Bankrupt State, Sri Lanka Asks Migrants to Send Money to Buy Food

COLOMBO, KOMPAS.com – Sri Lanka urged its citizens overseas to send money to the country to help buy basic needs and fuel on Wednesday (13/4/2022).

The insistence was issued by Sri Lanka’s central bank after the island nation went bankrupt and announced a default on its US$51 billion (Rp 732 trillion) foreign debt.

Sri Lanka is currently in the grip of its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, as reported by AFP.

Read also: Foreign Exchange Ludes, Sri Lanka Failed to Pay All Foreign Debts Worth 732 Trillion

In recent days, the country has had a severe shortage of essential goods and power cuts.

Protests also took place demanding the government of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down due to soaring prices of basic necessities.

Central bank governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said he needed overseas immigrants and the diaspora to support the country at a critical time by contributing much-needed foreign exchange.

Weerasinghe made the call after the Sri Lankan government announced a suspension of all foreign debt payments.

Read also: Sri Lankan doctors forced to work without electricity and medicine due to crisis: like a nightmare

The government will disburse money to replenish the dwindling supply of fuel, medicine and other necessities.

Weerasinghe said he had set up bank accounts for donations in the US, UK and Germany.

He also promised Sri Lankan nomads abroad that the donation money would be spent on what was most needed.

“The foreign currency will be used only for imports of basic necessities, including food, fuel and medicine,” Weerasinghe said in a statement.

Read also: Sri Lanka Update: Post-wave of Protests, Parliament to Hold Government Destiny Meeting

Weerasinghe’s call has so far been met with skepticism from Sri Lankans overseas.

“We don’t mind helping, but we can’t trust the government with our money,” a Sri Lankan doctor in Australia told AFPwho asked not to be named.

A Sri Lankan software engineer in Canada is also unsure that the money will go to those in need.

He is worried that the government will misuse the funds, as happened when Sri Lanka was hit by the tsunami in 2004.

At that time, most of the foreign money donations intended for victims reportedly ended up in the pockets of politicians, including the current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Read also: All Sri Lankan Ministers Resign After Protests Break Out Nationwide

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