Features

TThe Supreme Physician

Published

9 months ago

2025/08/24

Thilina Walpola

The ancient hospital at Mahintale (Mihintale).

The Buddha on Sickness, Health and Nursing

During the Buddha’s lifetime he was given numerous epithets in recognition of his outstanding qualities. Some of these include the Happy One, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Lord of Creatures, King of Truth, Teacher, etc. One of the most interesting of these epithets, found in several places in the Tipitaka, is the Supreme Physician (anuttaro bhisakko). It is usually thought that this refers to the Buddha’s ability to soothe and ultimately heal the afflictions of samsara – birth, death and rebirth, greed, hatred and delusion. Certainly, this is how many people during his lifetime thought of it. For example, the brahman Pingiyani said:

“Just as a skilled physician might quickly cure someone ailing, sick and seriously ill, whenever one hears the different aspects of the good Gotama’s Dhamma, all grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair disappear.”

The Paramatajotika put it like this: “The Buddha is like a skilled physician in that he is able to heal the sickness of the defilements.” While these and similar comparisons are legitimate, they are only part of the reason the Buddha was equated with and praised as being a skilled and compassionate physician. He also had interesting, insightful and practical things to say about doctoring and nursing, sickness, health, and healing in the conventional sense.

With primitive sanitary arrangements and large numbers of people living in close proximity to each other, particularly in cities, sicknesses of all kinds were a part of everyday life in the Buddha’s India. Some of those mentioned in the Tipitaka include jaundice, fever, ulcers, cough, hay fever, diabetes (madhumehika, literally honey urine), and leprosy. There is a description of the monk Kokaila having boils or pustules (phota) break out all over his body which gradually became bigger until they ruptured, discharging pus and blood, and causing him to die, which is a good description of smallpox.

The Buddha mentioned a man “whose testicles were like pots” which is a common symptom of filariasis, a condition caused by a roundworm transmitted by several species of mosquitos. Another manifestation of this condition is elephantiasis (sipada) which causes the legs to become grotesquely swollen. The ancients were aware of sicknesses that run in families (bandhukaroga), chronic illnesses (anusayuka) and epidemics, or what the Carakasaṃhita referred to as “the destruction of a whole districts” (janapada uddhvamsa).

What might be one of the few mentions in the Tipitaka of such occurrences was when Ananda informed the Buddha that a monk, a nun and ten lay disciples had recently died in Nadaka, one of the outer suburb of Vesali. The Jataka mentions a family afflicted by a disease known as snake-wind sickness (ahivataka) and despairing that there was little hope of survival, the mother urged her son to knock a hole in the wall of the house and crawl out, thereby avoiding the malevolent disease-causing spirit haunting the threshold and giving him at least a chance to survive. A later text says snake-wind sickness was one of two afflictions caused by evil spirits and would sometimes affect whole districts, while the second, mandalaka, would kill the whole family of the person it first struck. Some modern scholars have theorized that this affliction might have been malaria.

That the Buddha had at least five synonyms for sickness (roga, abadha, vyadhi, atanka, gilana) and that he was able to list nearly 50 diseases and infirmities suggests that good health was not common during his time. In fact, he opined that it would be rare, even impossible, for someone to get through life without being affected by at least some sickness.

The Buddha nursing the sick monk.

Contrary to popular misconception, the Buddha did not claim that all physical conditions, including injury and illnesses, were necessarily caused by past kamma. He mentioned at least eight causes of sickness of which only one was kamma; the others being a disorder in the bile (pitta), in the phlegm (semha), in the wind (vata), a disorder due to all three together (sannipata), seasonal changes (utuparinama), carelessness (visamaparihara) and external events (opakkamika, such as accidents and natural disasters. On other occasions he mentioned that an improper diet and overeating can likewise make one ill. Significantly, he did not include evil spirits as a cause of diseases.

The Buddha recognized two types of illness – physical and psychological – saying that while it might be possible to find someone who had never been sick in body, only those who had attained awakening (bodhi) could be said to be truly psychologically healthy. However, here we will focus on the first of these types of illness.

The Buddha defined health (arogya) as “having well-being and good digestion, not over-cold or over-hot, and balanced so as to be capable of activity.” He encouraged his disciples to cherish their health and take steps to maintain it and lauded good health as a real blessing, as something desirables, a great gain, and a wonderful opportunity to practice the Dhamma. He acknowledged that it would certainly be possible to live by the Dhamma despite being sick and with the resolution: “Though my body is sick my mind shall not be sick” but being healthy would make it many times easier.

