, dependent on services, industry and agriculture. It is currently in the midst of the most severe economic crisis of its post-independence history, marked by power blackouts, shortages of fuel, cooking oil and food.
British colonizers left behind a divided island in 1948, having stoked pre-existing power struggles between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil communities by favouring the latter during their rule. In addition to these groups, there is a Muslim community (nine per cent) and other small minority groups (less than one per cent). Also relevant are significant class, caste, and religious regional divisions within communities, used strategically by politicians for their own ends. Sinhalese dominance in government and a raft of ethnically chauvinist legislation in the wake of independence eventually led to the outbreak of a 26-year-long civil war in 1983. A combination of economic and communal issues also led to a violent insurrection between 1987 and 1989, spearheaded by the communist nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). Sri Lanka has made some progress in gender equality, notably in education and healthcare access for women. However, key challenges remain, including gender-based violence, wage disparities, and low female representation in leadership roles including in legislature, despite having elected the world’s first female prime minister in 1960.
In ensuing years, politics was driven by politicized ethnicity, and political violence – perpetrated both by the state and by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and other armed groups – became normalized. The end of the war was seriously tainted by allegations of human rights violations perpetrated by the state, and the government refused to cooperate with a UN-led investigation into these events. In the post-war era, new social cleavages, including anti-Muslim sentiment and Islamic terrorism, have grown.
The country was further militarized in the aftermath of the war, particularly in the war-torn regions, and the media and civil liberties remained restricted. At the same time, many Tamils in the north were resentful of the government’s continued refusal to address some of the root causes of the war and its “pampering” of former LTTE leaders who had brutalized the community. The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), enacted in 1979, remained in force and has allowed the continued surveillance, kidnapping, torture, harassment and detention of Tamils who are allegedly guilty of trying to recreate the LTTE.
Recent political history has been marked by the dominance of the Rajapaksa family, blamed for the worst economic crisis the country has experienced since independence. Milestone popular protests in 2022 led to the former president fleeing and the establishment of an interim government. In the time since then, there has been notable public disappointment with the lack of reform.
Looking ahead, it will be critical to watch if and how the government addresses the protesters’ demands, manages economic devastation and addresses pervasive militarization of civilian governmental functions. Accountability mechanisms for civil-war-era violations, corruption and threats to independent institutions and the rule of law remain significant challenges. Civil Liberties will also need to be watched considering controversial legislation passed in regulating online content as well as ongoing efforts to replace the PTA.
Last Updated: June 2024
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
September 2024
Left-leaning candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake wins presidential election
Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election held on 21 September, securing 42.3 per cent of the vote. A record 38 contenders took part in the initial presidential race, with no female candidates. The election was widely seen as a three-way contest between Dissanayake, incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Voter turnout was approximately 79.5 per cent, a slight decrease from 83.7 per cent in the 2019 election. Election observers noted that the election was peaceful and well-organized, despite some concerns regarding the misuse of state resources, enforcement of campaign finance law, and voter education. Dissanayake was sworn in as president on 23 September, after which he dissolved parliament to make way for a snap general election on 14 November 2024. The president also appointed his ally, Harini Amarasuriya as prime minister, marking the third woman to hold this position in Sri Lanka’s history.
Sources: Election Commission of Sri Lanka, The Commonwealth, BBC News, The New York Times, ANFREL
August 2024
Supreme Court orders immediate local elections
On 22 August, the Supreme Court ruled that the Election Commission and President's postponement of local government elections, initially scheduled for March 2023, violated voters' fundamental rights. The Court ordered an immediate rescheduling after the upcoming presidential vote on 21 September. The Local Government Elections were initially postponed from 9 March to April before being postponed indefinitely, with the government citing a lack of funds due to the economic crisis. The Election Commission responded to the ruling, stating it will schedule the local election as soon as possible.
Sources: International IDEA, Daily FT, Centre for Policy Alternatives, Supreme Court Sri Lanka, The Morning
July 2024
Supreme Court issues interim order against chief of national police force
On 24 July, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court (SC) issued an interim order preventing Deshabandu Thennakoon, who took office in December 2023, from serving as Inspector General of the Sri Lanka Police (IGP) until nine fundamental rights petitions against him are resolved. The petitioners, including the Center for Policy Alternatives and the Young Journalists Association, argued that Thennakoon’s February appointment by the President was unconstitutional and that Thennakoon was unsuitable for the role given a prior SC determination linking Thennakoon to torture and other acts of wrongdoing. The SC suggested an acting IGP appointment be made, but the government has yet to comply, arguing that the Court lacks the authority to challenge presidential appointments. Legal experts condemned this stance as undermining the rule of law. The hearings against Tennekoon have been set for 11 November, and it remains to be seen when an acting IGP will be named, adding a layer of uncertainty to the conduct of the 21 September election.
Sources: Daily Financial Times, Economy Next, ANFREL
June 2024
Government officials withhold exam results over hijab rule
In June, school authorities and government officials in the City of Trincomalee withheld the exam results of 70 Muslim female students because their head coverings allegedly covered their ears during the exam and thus threatened exam integrity. Human rights experts have raised concerns that this decision risks denying the girls the opportunity for university education, emphasizing that it violates the right to freedom of religion and entrenches discrimination against Muslims. While the exam results were later released, legal experts say the decision to withhold the results in the first place sets a negative precedent. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has launched an inquiry into the case and examination rule to avoid similar delays in future instances.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, The Morning, Daily FT
Court clears Nathasha Edirisooriya of blasphemy charges
On 19 June, following the Attorney General's advice, the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court cleared stand-up comedian Natasha Edirisooriya of charges related to a controversial remark about Buddhism during a performance that led to her detention in May 2023. Social media activist Bruno Divakara, who had been arrested for sharing a video of the performance, was also cleared. The AG advised there was insufficient evidence to charge them. Although both had been granted bail in July 2023, they continued to face an inquiry. Human rights experts criticized the AG’s citing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)’s protection of religious freedom in the indictment as an attempt to suppress free speech. Civil society organizations have called for action against those responsible for her arrest under the pretext of protecting religious harmony.
Sources: International IDEA, Colombo Telegraph, News First LK
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