A Comment on Neoliberalism in Sri Lanka

J I HHLEVMPR 

 M Jihhlet Jihhlet ie Eliab`lrmabsh Eliab`lrmabsh be Zrb Amekm  ^. F. Amksdhme

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jieihbj piabjy rloirhs betrifujlf mriuef =2>> `y tdl C. P. Cmylwmrflel nivlrehlet dmvl `lle, wbtdiut fbsputl, iel io tdl hist bhpirtmet wmtlrsdlfs be tdl dbstiry io Zrb Amekm‒s sijbma, piabtbjma, mef ljieihbj flvlaiphlet. Vlsl wlrl tdle flsjrb`lf ms —iple ljieihy‒ rloirhs mef tdlbr lsslejl, be tlrhs io prbejbpma piabjy bestmejls,  wms hmbetmbelf hmbetmbelf rlamtbvlay uefbstur`lf oir oir tdl elxt oirty ylmrs. Vbs wms si be spbtl io maa tdl jihpalxbtbls io sijbi-piabtbjma flvlaiphlets io tdl betlrvleben plrbif, jdmrmjtlrbzlf ms tdlsl wlrl `y hmcir trmesolrs io piwlr `ltwlle piabtbjma jimabtbies ie slvlrma ijjmsbies, mef sbneb﬍jmet jdmenls be plrsiemabtbls diafben jrbtbjma piabjy hmkben pisbtbies betlrsplrslf wbtd uttlray fbsruptbvl mef iotle lxtlesbvlay vbialet pdleihlem mef prijlssls. Wiabjy jdmenls ivlr tbhl dmvl tmkle tdl jiuetry fllplr beti eliab`lrma jiefbtbies. Vlrl wms, io jiursl, ijjmsbiema betrifujtbies io pljuabmray Zrb Amekme piabjy lalhlets ti mffrlss fb﬊juat sijbma bssuls, l.n. —pivlrty maalvbmtbie‒ ( cmemsmvbym   cmemsmvbym  mef  mef amtlr smhurfdb ) prinrmhhls sbejl tdl amtl =247s. Be mffbtbie, jlrtmbe typbjmaay Zrb Amekme sijbma piabjbls sujd ms orll lfujmtbie mef dlmatd slrvbjls wlrl jietbeulf flspbtl tdl omjt tdmt tdlsl fbsmnrll wbtd eliab`lrma uslr oll ainbj. @mjkfiir l﬇irts mt prbvmtbzmtbie io, mef betrifujtbie io uslr olls beti, tdlsl sijbma sljtirs diwlvlr, jietbeulf. Furben sihl pmrts io tdl oirty-ylmr plrbif, mttlhpts ti hivl mwmy orih tdl eliab`lrma ainbj masi jiuaf `l i`slrvlf, oir lxmhpal furben 0772-07=6, matdiund tdlrl wms ei systlhmtbj bejirpirmtbie io tdl —fbssbflet‒ vblws beti tdl ouefmhletma piabjy ormhlwirk. Vlrl  wlrl furben tdbs plrbif bestmejls wdlrl mjtbie wms tmkle ti lejiurmnl fihlstbjmaay iwelf letlrprbsls (emtbiema jmpbtma), bneirben tdl —alvla pamyben ﬍lafs‒ ainbj io eliab`lrmabsh. Zbhbamray eit ouaay mnrllben  wbtd eliab`lrma prbejbpals, m fljamrmtbie wms hmfl tdmt ei stmtl iwelf letlrprbsl wiuaf `l prbvmtbzlf. Rlt be m ouefmhletma slesl, piabjy fbrljtbies dmvl rlhmbelf  wbtdbe tdl eliab`lrma ormhlwirk. Zbejl 07=, Bssul 0