As disease and sickness with non-kammic causes can respond to medical intervention the Buddha saw the physician’s role as a vital one. He said: “Indeed, those who care for the sick are of great benefit [to others]” (api ca gilanupaṭṭhaka bahupakara). Consequently, his Dhamma is replete with information pertaining to the treatment of the sick. Because the Tipitaka predates the separation and specialization of the medical profession as presented in early Ayurvedic treatises such as the Susrutasamhita and the Carakasamhita, it rarely makes a distinction between the physician or doctor (bhisakka or vejja) and the nurse (gilanupatthaka). During the Buddha’s time the doctor probably performed all the functions in the sick room, including that of nursing the patient. So the Buddha offered this advice to the physician/nurse:

“Possessing five qualities, one who nurses the sick is fit to do so. What are the five? He can prepare the medicine. He knows what is good and what is not. What is good he offers, and what is not he does not. He nurses the sick out of love, not out of hope for gain. He is unmoved by excrement, urine, vomit and spittle. And from time to time, he can instruct, delight, inspire and uplift the sick with talk on Dhamma.”

Of the five points mentioned here the first concern the physician’s responsibility to be fully trained in and skillful in the administration of drugs, given that some drugs can be dangerous if not prescribed properly. The second point is perhaps equivalent to the Hippocratic Oath’s stipulation; that the physician shall never do anything to harm a patient, even if asked to do so. The third point counsels the physician to have a benevolent attitude to patients and put their welfare above personal gain. The fourth point reminds the physician that at times it might be necessary to deal with the loathsome aspects of the human body and that he or she should do this with detachment, both for his or her own mental balance and so as not to embarrass or humiliate the patient. The fifth and final stipulation is a recognition of the fact that spiritual counseling and comfort can have a part to play in healing and that the physician or caregiver needs to have at least some abilities in this area.

The Buddha made it a rule that his monks should not practice medicine, although as will be mentioned below, they were expected to look after their fellows when sick, and this may have sometimes required going beyond just nursing to diagnosing the affliction and dispensing the appropriate medicine. Why would the Buddha have forbidden his monks doing something that is so often associated with compassion and kindness? The answer lies in the purpose and goal of the monastic vocation – to realize awakening and to teach others how to realize it. Beyond this, monks and nuns were discouraged from getting involved in worldly pursuits. Monastics who practiced medicine would soon find themselves being often called upon for their services and have little time for doing what they became monastics for. Nonetheless, in later centuries it was common for monks to act as doctors but this was a departure from the Buddha’s original vision for the monastic life.

The Buddha recognized that even the most experienced physician could not cure every affliction and therefore that different patients would have different prognosis. He observed:

The Chinese physician Sun Simiao

“There are these three types of patients to be found in the world. There is the patient who, whether or not he obtains the proper diet, medicines and nursing, will not recover from his illness. Then there is the patient who, whether or not he obtains the proper diet, medicines, and nursing, will recover from his sickness anyway. Lastly there is the patient who will recover from his illness only if he gets the proper diet, medicines and nursing. It is for this last type of patient that proper diet, medicine and nursing should be prescribed, but the others should be looked after also.”

Apart from being an astute and clear-eyed observation these recommendations contain something of major importance; the Buddha’s last point. Susruta, the father of Indian medicine, advised the physician not to treat a patient who is likely to die so as to avoid being blamed for their death. In contrast, the Buddha said patients should be treated and nursed even if they were going to die. This is probably the earliest inkling of what today is called palliative care. While the ethical principles Susruta taught were of a high order, on this point the Buddha was superior and ahead of his time.

The Buddha was aware that while medical intervention is crucial for the restoration of health, the patient’s attitude and behavior also has a part to play and he had something to say about this too.

“Possessed of five qualities, a sick person is of much help to himself. What five? He knows what medicine is good for him. He knows the right measure in his treatment; he takes the medicine as prescribed. He describes his illness to the nurse who cares for him out of kindness, saying, ‘It comes like this.’ ‘It goes like this.’ ‘When it is there it is like this. And he endures the various pains of the sickness.”

Once again, this is practical, common-sense advice and suggests that patients should have some role to play in the healing process.

