• A vicious cycle of political corruption & sustainable development crisis

Sri Lanka has a rich history of investment in education, reflected in its impressive literacy rate of over 93%. However, since gaining Independence in 1948, the island nation has struggled with political corruption and mismanagement, leading to increased economic instability and social unrest. According to Transparency International, while the average global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is 43/100, Sri Lanka scores 36/100, placing it 101st out of 180 countries and territories. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) elaborates on the incumbent situation in Sri Lanka as follows: 

“(The) lack of accountability at all levels remains the fundamental main human rights problem. Whether it refers to war crimes related atrocities, post-war emblematic cases, torture and deaths in Police custody, excesses in crowd control, corruption and the abuse of power, Sri Lanka suffers from an extraordinary accountability deficit that unless addressed will drag the country further behind” (UNHCHR, last year [2023]).

Vicious cycle 

A preliminary understanding of the entrenched corruption in Sri Lanka’s political system, and the intricate connections among its various forces and behaviour patterns, is mandatory for Sri Lanka to progress toward the desired sustainable development. 

The inception of Sri Lanka's political corruption and sustainable development crisis stems from its historical political legacy and conflicts since Independence from colonial rule. Party politics, the prolonged internal conflict between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and unresolved tensions cast a long shadow over the nation. This legacy fuels weak political manifestos and election promises aimed at garnering votes rather than fostering sustainable development. Politicians prioritise personal and party gains by manipulating historical grievances for populist election claims. For instance, five years after the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, justice remains still unserved, yet promises of justice are continually and increasingly sold like hotcakes in election campaigns, including the ongoing Presidential Election.

Nepotism and patronage exacerbate corruption, with political leaders appointing family members or close associates to key positions, undermining merit based decision-making, and entrenching inefficiency and the lack of accountability. Transparency International observes that bribery, kickbacks, accepting monetary and/or material rewards in exchange for political favours, syphoning off public funds for personal enrichment, and misusing power, position, and public resources for personal gain are commonplace in Sri Lanka. 

The absence of robust accountability mechanisms and foresight regarding long-term consequences foster a sense of impunity among corrupt officials. As a result, institutions meant to uphold ethical standards, such as the Judiciary, the Police, and anti-corruption agencies are weakened by political interference. This erosion of institutional integrity leads to public distrust and unrest, hindering progress and stability, and undermining efforts to build a prosperous and equitable society in Sri Lanka.

Struggle between two camps

A political system as flawed as this gives rise to two camps in constant conflict: corrupt politicians and their allies (the powerful and privileged group), and the ordinary masses (the powerless and underprivileged group). As the rift between these two camps widens, the resulting impact on the underprivileged majority can be attributed to the corruption perpetuated by the privileged minority who often celebrates it as 'success to the successful'. 

This dynamic creates a vicious cycle where the powerful become more entrenched in their positions, while the ordinary people become increasingly disillusioned and disenfranchised. The growing disparity ignites social tensions, as the underprivileged masses bear the brunt of corruption and mismanagement. Public demonstrations and strikes become common as people demand accountability and justice, ultimately leading to widespread social and political unrest.

The situation came to a head with the tragic Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, which killed 273 innocent people and injured more than 500, and the youth led national aragalaya (peoples’ struggle to overthrow the previous Government led by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the context of a comprehensive ‘system change’) in 2022. It was a call for accountability on the part of the Government and a complete overhaul of the existing political climate to ensure long-term prosperity and equity for all Sri Lankans. The UN Deputy HCHR underscores it as follows:

“It is crucial to ensure that the burden of reforms does not further compound inequalities. Robust safety nets and social protection measures are needed to shelter the most vulnerable from the negative spillovers of economic restructuring. It is also vital to address the underlying factors of the crisis, including corruption, which was a loud and essential demand of the protests in 2022” (Nada Al-Nashif, 2023).

