Who divisive legacy of Sri Lanka’s ?

Colombo, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka’s embattled President has resigned after fleeing to Singapore via the Maldives, bringing a dramatic end to the rule of the  for more than 20 years, leaving behind a country in deep political and economic crises., a 73-year-old retired military officer, was the eighth executive president of Sri Lanka.  younger brother of the family patriarch and former President Rajapaksa, who ruled Sri Lanka for two terms and also served as prime minister until he was forced to quit earlier this year. Rajapaksa’s nearly three-year rule  the worst in post-independence Sri Lanka for his failure to contain the worst economic meltdown the island has seen in decades.  of living and enormous shortages of fuel and other essential items triggered unprecedented protests in the country of 22 million people earlier this year, forcing him to flee the country and quit also faulted for reversing the country’s democratic gains by changing the constitution and giving himself sweeping powers after winning the presidency in 2019.  was hailed as a war hero who led a ruthless military offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil (LTTE) rebels demanding a separate state in northern Sri Lanka civil war ended in 2009, leaving thousands of Tamil rebels, civilians and soldiers dead. The offensive was led by  with Gotabaya serving as .  2019 Easter Sunday bombings in churches and hotels, Rajapaksa, until then a political novice, was elected as president on the plank of national security as he rode on anti-Muslim sentiment in the Buddhist-majority country 22-year-old IT undergraduate and resident of the eastern district of said he was a consistent visitor to the anti-government protest venue in the heart of Colombo, dubbed He () made people feel insecure, especially the ethnic and religious minorities. He divided the communities and was politically arrogant. He will be remembered as the most ineffective president who in a short time drove his country to bankruptcy, an unparalleled legacy,” told Al Jazeera.“Besides, he drove religious hatred and targeted Tamils and Muslims from time to time. He was the president of  majority, in his own words. But these Sinhalese Buddhists have now driven him out of office he said country in a state of chaos and without the affection he once received from a large majority of the people.“His refusal to accept advice and political immaturity contributed to his downfall. He wanted to run the country as a  the military, he lacked both strategy and pragmatism,” a  told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.“The constitutional amendment to undo democratic reforms showed his lack of respect for democratic institutions. His populist politics at the end could not contain a popular uprising against him.” Keenan, a senior consultant on Sri Lanka with the International Crisis Group, sayshas left behind “a shattered and much poorer country facing an economic collapse that threatens lives and has no easy or quick remedy”.“The racism and militarism and visions of a return to pre-colonial glories that won – and his  him – so much support  have proven unable to rescue the millions now struggling to find fuel and medicine or afford their next meal.Keenan hoped the  learn “lasting lessons about the dead-ends of authoritarian nationalism”, find “new political vehicles to carry forward  begun by the people’s struggle” and “hold to account – or push aside – Sri Lanka’s established political class”.“History does not offer many grounds  does bring surprises, like the implosion of a ruling dynasty that looked invincible less than two years ago,” he told Al Jazeera. Jesudasan, 41, from the  and a mother of three school-going children, said she joined the protesters for two reasons.“As a Tamil, I have only witnessed violence and discrimination targeting the community. My relatives living in the north have lost family members and have been looking for the missing since 2009,” she told Al Jazeera.“He is the president who denied us  had no interest in steering this country towards peace. In the past few months, he also robbed the future of the next generation and crippled the entire country,” she said retired school teacher from says he used to swear by  the two  able to bring the civil war to an end.“There was peace finally and people could move about freely without fear. But he had no plan beyond that and that is why Sri Lanka has now been declared bankrupt,” he told Al Jazeera.