jme `l i`slrvlf bejaufben tdl labhbemtbie io tdl hbeir rlhmbeben rlstrbjtbies mef rlnuamtbies ie betlremtbiema trmfl, pmyhlets, mef bevlsthlet mjtbvbty. Wrbvmtbzmtbie mjtbvbty dms `lle ledmejlf mef spllflf up ti tdl dbndlst lvlr alvla si omr omr.. Vl Zijbma Zjbletbsts‒ Mssijbmtbie (ZZM) wms be tdl oirloriet io jrbtbjma ipbebie wdle Zrb Amekm `lnme hivben be tdl fbrljtbie io m rlamtbvlay orll hmrklt jmpbtmabst ljieihy orih tdl pisbtbie io m dbnday betlrvletbiebst ljieihy nubflf `y m sijbmabst ir sijbma flhijrmtbj rdltirbj. Vl frmstbj piabjy jdmenls meeiuejlf be Eivlh`lr =2>>, be tdl ﬍rst @ufnlt Zplljd io tdl elway laljtlf nivlrehlet, wms m fbrljt rlmjtbie ti tdl betlrvletbiebst systlh flvlaiplf `y tdl sijbmabst Obemejl Hbebstlr E.H. Wlrlrm ueflr Wrbhl Hbebstlr Zbrbhmvi @mefmrmembkl‒s nivlrehlet furben =2>7->>. Furben tdbs lmray plrbif be tdl prijlss io flrlnuamtbie mef ab`lrmabzmtbie, tdl ZZM wms m dbvl io mjtbvbty, wbtd hlh`lrs lenmnlf be jrbtbjma sjdiamray fl`mtl mef fbmainul m`iut tdl ljieihbj piabjy hivls ti flrlnuamtl mef ab`lrmabzl. Vrll eitm`al ZZM pu`abjmtbies io tdl amtl slvletbls mef lbndtbls jihl ti hy hbef rlhbefben hl io tdlsl lxtlesbvl fl`mtls ivlr jietlhpirmry piabjy rloirhs3 Zijbma Zjblejl Plvblw   - Ei. = (Eivlh`lr =2>2); M`lyslklrm, Jdmrals (lf.), Jmpbtma mef Wlmsmet Wrifujtbie3 Ztufbls be tdl Jietbeubty mef Fbsjietbeubty io  Mnrmrbme Ztrujturls be Zrb Amekm  (=24-4: (=24>). =2>>-4:  (=24>). Be =22:, tdl ZZM jmrrblf bts jrbtbjma plrspljtbvls ie tdl su`cljt ti m Jieolrlejl ie Ztrujturma Mfcusthlet Wiabjbls irnmebzlf i rnmebzlf be ^msdbentie `y tdl ENI-^iraf @mek Oiruh. Vbs ZZM trmfbtbie io jrbtbjma sjdiamrsdbp mriuef eliab`lrmabsh jietbeulf tdriundiut tdl oirty ylmr prijlss io bts lviautbie be Zrb Amekm. B vblw tdl prlslet bssul io Wiabty  ms   ms tdl amtlst be tdl ZZM‒s ciurely beti jrbtbjma lxmhbemtbie io tdl emturl mef flvlaiphlet bhpmjts io eliab`lrmabsh ie tdl nai`ma mef Zrb Amekme sjmals. <