A possible benevolent cycle

Given the complex and interconnected nature of the political system in Sri Lanka, achieving sustainable development requires taking into account at least two-fold corrective measures and reinforcing actions: a holistic approach that gradually dismantles the vicious cycle by bringing it to a natural death over time, and a particular approach that addresses each cause-effect relationship in the vicious cycle. Accordingly, as the figure below illustrates, introducing and implementing sustainable development strategies and interventions — such as public awareness, prudence in the franchise, judicial independence, constitutional reforms, and education, judicial independence, constitutional reforms, and educational transformations — can transform the existing vicious cycle into a continuous benevolent cycle.

When the public becomes more aware of political corruption, when education improves, and when these changes are implemented swiftly, several positive outcomes follow. These include increased positive political legacy and engagement, more credible political manifestos and election promises, greater merit based opportunities, enhanced political accountability and transparency, healthier institutional climates, more durable sustainable development, and stronger public approval, cooperation, and social stability.

Balance and tenacity

It is important to recognise that public agitations, demonstrations, protests, and strikes can sometimes exacerbate the original problem if they escalate to unforeseen extremes, leading to unintended consequences. For instance, when politicians use their power to suppress expressions of public dissent, it can result in increased struggle, violence, lawlessness, and anarchy, thereby worsening the country’s already deteriorating socio-economic conditions.

Conversely, people’s prolonged exposure to a corrupt political system can lead them to a form of desensitisation where corruption and ethical erosion become normalised and perceived as inevitable. In such a scenario, the underprivileged class may resign themselves to harmful behaviours as in the case of farmers in Sri Lanka, either because they have lost faith in the possibility of a better system or because they feel powerless and fearful to demand change.

Additionally, when addressing political corruption with symptomatic solutions and long-term measures introduced above, there is a risk that the key agents of change — such as politicians, campaign financing business entrepreneurs, and the popular media — may present biased or incomplete representations of the incumbent issues, purely motivated by ulterior motives and vested interests. This not only confuses the suffering masses but also distracts their focus from corrupt politicians and their gruesome agendas.

Need for authentic leadership

Sri Lanka, with its urgent need for systemic change, debt restructuring, political transformation, and sustainable development, cannot remain isolated from the global demand for authentic leadership across all spheres. The ongoing conflicts worldwide — for example, between Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Palestine, and in the Republic of Congo — highlight the critical need for compassionate and visionary leadership. Similarly, recent elections in both powerful and developing nations, including France, the United Kingdom, India, Mexico, and Senegal, reveal a significant shift in political leadership from the extreme Right towards the Left. In the United States (US), the political landscape is already shifting as major Democratic and Republican forces clash in yet another crucial election season, with results expected by the end of the year (2024). These global political shifts underscore a deep yearning for leaders who can tackle the urgent issues of our time with integrity, empathy, and vision.

Herdsmen or shepherds?

Sri Lanka, the once-promising pearl of Asia, has seen its resources squandered and its people divided by political strife and development crisis. Leaders who have prioritised personal gain over the public good have left the country in disarray, with citizens yearning for genuine leadership. As the island nation of Sri Lanka prepares for its upcoming election(s), the importance of selecting the right leaders cannot be overstated. The political climate is fraught with challenges, making the need for leaders who can steer the nation with wisdom and compassion more critical than ever. We must elect leaders who will prioritise the well-being of the people over personal gain, who are committed to sustainable development, and who uphold the values of fairness, justice, and transparency. 

We must therefore ask ourselves: What types of leaders have we had thus far on the island — shepherd-like leaders who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the country and its people, or herdsmen-like leaders who thrive on the people? Are the candidates running for the Presidential Election shepherd-like or herdsmen-like? Do they plan to lead us from the front like shepherds, setting the right examples with virtues and a commitment to the common good, or do they plan to drive us from behind like herdsmen, leaving us vulnerable in every sense of the term? What do they already have in their hand and what do we desire for them to carry in their hands — a shepherd’s staff of rightful authority and empathy, or a herdsman’s stick of wild coercion and command? 

(The writer is a Doctoral Fellow at the Creighton University, Omaha, US)

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication