Dangerous Opportunism

How Sri Lanka’s populist politics replaced race with class

Dhanuka Dickwella

Ideas are so powerful that any authority, in any era, must guard against them. Historically, this caution has been directed at movements that ignite rebellion, change the tide of global trends, or challenge established power. This is why intelligence agencies monitor not just foreign states, but domestic thought.

In Sri Lanka, this mechanism of control has historically relied on inflaming racial and religious insecurity. This form of scaremongering kept the country profoundly polarised for decades, pitting neighbours, vendors, and colleagues against one another, resulting in tragic bloodshed.

The current administration, led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) who themselves went through a near total political and physical annihilation, came to power on a mandate to stop this destructive polarisation and unify Sri Lankans. But there is always a gulf between policy, practice and political realism. As common to any political movement, the JVP must still consolidate its power, defuse opposition, and sustain its hold on