Trip Update: Sri Lanka’s Political Unrest

It’s been hard to update since we landed in Sri Lanka a few days ago for a number of reasons, mostly the strikes. In fact, it’s been hard to take public transit because that was on strike up until yesterday. But today we are moving freely about the island and I hope it will be over by the time we need to fly out in one week.

Essentially the people of Sri Lanka are in agreement that the goverment is crazy. They tell me so. But the when the government, who controls the price of petrol raised prices nearly 50% the fisherman went on strike. They started by not fishing but soon protested in the streets. They blocked the roads to forbid anyone from contributing to the petrol crisis. They blocked the roads with anything and everything, logs, bricks, fires, etc…

We arove late at night and awoke to the first day of the street protest. They were not violent but stern against their many fellow country men who tried to pass. We thought it was over the first day but riot control came in 2 streets away and tear gassed the people. They relocated to the church next to us once again to regather.

I have no idea where things stand now for we left Negombo but we will return next week.