The Buddha did not just talk about ministering to the sick, on one occasion he did just that. Once he and Ananda washed and comforted a monk who had been neglected by his fellow monks and left lying in his own excrement; a horrible and humiliating condition to be in. Having tended to this monk’s needs the Buddha called the other monks together and in measured but firm words scolded them for their neglect of one of their fellows and ended by saying: “If you would minister to me, minister the sick” (yo bhikkhave mam upattaheyya so gilanam upatthahissati). And it wasn’t just his monastics he encouraged to look after those they had a relationship with but his lay disciples too. An employer should, he said, look after his underlings when they are sick and the mistress of a house should carefully monitor the strengths and weakness of servants and workers when they fall ill.

Recent research has shown that regular visits by loved ones and friends to hospital patients is a crucial component in their recovery. It is not surprising therefore to find that the Buddha always found the time to visit his monastic and lay disciples when they were ill. During such visits he would inquire about how the patient was going to let them know his concern for their welfare, asking: “I hope you are managing and getting better. I hope there are signs that the discomfort is declining and not increasing.” Inspired by this, monks and nuns followed his example. Hearing that the monk Channa was critically ill Sariputta went to check on him only to find that he was in such pain that he was seriously thinking of killing himself. Shocked by this Sariputta cried:

“Don’t kill yourself Channa. Live! I want you to live. If you don’t have suitable food I will get it for you. If you don’t have the right medicine, I will get it for you. If you don’t have proper care I will take care of you. Do not kill yourself. Live! I want you to live.”

Because of the seriousness of the situation Sâriputta responded with more than just his presence and expressions of sympathy – he undertook to provide Channa with practical help. As for the lay disciples, the Buddha instructed them how to console their sick fellow disciples so as to lessen any fear or anxiety they might have. Thus, when it seemed that Nakulapita’s condition might be terminal his wife assured him that should he die, she would be able to manage alone, thus easing his worry about her fate as a widow.

Later, when Nakulapita recovered, he recounted to the Buddha how his wife had so lovingly nursed him through his sickness. The Buddha told him how blessed he was to have a wife “with compassion for you, desiring your welfare, to counsel and mentor you.”

It is hard to know what influence the Buddha’s exhortation and example had on medical care in India and the lands where Buddhism spread because of the many gaps in the records. But we do know that the Buddha’s words were long remembered and often referred to in later Buddhist texts. An important Mahayana work translated into Chinese in the third century and still popular in China, the Brahmajala Sutra, paraphrases his words about caring for the sick:

“If a disciple of the Buddha sees anyone who is sick, he should provide for that person’s needs as if he were making an offering to the Buddha.” The 6^th century Chinese physician Sun Simiao was so famous he came to be identified with Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha of Mahayana. In his influential Beiji qianjin yaofang he explained the attitude physicians should maintain towards those who came to them for help.

“If someone needs help because they are ill or because they are in some way afflicted, a great physician should take no account to status, wealth, or age; he should not bother whether the sick person is beautiful or ugly, an enemy or a friend, Chinese or a foreigner, or finally, whether he is learned or ignorant. He should regard everyone as equal and act towards everyone as he would himself. Desiring nothing for himself, disregarding all obstacles and not thinking of himself, he will be able to save a life out of compassion.”

Centuries later the author of the Saddhammopayana, a Sri Lankan work from the 12^th century, wrote something similar:

“Nursing the sick was much praised by the Great Compassionate One and is it a wonder that he would do so? For the Sage sees the welfare of others as his own and thus, that he should act as a benefactor is no surprise. This is why attending to the sick has been praised by the Buddha. One practicing great virtue should have loving concern for others.”

As for hospitals, when the Chinese pilgrim Faxian was in India in the fifth century he wrote this of the Buddhists of Pataliputra.

“The nobles and householders of the country have established hospitals within the city to which the poor, the destitute, cripples and the sick of all districts come. They are freely given help. Physicians diagnose their diseases and prescribe for them the correct food, drink, medicine and treatment that will restore their health. When they are cured they depart whenever they like.”

The ruins of ancient hospitals have been found throughout Sri Lanka. One attached to the monastery of Mahintale (Mihintale) for example, was founded in the ninth century and had 31 rooms built around a courtyard in which there was a shrine. Excavations revealed a medicinal bath, jars for storing medicines, grindstones for grinding them and surgical instruments.

When religion meets illness the miraculous is sometimes close by, particularly if the illness is chronic or judged to be incurable. Some of history’s great religious personalities are credited with having healed physical ailments through divine power. Whether or not such claims are true is difficult to say. Certainly, the claims of modern faith healers have all too often proved to have been at best exaggerated and at worst fraudulent, today’s high-profile ‘televangelists’ in the United States being an example of this. And more than a century of careful scientific study of faith healing has so far produced very little evidence of its effectiveness.

