The People’s Revolution

10 July. Military stand guard barring entry to the lower sections of the Presidential Secretariat while throngs of people wait at the doors above for their turn to go in.

A broken chair placed outside, for photo ops. People having their day in office – shows how distant people have felt from the ruling political elite.

An almost full moon lurks behind overcast skies – a deadline for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign as promised by 13 July, Esala full moon poya. Banners for accountability prevail on the lawns of the President’s Secretariat. Justice has been hard to come by, especially for minorities and victims of political oppression.

A board at the entrance to the Secretariat reads, “Look as much as you want but don’t break anything”.

The crowds are not the same as the crowds on 9 July. These are families with kids, come to see inside corridors of power on a Sunday that, in ordinary times, may have been spent at Galle face. These are exceptional days. Military dare not use brute force against these civilians.

Near by, Police stand by near Dhammika Perera’s Kingsbury hotel. People move freely between the occupied buildings. Some have managed to cover all three: Temple trees, President’s Secretariat and the President’s Residence.

The writing’s on the wall. “Power to the people beyond Parliament”, “Abolish the Executive Presidency”, “Give our stolen money back,” they read. People stop to take selfies. The fine print is even more interesting. It calls on “war heroes” to realise that despite all the pomp, they’re nothing but Curry leaves and Pandan (staple ingredients in Sri Lankan cuisine) to the ruling class. Another demands to guarantee the right to life. Calls to recover the profits of corrupt deals and provide relief to the people.

On the Chatham street clock tower hangs an effigy of Gotabaya.

On the left, a drawing of a scheming brother Basil who was the Finance minister that led Sri Lanka down this devastating economic abyss. On the right one would expect to see the familiar drawing of the President’s brother and former PM (also former President) Mahinda, but instead, it’s a drawing of current PM Ranil, depicting a wolf in sheep’s clothing. One almost feels bad for him. Those familiar with #GotaGoGama might recognise the artwork from the GGG Art Gallery just a few meters away.

When Gotabaya was elected President, he earmarked a bare land close to the Presidential Secretariat as a dedicated site for demonstrations so that people’s protests don’t become a “nuisance” to the public and vehicular movement.

The social elite and the corporate sector who could never foresee themselves at the agitation site hailed the move. Out of sight, out of mind? From April, Gotabaya’s own, dedicated site for dissent has expanded to occupy some of the most powerful buildings in Colombo.

The irony is in the detail.