Mild praise for Sri Lanka's stability in a world marred by chaos and instability

The Economist has given something to the NPP to brag about in Colombo’s social circles.

- BY RAJAN PHILIPS

The journal's latest number (September 6th) has a piece on Sri Lanka entitled, “Grace Period.” It is a characteristically objective piece but one that includes the acknowledgement that the first of Sri Lanka’s three cravings — “political stability, economic growth and national reconciliation” — is in place “at least for now.” The acknowledgement is significant when seen in light of the island’s years of turmoil and the current turmoil that is encircling practically every country in the world that The Economist picks for its weekly and always well informed comment.

The US leads everyone else in the chaos meter, perhaps only as a superpower could or rather should not. Many others are not too far behind. The Gaullist system in France, which Sri Lanka mistakenly chose to emulate, is yet again in trouble for want of a Prime Minister who can be acceptable to a deeply unpopular President and a hopelessly divided parliament. Across the channel, the British parliamentary system cannot quite help out the bumbling Labour Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, who has somehow managed to burn up the massive electoral goodwill that he won before a year is even over. You can go from country to country, and you will see Nepal in your own front yard literally in flames.