This raises the question of whether the Buddha had miraculous healing powers and that he healed people with them. As mentioned above, he frequently visited those who were sick and it is reported that some of them recovered sometime afterwards. Given that sound scientific research shows that patients spend less time in hospitals when visited by loved ones and concerned friends, this is hardly surprising. But the four Nikayas do not mention how soon after a visit from the Buddha a patient recovered and nor is there any suggestion in them that their recovery was somehow miraculous. This tells us something interesting about early Buddhism’s understanding of causes and cures of disease and something about the general character of his Dhamma as well.

Bhante S. Dhammika of Australia ✍️

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Features

Sri Lanka’s vanishing wetlands put elusive otter under growing threat

Published

19 hours ago

2026/06/2

Sahan Weerasooriya

International Eurasian Otter Workshop-Colchester, United Kingdom

The world marked World Otter Day 2026 recently. Conservationists are warning that Sri Lanka’s rapidly disappearing wetlands, polluted waterways and unplanned development are placing increasing pressure on one of the island’s most elusive freshwater predators, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra).

The species, locally known as “Diya Balla”, is the only otter found in Sri Lanka and is regarded as a key indicator of healthy freshwater ecosystems. Yet despite its ecological importance, experts say the animal remains poorly studied and largely overlooked in national conservation planning.

Naturalist and conservationist Chaminda Jayasekara, who has spent years documenting otters in Sri Lanka, said the species is facing mounting environmental pressures across the island.

Speaking to The Island, Jayasekara said habitat destruction, chemical pollution, road kills, sand mining, and increasing human disturbance are fragmenting the waterways on which otters depend.

“Otters are extremely sensitive animals. When wetlands are degraded or rivers become polluted, they disappear very quickly. Their survival is directly linked to the health of freshwater ecosystems,” he said.

Jayasekara, who specialised in MSc Environmental Management at the University of Hertfordshire, noted that while the species has been recorded across Sri Lanka’s wet zone, dry zone and coastal wetlands, scientific data on population numbers and distribution remain limited.

According to him, the decline of wetlands has become one of the most serious environmental issues facing Sri Lanka. Marshes, mangroves, irrigation tanks and riverine habitats are increasingly being altered by urban expansion, tourism infrastructure, encroachment and agricultural runoff.

He warns that the loss of these habitats not only threatens otters, but also weakens flood control systems, freshwater security and biodiversity resilience at a time when climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent.

Jayasekara said otters play a vital ecological role by helping maintain balanced fish populations and healthy aquatic ecosystems.

“When otters thrive, it tells us the river system is functioning properly. Their presence is a sign that water quality, fish diversity and habitat conditions remain healthy,” he explained.

One of the best-known locations for otter sightings in Sri Lanka is Aranga Pond, within the Horton Plains National Park, where the species has adapted to the island’s cold montane ecosystem.

However, conservationists stress that even protected areas are not immune to broader environmental degradation occurring outside park boundaries.

Jayasekara’s own work on otters gained prominence through long-term conservation efforts at Jetwing Vil Uyana, where a former degraded chena landscape was restored into a functioning wetland ecosystem.

The restored habitat eventually attracted Eurasian otters, fishing cats, grey slender lorises and numerous wetland bird species.

Over 14 years, Jayasekara carried out field observations, camera trapping and awareness programmes involving hotel staff, surrounding schools and local communities.

“What happened at Vil Uyana clearly showed that habitat restoration works. If degraded ecosystems are given time to recover, wildlife can return naturally,” he said.

He added that wetland restoration should become a central component of Sri Lanka’s environmental policy, particularly as climate change intensifies droughts, floods and biodiversity loss.

Chaminda collecting scat for research purposes in Sigiriya

He says wetlands are among the planet’s most productive ecosystems, functioning as natural water filters and carbon sinks while providing breeding grounds for fish, amphibians and aquatic mammals.

Yet globally, wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate, and Sri Lanka is no exception.

Conservation groups have repeatedly warned that illegal waste disposal, pesticide contamination and poorly planned infrastructure projects are severely affecting freshwater ecosystems throughout the country.

Jayasekara also highlighted the importance of stronger environmental education and community participation in conservation.

