ASIA/SRI LANKA - President Dissanayake: the new face of the nation

Colombo (Agenzia Fides) - Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the new president of Sri Lanka, the Electoral Commission announced yesterday after the election on Saturday, September 21. A member of parliament with a left-wing political orientation, Dissanayake obtained - as announced by the Electoral Commission - more than 5.7 million votes, followed by candidate Sajith Premadasa with 4.5 million.
During his election campaign, Dissanayake sought to win the favor of the working class and attracted the support of young people and the lower middle classes, as Sri Lanka tries to recover from an economic and political crisis that has brought the country to its knees and exacerbated widespread poverty.
Two years ago, tens of thousands of Sri Lankans revolted and forced President Rajapaksa to flee the country, "and since then there has been a great desire for change in society: this is the result, which I would not hesitate to call historic", Father Basil Rohan Fernando, priest of the Archdiocese of Colombo and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies on the island, told Fides.
Father Fernando notes "a positive atmosphere in society: first of all, it should be noted that the electoral process was peaceful and transparent and then, after the vote, there were no clashes between opposing factions, as has often happened in the past". Furthermore, he notes, "there is an atmosphere of great hope in society. The population wanted something new, they strongly desired change and so the will of the people was democratically expressed".
While the international press describes Dissanayake as a “Marxist” president, Father Fernando notes: “This label should not be alarming and relates to past ideological positions. The new president fits perfectly into the democratic framework and his stated aim is to work for the poor and vulnerable, which is what the nation needs. It is expected that in a month’s time, the president will call a general election to renew parliament, which will give the nation a completely new face, with educated and skilled young people entering active politics, which will be a clear break with the old establishment, which was involved in games of corruption.” As for the Catholic community – about 1.5 million faithful out of a population of 22 million – the priest notes that in the “coastal belt, which includes Colombo, Chilaw and other places where the bulk of Sri Lanka’s Catholic population lives, support for Dassyake was very high. This suggests that there was also a consensus within the Catholic population. I generally see the faithful satisfied and full of hope. The population expects a lot from the new president." In particular, the Catholic Church does not forget the sensitive issue of the Easter attacks of 2019: "The hope is that even on this front, a serious episode five years ago now, a wound in national history, we can sincerely and truly promote the justice that is still lacking, with the recognition of those responsible and help for the victims." (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 23/9/2024)

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