美国国家公共电台 NPR--In Sri Lanka, inflation means food shortages, blackouts — and days-long lines for gas

In Sri Lanka, inflation means food shortages, blackouts — and days-long lines for gas

Transcript¹

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Instead of going to school, 12-year-old Susil Michael is guarding her family's car at a gas station in Sri Lanka's capital.

Her sisters and parents are all taking turns. They've been waiting in line to fill up their gas tank for four days, sleeping in their car. They're not actually allowed to refuel for another day – Sri Lanka has implemented² a gas rationing³ system based on license⁴ plates, similar to what parts of the United States did in the 1970s oil crisis – but the Michael family lined up early. There are thousands of cars and rickshaws in front of them.

"I don't like it. It's exhausting. It's hot and we can't afford food," Susil says.

Lots of countries are dealing⁵ with rising prices. Sri Lankans are among those suffering the most. Inflation in the Indian Ocean island nation now tops 60%. Food prices have nearly doubled. There are rolling blackouts, food shortages and political unrest.

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Sri Lanka was once a prosperous place

It's a sad turnaround for a country that until 2020 had been classified by the World Bank as an "upper middle income country." It was relatively⁶ prosperous, with nearly double the gross domestic product per capita of its neighbor India.

"Sri Lanka is going backward, because of those who have stolen our money," says Susil's father, Christopher Michael, an office temp worker who is 61. "Why did you mismanage the country?"

He blames the Rajapaksa family: Mahinda Rajapaksa was Sri Lanka's president from 2005 to 2015 and also served as prime minister three times – most recently, until May. His brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa was president from 2019 until last month.

Both brothers recently resigned their posts (Mahinda in May, Gotabaya in July) amid massive public protests accusing them of mismanaging the country's finances and driving its economy into the ground. (Sri Lanka's tourism-fueled economy was also devastated⁷ by a 2019 terror attack and the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Last month, protesters occupied the presidential palace – swimming in its pool, cooking meals in the kitchen – and then allegedly set fire to the prime minister's residence. (Politicians had evacuated⁸ before the demonstrators got there, and no one was hurt.)

After Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to Singapore last month, the country got a new president – veteran politician Ranil Wickremesinghe. He has the difficult task of trying to negotiate a bailout from the International Monetary⁹ Fund. But he's already unpopular and beleaguered¹⁰. (Wickremesinghe's office has not responded to multiple requests by NPR for an interview.)

As rolling blackouts and food shortages continue, Sri Lanka weighs IMF bailout

On Wednesday, Wickremesinghe gave his first presidential speech to parliament, in which he promised to meet some of the protesters' demands: to amend¹¹ the constitution to limit his own powers, and form an all-party government. He did not specify¹² a timeframe.

When economies collapse¹³, does nationalism surge?

When any economy collapses¹⁴, there are fears that nationalism, divisive populist politics or racism¹⁵ might surge. Sri Lanka is a predominantly Buddhist¹⁶ country (about 70%) with a delicate mix of minorities. It had a bloody¹⁷ 26-year civil war, which ended in 2009 – and the horrors of that are still raw. Deep divisions remain, and could be exploited.

But there's no evidence of that in Colombo's fuel lines.

"I've never felt such unity," says Akeel Azwar, 18, who is a Muslim – a minority community that's faced persecution¹⁸.

He describes how he was sleeping on the ground next to his motorbike, waiting for fuel – when a stranger in the gas line invited him to sleep in an air-conditioned car, instead. Rich and poor, Sinhala and Tamil, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian¹⁹, Hindu – they're all in this line, Azwar says.

All of the country's ethnic²⁰ and religious groups are also represented at a massive protest camp on the Galle Face Green – a park on Colombo's sprawling²¹ sea front where demonstrators have erected²² tents, first aid stations and a stage for musical acts and artists.

Clergy²³ act as human shields

This is where anger about Sri Lanka's economy has morphed into a political movement – which ousted²⁵ one president, and is now taking aim at another.

Some of the most iconic images from the monthslong protests are of clergy from Sri Lanka's different religions, marching arm in arm. Buddhist monks²⁷, Muslim imams and Catholic nuns²⁸ shared food to break the Ramadan fast together. Christian priests and Buddhist monks prayed in unison²⁹.