“Awareness is still very limited. Many people living close to wetlands do not realise the ecological importance of otters or the threats they face,” he said.

According to him, involving local communities in conservation monitoring is essential if Sri Lanka hopes to safeguard the species in the long term.

He also pointed to the growing international interest in otter conservation.

In November 2025, Jayasekara represented Sri Lanka at the International Eurasian Otter Conservation Workshop held at Colchester Zoo and organised by the International Otter Survival Fund.

The workshop brought together nearly 100 researchers, conservationists and wildlife experts from 33 countries to discuss emerging threats facing Eurasian otter populations.

Jayasekara presented Sri Lanka’s experience under the theme Rewilding Through Hospitality, focusing on how habitat restoration and sustainable tourism practices at Vil Uyana contributed to otter conservation.

“The international response was extremely encouraging. Many delegates were surprised that a tourism property in Sri Lanka had quietly carried out wetland conservation work for more than a decade,” he said.

Discussions at the workshop also examined wider environmental concerns including river pollution, declining fish stocks, illegal killings and habitat fragmentation affecting otter populations across Europe and Asia.

New conservation technologies such as AI-assisted wildlife tracking and environmental DNA surveys were also highlighted as emerging tools for monitoring elusive species.

Jayasekara said Sri Lanka urgently requires more scientific surveys, stronger environmental law enforcement and greater investment in freshwater conservation research.

He warned that unless wetlands and waterways are protected, several lesser-known freshwater species could face severe decline in the coming decades.

Environmentalists say otter conservation should not be viewed in isolation but as part of a broader effort to protect entire freshwater ecosystems that millions of Sri Lankans depend on for drinking water, irrigation and livelihoods.

He further noted that healthy wetlands also strengthen climate resilience by absorbing floodwaters, reducing soil erosion and supporting groundwater recharge.

As Sri Lanka experiences increasingly erratic weather patterns linked to climate change, conservationists argue that protecting wetlands is becoming both an ecological and economic necessity.

Jayasekara believes Sri Lanka still has an opportunity to become a regional example in balancing tourism, biodiversity conservation and habitat restoration.

“The otter teaches us an important lesson,” he said. “If rivers are protected and wetlands are respected, nature has an incredible ability to recover.”

This year’s observance of World Otter Day 2026 is, therefore, serving not only as a celebration of one of the world’s most charismatic mammals, but also as a reminder of the urgent need to conserve the fragile freshwater ecosystems upon which both wildlife and human communities ultimately depend.

Eurasian otter

By Ifham Nizam

Features

Malaiyaha Tamil people: Healing the Oldest Wound of Independence

Published

19 hours ago

2026/06/2

Sahan Weerasooriya

Hands of a Maliayaha tea estate worker

In their Vesak messages this year, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya highlighted the values of reconciliation, coexistence and justice as essential to Sri Lanka’s future. President Dissanayake emphasised that Buddhism’s teachings remain deeply relevant to contemporary society and described Vesak as a symbol of “mutual understanding, unity and coexistence among all communities” and of reconciliation itself. Prime Minister Amarasuriya similarly called for the building of a society in which justice is assured to all irrespective of caste, race or religion. These messages were not merely religious aspirations, they were a direct challenge to the most serious failures in Sri Lanka’s post-independence history. These include the three-decade-long war, its human rights violations and the inability to implement a political solution.

These have been and continue to be the challenges that have prevented Sri Lanka from reaching its full potential. Added to this have been the persistence of social and economic inequalities that continue to marginalise communities at the bottom of the social hierarchy. One of the most enduring examples of such injustice is the experience of the Malaiyaha Tamil community. The scale of the original exclusion is worth understanding clearly. According to the 1946 Census, the Malaiyaha Tamil community numbered approximately 780,600 persons and constituted 11.73 percent of the country’s population making them the second largest ethnic community, larger than the Sri Lankan Tamil community who numbered 733,700 or 11.02 percent of the population at the time

The denial of citizenship and voting rights to the Malaiyaha Tamil community was the first major injustice inflicted on an ethnic minority in post-independence Sri Lanka. The consequences were devastating and long-lasting. A community that had contributed enormously to the country’s economy through its labour on the plantations was excluded from political participation and denied basic rights. This was a political and moral failure that cast a long shadow over the country’s post-independence history. Responsibility for that injustice needs to be shared widely. Political leaders across ethnic lines failed to resist it. The result was the marginalisation of a community whose contribution to national prosperity far exceeded the recognition it received. Today, nearly eight decades later, Sri Lanka has an opportunity to correct that historic wrong but only if economic reform is matched by genuine social inclusion.

