Asia | Into the ground

Sri Lanka’s government is stoking inflation and indignation

Mismanagement has compounded the harm done by covid and commodity prices

|COLOMBO

WHEN GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA became president of Sri Lanka in 2019, he inherited an economy in bad shape. Terrorist attacks and political crises had hit the country hard. Growth was at its lowest since 2001. Tourist arrivals—a big source of foreign currency—were down by nearly a fifth after steadily rising for a decade.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Into the ground”

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From the March 19th 2022 edition

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