Alongside the protest tents, Meerawatte Kashyapa, a bald Buddhist monk²⁶ in a burgundy robe, is chanting in Sanskrit.

He's a forest monk, who normally spends his time meditating³⁰ under trees. A few months ago, he walked out of the forest and joined the anti-government protests.

"We are like brothers and sisters here," Kashyapa, 52, says. "Some Catholic nuns joined, too, and together we decided³¹ to act as human shields for the protesters."

He's describing what happened on the night of July 22, when the military moved in to try to oust²⁴ protesters from the Galle Face Green area. Clashes erupted.

The monk points to scars on his neck. He says soldiers attacked him with some sort of cable or whip.

A violent message to the majority

The Rajapaksas followed a Buddhist nationalist political ideology³². Throughout the civil war, and also in recent years, Sri Lankans grew accustomed to seeing the state use violence against minorities.

But "it's shocking when a Buddhist monk is assaulted," says Shreen Sarour, a human rights activist³³ who's frequented the protests. "It sends a message to the Sinhala Buddhist majority that they are not immune. People really felt that their children had been attacked."

Attacking protesters may be one way the Rajapaksas and their successor Wickremesinghe have sought to impose order. But Sarour predicts it'll backfire, by uniting protesters more.

For his part, the monk Kashyapa is undeterred. He vows³⁴ to stay at the camp on Galle Face Green – meditating and protesting – until the economic crisis is over.

But others can't do that. They've got to head back to the fuel line.

The fuel line as the great leveler

As darkness falls over Colombo, thousands of people prepare to spend yet another night sleeping in their cars, waiting for fuel. But one recent evening, a cheer goes up through the crowd at one gas station. The street lights have just flashed on, after a blackout that lasted hours. People erupt in celebration.

"Irrespective of your social status, irrespective of your income level, you have to stand in the queue. It's unifying³⁵!" says W.A. Wijewardena, former deputy governor of Sri Lanka's central bank.

The former bank official himself recently spent 50 hours in line to buy 20 liters of gasoline.

"Nobody knew who I was, and therefore they freely spoke³⁶ to me. We shared food also! Because when you stand in the queue for 10 hours, it's a unifying element!" Wijewardena says. "There are many different people."

Across Sri Lanka, there are many different people waiting in line for gas. They're also waiting for solutions to a crisis that's brought their country to its knees. And many fear that wait could last several more months, or even years.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

3 rationing   

n.定量供应

参考例句：

• Wartime austerities included food rationing and shortage of fuel. 战时的艰苦包括食物配给和燃料短缺。
• Food rationing was abolished in that country long ago. 那个国家早就取消了粮食配给制。

4 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

5 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

7 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

8 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

9 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

10 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

12 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

13 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

14 collapses   

折叠( collapse的第三人称单数 )； 倒塌； 崩溃； （尤指工作劳累后）坐下

参考例句：

• This bridge table collapses. 这张桥牌桌子能折叠。
• Once Russia collapses, the last chance to stop Hitler will be gone. 一旦俄国垮台，抑止希特勒的最后机会就没有了。

15 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

16 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

17 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

18 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

19 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

20 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

21 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

22 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

23 clergy   

n.[总称]牧师，神职人员

参考例句：

• I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望，我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
• All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。

24 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

25 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

26 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

27 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 nuns   

n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ah Q had always had the greatest contempt for such people as little nuns. 小尼姑之流是阿Q本来视如草芥的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Nuns are under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. 修女须立誓保持清贫、贞洁、顺从。 来自辞典例句

29 unison   

n.步调一致，行动一致

参考例句：

• The governments acted in unison to combat terrorism.这些国家的政府一致行动对付恐怖主义。
• My feelings are in unison with yours.我的感情与你的感情是一致的。

30 meditating   

a.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

31 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

32 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

33 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

34 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

35 unifying   

使联合( unify的现在分词 )； 使相同； 使一致； 统一

参考例句：

• In addition, there were certain religious bonds of a unifying kind. 此外，他们还有某种具有一种统一性质的宗教上的结合。
• There is a unifying theme, and that is the theme of information flow within biological systems. 我们可以用一个总的命题，把生物学系统内的信息流来作为这一研究主题。

36 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。