Sri Lanka’s new president, Dissanayaka, is seeking international support to rebuild the country’s economy and has expressed a desire to work with other nations. Despite the party’s historical anti-West and anti-India stance, Dissanayaka emphasized the importance of not isolating Sri Lanka and benefiting from cooperation with other countries. India and China are two key players in the island nation, with both expressing a willingness to work with the new president to enhance cooperation and mutual political trust.
The JVP, Dissanayaka’s party, has a legacy of violence, having led two rebellions in the 1970s and 1980s that resulted in the deaths of over 80,000 people before renouncing violence. Despite being a minor player in Sri Lankan politics in recent years, the party gained popularity during the country’s crisis by promising to change the corrupt political culture. Dissanayaka himself was a JVP student leader during the second insurrection and has survived government-backed death squads targeting party activists. He has cited Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara as one of his heroes.
Dissanayaka won the presidential election with just over 42% of the popular vote, the lowest percentage for a president since elections began in 1988. Acknowledging the limited mandate he received, Dissanayaka emphasized his responsibility to earn the support and confidence of those who did not vote for him. He also expressed a commitment to working towards rebuilding Sri Lanka’s economy and addressing the country’s challenges with the help of international support.
The strategic location of Sri Lanka on global east-west sea routes makes it a key player in the competition for influence between India and China, its largest neighbor and bilateral creditor respectively. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping both expressed a desire to work with Dissanayaka to strengthen cooperation and enhance mutual political trust. Dissanayaka’s commitment to engaging with other nations despite historical tensions signals a potential shift towards a more inclusive and collaborative approach to governance.
As Dissanayaka embarks on his presidency, he faces the challenge of addressing the country’s economic woes and rebuilding trust with a population that may be divided over his election. His pledge to work with other nations and his willingness to engage with international support indicate a recognition of the need for external cooperation in addressing Sri Lanka’s challenges. The legacy of violence and the party’s historical stances provide a complex backdrop to Dissanayaka’s presidency, but his focus on rebuilding the economy and changing the political culture may offer a new direction for the country. Only time will tell if his presidency will mark a turning point in Sri Lanka’s trajectory.
