On 75th Independence Day, Sri Lanka president calls for correcting country’s ‘errors and failures’

Sri Lanka needs to correctits "errors and failures" and review its strengths and gains as a nation, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Saturday, as the country marked its 75th anniversary of independence. Sri Lanka's 75th Independence Day celebrations come at a critical time when the island nation located at India's South is reeling under an unprecedented economic crisis.The celebrations took placedespite criticism from Opposition groups who claimed the events were costing Sri Lankan exchequer Rupees 200 million amid nation'sworst economic crisis.

The main Independence Day event in Colombo was attended by many foreign dignitaries, including India’s Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan.

Wickremesinghe presided over the ceremony which featured a military parade with a 21-gun salute.

In his message, Wickremesinghe said: "Our 75th anniversary of independence from colonial rule is being observed during an extremely critical and challenging time in the country."

"However it presents an opportunity for us not only to review our strengths and gains as a nation but also to rectify our errors and failures," he said.

Sri Lankan economic crisis

During mid-2022, Sri Lanka faced the worst economic crisis since independence which led to months-long public protests leading to a political crisis.

People demanded the resignation of the then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, an event that made way for Ranil Wickremsinghe to claim the seat of power in Colombo.

Last year in April, Sri Lanka declared its first-ever debt default in its history.

Saturday’s Independence Day event was boycotted by all Opposition groups who claimed it had no public mandate and was a burden on a public already hurt by the crisis. They pointed to scarcities of food and medicine leaving people in poverty.

The city of Colombo was placed under a tight security net with armed troops being seen on the streets.

A sit-in protest organised by a group of protesters from last year’s months-long protest was dispersed by the police using tear gas at midnight. At least four protesters were arrested. The police had obtained a court order preventing public protests anywhere near the Galle Face promenade where the main celebratory event happened. Some 29 people had been named in the court order to stay away from the main location of celebrations.

To mark Independence Day, 208 officers and 7,790 other ranks of the Sri Lanka Army have been promoted while presidential pardonwasgiven to 622 convicts.

(With inputs from agencies)

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