For 30 days in Sri Lanka’s own ‘Gota go gama’, a space carved out by protesters in front of the Presidential Secretariat, Sri Lankans responded to a vision of an alternative Sri Lanka — one that was democratic, non-violent, inclusive and creative; where youth would find a special place and where fear no longer would be the governing principle. Music, theatre and traditional rituals filled the space along with political chants and slogans. People from every community sought refuge at ‘Gota go gama’ from the daily hardship of living, irrespective of class, religion, gender or ethnicity.
Aggression has seeped in
Then came May 9 and government thugs attacked and brutally destroyed that sacred space and injured so many. That spirit of violence has now seeped into the protest movement itself and is also exploited by angry people at the local level. As protesters confronted their Jacobin streak, government supporters were beaten, humiliated and the houses of government ministers burnt to the ground. Vigilantes roamed the streets while the police and security forces seemed surprisingly indifferent. Many of the private properties of the Rajapaksas were completely destroyed. On May 11, the government began to enforce the Emergency more purposely, deterring anti-government vigilantes, telling those who were rebuilding ‘Gota go Gama’ that they had to go home and that the curfew would be strictly enforced. Whether this is a temporary measure during curfew or whether this entails a more decisive role for the military remains to be seen. The situation remains tense and volatile.
