Unity at Galle Face protest: A hope for future Sri Lanka

The recent protests over the economic crisis in the country and calling for the President to resign is regarded by many as a rare show of unity among Sri Lankans of various ethnic groups and religions. A country that was plagued by divisive politics resulting in furthering ethnic and religious divide through divisive policies, civil war and terrorist attacks, was seen coming together as one at protests. Galle Face Green, now popularly named as ‘Gotagogama’, where the protest has entered into its second week saw Sri Lankans of various ethnic groups coming together to protest, commemorate and celebrate.   

Nuwangi Samaranayake camped at the protest site with her husband and children, protesting for her children’s future. “As a mother with young children, I found this place safe for my children and also found people to be very friendly and helpful,” she said, adding that there was a sense of togetherness and belonging in the protests as everyone could understand some aspect of each other’s struggles.

“Other than the friends and family we go to the protest with, everyone else there is a stranger. Yet people unlike in any other event are very kind, generous, hospitable and respectful towards one another,” shared Rishfa Rumaiz, a protestor. She shared that she could see people were uniting as Sri Lankans as they celebrated festivities together, created the space for breaking fast, lit candles and prayed in remembrance of the victims and survivors of Easter Sunday Attacks. “They see what the so-called leaders have done to this country blinding the people by creating divisions and distractions from time to time. They see how they have been the pawns in their political game. So, the people have now come together with a common purpose. They have come together in anger and pain but also love and hope. Love and hope for Sri Lanka because it deserves so much better. People’s power prevails where unity is strength.”  

Sharing similar sentiments, Triffina Amaratunga, who had been to the protest site on several occasions, remarked that throughout the protest people were united and were supportive of each other. “People were collecting garbage voluntarily. Some even donated books to the library. I see all of these acts as acts of unity,” she shared.   

Maheshwaran, a protestor who celebrated New Year at the protest with his wife, shared that it was heartening to see all the communities uniting. “As a member of a minority community, we used to not speak up in fear. But today, I feel like I can speak up because I know someone will have my back. I feel like we have started to unite and come together, uniting for a common cause. My only hope is that this unity lasts forever.”