LifeInBitesAndBytes

Fool Me Twice: Sri Lanka’s Never-Ending Election Rerun

As Sri Lankans, we have lived through a momentous period in our history, a time when people, fueled by frustration, united against corruption and nepotism, stood shoulder to shoulder, and with a thunderous roar, chased away a president we deemed unworthy of office. We protested, rallied, and pushed back the political elites, telling them in no uncertain terms: “You have ruined enough! Get lost!”

The sweet victory of those days, when the sun of a “new era” seemed to dawn over our humble island. We patted ourselves on the back, thinking we had done it. The corrupt were gone, the honest and pure were surely waiting in the wings, and democracy would rise from the ashes.

Fast forward a few years, and… SURPRISE! (Or not…) Here we are again, like clockwork, at the same exact spot we thought we had moved past. But instead of reflecting and learning, we have hit the rewind button and are now sprinting back to elect the same politicians we once kicked out. Seriously, is it just me, or does it feel like we have been trapped in an eternal election rerun?

But wait, there’s more! Now, we are dealing with candidates who are not even trying to win! Oh yes, that is a thing. These candidates are like the political trolls of Sri Lanka. They show up, grab a mic, and their entire campaign strategy is to point fingers, blame others, and bring down the competition. It is the same script every time: “You did this, you ruined that, your time in office was a disaster!” And we sit there like we are watching a live reality TV show. One guy’s whole platform is just to sabotage the other guy’s PR campaign. He is not even pretending to care about winning, but hey, let us all tune in to the mudslinging festival. It is ridiculous, yet somehow, here we are again.
Somehow, political debates have turned into schoolyard arguments. The candidates are like children pointing fingers at each other: “During your period, the economy tanked!” “Well, you caused that crisis when you were in power!” “You built roads, but at what cost?” And let us not forget the classic, “Well, at least I didn’t do what YOU did!” It is as if the only real goal of some candidates is to drag the others down, not to lift the country.

Meanwhile, our people, in the true spirit of enthusiasm, have turned their houses into full-blown political war rooms. Auntie Sumana’s humble home is now Headquarters for Party X. Cousin Nimal’s house is basically a 24/7 campaign center, with posters plastered on the gates and banners flapping in the wind. The kitchen is where fierce arguments brew over which candidate will “save the country” while folks sip tea and munch on a coconut roti.

Let us pause here for a moment of reality check: Does anyone else see the irony? The same faces. The same promises. The same hollow speeches delivered with polished charisma. And we? We are back to cheering for them, fighting with neighbors and colleagues, swearing on Facebook, and furiously waving party flags like it is the World Cup finals. And, just like before, people are now divided. Arguments break out, family dinners turn into mini-debates, and friendships crumble under the weight of “Who’s the right candidate?” People are so deep in their political fandom that they act like the candidate they support is their personal savior.

Here is the punchline. At the end of the day, it is the same old story. Whether they win or lose, they are all dancing to the same tune behind the scenes. It doesn’t matter who gets elected. They will be stuck playing the same game, adhering to the same agendas that keep the status quo intact. The reality is, while we bicker and divide ourselves over these candidates, they are all cut from the same cloth.
But how do we fall for the show? The promises, the insults, the grand speeches, and the dramatic accusations. It is all part of the performance. Behind the scenes, the system remains untouched. The candidates might swap seats, but the broken machinery runs on. We are so quick to forget the lessons of the past and keep falling for the same tricks. It is like we have collectively hit the snooze button on political awareness. So here we go again, making enemies of our fellow citizens and converting our houses into campaign battlegrounds for politicians who are, let us face it, just going to pull the same stunts as before.

Isn’t it time we took a step back? I mean, really look at the bigger picture. Maybe if we stop looking at them as saviors and more like employees (that is what they are, aren’t they?), we would realize something, it is not about who we vote in. It is about what they do after. But until we as a country stop falling for the shiny distractions, we will be trapped in this endless loop.
So, my fellow Sri Lankans, as you get ready for yet another round of political troubles, remember, that the faces may change, but the game remains the same. Just don’t be too surprised when we are back in the streets, yelling “Get lost!” again in a few years. Until then, let us at least enjoy the drama. It makes for great neighborhood gossip.