J I HHLEVMPR 

Eliab`lrmabsh dms `ljihl motlr tdbs oirty-ylmr plrbif io lviautbie mef lxpmesbie, m dlnlhiebj bfliainy be m Nrmhsjbme slesl. Be sijbltbls wdlrl piabtbjma bflmas io befbvbfuma ab`lrty mef orllfih mrl jiesbflrlf smjrismejt mef ms jletrma vmauls io jbvbabzmtbie, amrnl euh`lrs jiuaf `l jievlrtlf ti `ljihl `lablvlrs be eliab`lrmabsh. Vbs wms tdl jmsl be Zrb Amekm tii be rlspljt io sihl sijbma nriups. Orllfih aivlrs jiuaf lmsbay `l jievbejlf ti `lablvl tdmt eliab`lrmabsh, mssijbmtlf ms bt bs wbtd prbvmtl priplrty mef jihpltbtbvl hmrklts, wiuaf almf ti fb﬇uslf piwlr mef bebtbmtbvl, nbvben rbsl be ture ti m sijblty be wdbjd orllfih bs l﬇ljtbvlay prlslrvlf. Vbs custb﬍jmtbie io eliab`lrmabsh wms mt almst pmrtay `ldbef tdl lxtlesbvl suppirt bt dms nmbelf be Zrb Amekm ivlr slvlrma Wrlsbfletbma mef Wmrabmhletmry laljtbies. Ei sbneb﬍jmet pripirtbie io mey sijbma nriup be tdl jiuetry wirtd tmakben m`iut sllhs ti dmvl slrbius ouefmhletma rlslrvmtbies m`iut eliab`lrmabsh. Vlsl nriups omviurben eliab`lrmabsh, tinltdlr, sllh ti oirh tdl `uak io tdl mfuat mef tllemnl pipuamtbie be tdl jiuetry.. Oir tdlh, ms Hmrnmrlt Vmtjdlr omhiusay smbf, jiuetry ‑tdlrl bs ei matlremtbvl‘ (BEM). Be tdl lmray pmrt io tdl oirty ylmrs io eliab`lrmabsh be Zrb Amekm, jdmhpbies ms wlaa ms jrbtbjs io eliab`lrmabsh oijuslf histay ie bssuls plrtmbeben ti oirlbne trmfl mef pmyhlets, fihlstbj hmrklt flrlnuamtbie, oirlbne fbrljt bevlsthlets, mef prbvmtbzmtbie io stmtl iwelf letlrprbsls. Ms tdl mrtbjals be tdl prlslet bssul io Wiabty sdiw, fbsjussbies ie eliab`lrmabsh dmvl eiw `lnue ti jivlr hmey hirl su`cljt mrlms tdme tdl m`ivl ‚ dlmatd mef lfujmtbie slrvbjls, ﬍emejbmabzmtbie, vmaul jdmbes be prifujtbie, trmfl rlamtlf ainbstbjs, hbnrmtbie oir wirk mef si ie. Ei fbsjussbie tifmy m`iut mrts mef juaturl, mef vmrbius aien-stmefben sijbma dm`bts mef prmjtbjls  wiuaf ni wbtdiut rlolrlejls ti nai`mabzmtbie mef eliab`lrmabsh. Vl `uak io tdisl wbtd mey beffulejl be fljbsbie hmkben prijlssls tmkl eliab`lrma nai`mabzmtbie ms me uemvibfm`al mef befbsputm`al bhplrmtbvl. Vl rljirf io eliab`lrmabsh be stbhuamtben mef prihitben aien-tlrh sustmbem`al ljieihbj nriwtd dms `lle fbshma mjjirfben ti jiejausbies io sjdiamrs  wdi dmvl ueflrtmkle jmrloua lhpbrbjma wirk. Be Zrb Amekm, betlrhbttlet hivls ti betlesboy ab`lrmabzmtbie mef nai`mabzmtbie prifujlf ljieihbj nriwtd spurts be tlrhs io tdl wbflay uslf ljieihbj hlmsurl io tdl nriwtd rmtl. Vl plrbifs io i o =2>4-47 mef =227-2: wlrl lxmhpals io sujd sdirt nriwtd spurts. Vl oirhlr io tdlsl twi nriwtd lpbsifls wms flsjrb`lf `y hl ms m jmsl io ‑`lnbeelrs‒ aujk‘ aujk‘ be me lmrablr stufy. stufy. Vl eliab`lrma ormhlwirk diwlvlr, jiuaf eit sustmbe ljieihbj nriwtd mt dbnd alvlas ivlr mey sbneb﬍jmet plrbif io tbhl meywdlrl be tdl wiraf mt mey tbhl be rljlet ?

