Thread by @rohini_mohan

Scarcity and government inaction have galvanised Sri Lankans like never before. After a week of angry protests, thousands converged on Saturday (Apr 9) in Colombo's Galle Face Green, in what at times felt like a carnival of hope. #SriLankaCrisis
straitstimes.com/asia/south-asi…

"The mood in Sri Lanka has changed. Everyone is fed up of the Rajapaksas. Even me, who voted for him," said Theshan Fernando, 26, a civil engineer & alumnus of the 136-year-old Ananda College, where many of the Rajapaksas went to school. #SriLankaProtests

In 2019, Mr Fernando campaigned and raised funds with the Ananda old boys' association to elect the President. But now, he is "ashamed of the President" for having failed to fix the country's worst economic crisis. #SriLankaCrisis

Aside from the huge weekend protest at Galle Face, small and large groups have gathered to protest across the island nation, frustrated with hour-long diesel queues, long blackouts and business losses.
This is a diesel queue in Kosgama on Apr 8:

Unseasonal rain lashed the streets of Colombo on Saturday, but thousands kept trickling in, with people staying several hours or all weekend, waving flags, chanting and singing cheeky songs mocking the country's leaders.
"The fear has left us," said a baker.

One Sinhala slogan called the Prez by his first name, Nandasena, which he famously dislikes for its ordinariness (the grander Gotabaya is his middle name): Nande nande, mé ahanna, Salli deela, gedara yanna -- Nande Nande, listen here, give our money & go home! #SriLankaProtests

Seeing the swell of first-time protesters over the past week, lawyers, historians & human rights activists have held "teach-outs" at Independence Square on constitutional issues & history of demands from marginalised groups in Sri Lanka. #SriLankaCrisis @shamara4w @CPASL

"Ordinary people are now talking about executive presidency & human rights that were once considered elite, NGO-issues," said Sanal Wanniarachchi of @generation_sl that live-streamed workshops, did factchecks of online disinfo, fought the use of Internet jammers at protest venues

Fuel shortages, import bans and blackouts have erased class differences for the moment and united a once-polarised #SriLanka
This is the family of a Srilankan army officer. "The president doesn't deserve to call himself a war hero!" the 19-yr-old said. #SriLankaProtests

"We have always felt alone because the Sinhalese community was quiet even when the government didn't allow Muslims to bury our dead during Covid-19, but now we feel united and safe," said this snack maker aged 61, joyful as a young woman gave him dates & water to break his fast.

Giving water bottles to protesters, Stephan Mishael, 24, (blue shirt) began to sob. The Tamil computer science graduate lost his father on Jan 31 & is struggling to help his mother, a nanny, & run their family business. Others bear-hugged him. #SriLankaProtests @stephanmishael

Some like Mr Dinesh Fernando, 48, who runs an old age home, wondered aloud if “the elite would disappear from protests once the electricity is back”. He was distributing free coriander tea to rain-soaked demonstrators.
#SriLankaCrisis #SriLankaProtests

It was a moment to which people brought their kids, because they felt safe. #SriLankaProtests #SriLankaCrisis

Protests went on all night, new rallies, new demonstrators, new songs. The energy was electric. I'll admit it was odd at 1st to see people so HAPPY during bad times. Maybe #SriLankaProtests is a much-needed carnival of hope & unity. Now to sustain the mood for reform, many said