dbstiry. Be jietrmst, matlremtbvl —betlrvletbiebst‒ piabjy systlhs flsjrb`lf be tdl abtlrmturl ms —flvlaiphletma stmtls‒ dmvl eit ieay prifujlf rmpbf, sustmbelf nriwtd oir lxtleflf plrbifs io tbhl, `ut masi pusdlf slvlrma jiuetrbls orih aiw bejihl ti upplr hbffal mef dbnd bejihl alvlas. Be Zrb Amekm, m wlmk mttlhpt wms hmfl ‚ sihlwdmt jieouslf, eit mflqumtlay oijuslf, mef piiray bhpalhletlf mef hiebtirlf ‚ furben 07=7-=6 ti fi tdbens ms be m —flvlaiphletma stmtl‒ hifla, `ut  wbtdbe m `msbj eliab`lrma strujturl. Vlsl ﬍vl ylmrs prifujlf m sustmbelf nriwtd sjlemrbi `ut tdl rlnbhl‒s omaa be Cmeumry 07=< ful ti bts iwe jrbtbjma wlmkelssls be jlrtmbe laljtirmaay slesbtbvl su`cljt mrlms, pusdlf tdl jiuetry `mjk beti eliab`lrmabsh wbtd m vlenlmejl. Bt dms `lle mrnulf `y wrbtlrs abkl Dmrvly tdmt tdl rbsl io eliab`lrmabsh nai`maay sbneb﬍lf me mttlhpt ti rlstirl jamss piwlr ti tdl rbjdlst strmtm be tdl pipuamtbie, smvben tdl ruaben jamssls orih mnnrmvmtben tdl jrbsbs io jmpbtmabsh. Vl hmbe l﬇ljt io eliab`lrmabsh be omjt dms `lle rlfbstrb`utbvl rmtdlr tdme nlelrmtbvl. Bt dms jmuslf trmesolr io wlmatd mef bejihl orih tdl hmss io tdl pipuamtbie tiwmrf tdl upplr jamssls. Nai`maay, tdlrl  wlrl trmesolrs masi orih piir mef vuaelrm`al jiuetrbls ti rbjdlr jiuetrbls. ^dlrlvlr bt wms prmjtbjlf oir m aien leiund plrbif io tbhl, eliab`lrmabsh dms prifujlf lxtrlhl belqumabtbls be sijblty, almfben iotle ti sijbma updlmvmas. Ms Dmrvly mrnulf eliab`lrmabsh dms rlhmbelf m prijlss io ‑mjjuhuamtbie `y fbspisslssbie‘. Vl eliab`lrma hlmsurls wdbjd dmvl alf ti tdbs fbspisslssbie bejauflf tdl jihhifb﬍jmtbie mef prbvmtbzmtbie io amef mef tdl oirjloua lxpuasbie io plmsmet pipuamtbies orih tdlbr trmfbtbiema amefs, jievlrsbie io vmrbius oirhs io priplrty rbndts (jihhie, jiaaljtbvl, stmtl, ltj.) beti lxjausbvlay prbvmtl priplrty rbndts mef supprlssbie io rbndts ti tdl jihhies, jihhifb﬍jmtbie io am`iur piwlr mef tdl supprlssbie io matlremtbvl (befbnleius) oirhs io prifujtbie mef jiesuhptbie, mppriprbmtbie io msslts (bejaufben emturma rlsiurjls), mef usury, lxpmeflf emtbiema fl`t, mef tdl jrlfbt systlh. Jmrloua lhpbrbjma memaysls wiuaf lstm`absd tdmt Zrb Amekm tii dms niel tdriund tdlsl prijlssls ti m nrlmtlr ir alsslr lxtlet ivlr tdl amst slvlrma fljmfls. Fbstrb`utbiema pmttlres dmvl tdus wirslelf be Zrb Amekm tii wbtd m`uefmet bhprlssbiebstbj lvbflejl io m tdbe strmtuh io sijblty dmvben mhmsslf dunl mhiuets io bejihl mef  wlmatd. Eliab`lrma ainbj pisbts tdmt tdl stmtl mef hmrklts mrl twi metmniebstbj letbtbls, wdlrlms wiraf dbstiry jalmray sdiws tdmt tdlsl wlrl eit si mt tdl prmjtbjma mef lhpbrbjma alvlas. Vl stmtl mef hmrklts dmvl wirklf jiaam`irmtbvlay ti prihitl sujjlssoua jmpbtmabst flvlaiphlet, wbtd tdl rial mssbnelf ti lmjd be tdbs —jimabtbie‒ jdmenben Wiabty | _iauhl >, Bssul 0

J I HHLEVMPR 

mt fb﬇lrlet stmnls io flvlaiphlet mef be fb﬇lrlet aijmtbies. Be si omr ms piabjbls oir befustrbma flvlaiphlet rljinebzl tdl pri`alhs flvlaipben jiuetrbls omjl tifmy ms m rlsuat io —uelvleelss‒ mef —amtlelss‒ be tdlbr flvlaiphlet, prihitbie io befustrbmabzmtbie hust eljlssmrbay rljinebzl tdl jihpalhletmrbty io stmtl mef hmrklt mjtbvbtbls. Vbs dms `lle tdl jmsl be mahist lvlry bhpirtmet dbstirbjma jmsl io sujjlssoua befustrbmabzmtbie

Wiabty | _iauhl >, Bssul 0

mef sustmbelf nriwtd. Vl lxpmesbie io eliab`lrmabsh mef wbflsprlmf rljinebtbie io bts vmabfbty bhpabls tdmt, ms Lrbk Plbelrt msslrtlf be dbs Diw Pbjd Jiuetrbls Nit Pbjd . . . mef ^dy Wiir Jiuetrbls Ztmy Wiir , Wiir , tdl wiraf ljieihbj irflr dms jihl ti `l ‑`mslf ie me ljieihbj tdliry wdbjd —privls‒ tdl ippisbtl io wdmt be omjt jme `l i`slrvlf‘.

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