Longstanding Grievances

The NPP government has repeatedly acknowledged the need to address the longstanding grievances of the Malaiyaha Tamil people. In its election manifesto, the NPP pledged to improve living conditions in plantation areas, strengthen land and housing rights, ensure equal access to education and public services, and integrate plantation communities more fully into national development. The NPP’s Nuwara Eliya Declaration of 2023 similarly recognised that the plantation community had suffered generations of exclusion and promised measures to address disparities in housing, land ownership, infrastructure, education and economic opportunity. The need for such action is plain to see. While citizenship issues have largely been resolved over time, the socio-economic consequences of decades of exclusion remain deeply entrenched and continue to shape daily life in plantation communities. A conference organised by the Institute of Social Development to mark International Tea Day on May 21 at the BMICH brought out this and many other salient issues. Headed by P Muthulingam the organisation has advocated for the rights of the Malaiyaha Tamil people for the past 35 years to be equal citizens who enjoy social and economic justice.

The central problem facing many plantation workers is the low level of income they receive. Daily wages remain among the lowest in the country relative to the difficulty and intensity of the work. Plantation labour continues to depend heavily on methods that have changed little over generations. Productivity remains low compared to competing tea-producing countries — not because workers lack capability, but because sustained investment in their welfare, skills and economic mobility has been withheld. Workers consequently remain trapped in a cycle of low wages and limited economic mobility. Their housing situation compounds these difficulties. Many plantation families continue to live in housing owned either by plantation companies or the state. Lack of secure ownership limits their ability to accumulate assets, access credit or make independent decisions regarding their future. When Cyclone Ditwah damaged plantation housing, it exposed the inability of those living in that housing to access state compensation as they did not own the housing in which they lived.

The problems extend beyond the central highlands. Plantation workers living in private estates and smallholdings in other parts of the country face similar challenges. A recent Amnesty International report documented serious abuses affecting Malaiyaha Tamil workers in private tea estates in the Southern Province. These include wage withholding, debt dependency, restrictions on movement and intimidation and practices the report argued correspond to internationally recognised indicators of forced labour. These findings are not peripheral. They reveal that the structural exclusion of the Malaiyaha Tamil community is not a relic of the past but an active, ongoing condition. Economic vulnerability and social marginalisation continue to leave many plantation workers without effective protection or access to justice. It is against this backdrop that the government’s recent plantation reform initiative assumes special significance.

Second Phase

The government has announced the second phase of a programme to make underutilised plantation lands and assets available for investment. The objective is to transform underperforming assets into productive enterprises capable of generating employment, attracting investment and revitalising regional economies. The programme seeks to modernise the plantation sector, improve productivity and create new opportunities in tourism, renewable energy and export-oriented industries. These objectives are necessary and welcome. However, economic reform alone will not be sufficient and Sri Lanka’s own history provides the warning. Previous rounds of plantation modernisation pursued productivity gains without addressing the structural disempowerment of the people at the centre of the industry. The result was investment that generated wealth without distributing it. The workers who produced the wealth were once again treated as labour inputs rather than as beneficiaries. If the current reform follows the same logic, it risks reproducing the same failure.

For reform to succeed, plantation workers must be recognised not merely as a labour force but as stakeholders with rights, aspirations and a legitimate claim to share in the benefits of development. Housing ownership, secure land tenure, quality education, vocational training and entrepreneurship need to be built into the reform process from the outset. The government’s commitments to the Malaiyaha Tamil community therefore need to be incorporated into every stage of the reform process. On the contentious question of land, the government should consider establishing an independent national land commission. Such a body should include respected government officials, professionals and representatives from all ethnic and religious communities. It should review land policy comprehensively, develop transparent principles for allocation and use, ensure fairness in decision making and provide a trusted mechanism for resolving disputes. A credible land commission would help build public confidence that land reforms are being undertaken in the national interest rather than for the benefit of particular groups.

The correction of historic injustices should not be viewed as a concession to one community. It should be understood as an investment in national unity, because societies do not become stronger by maintaining the exclusion of those they have wronged. On the contrary, they become stronger by ending it. The first great injustice committed against an ethnic minority after independence cannot be undone. But its consequences can be addressed, and doing so would strengthen reconciliation, enhance social cohesion and bring Sri Lanka closer to the vision of a country in which all communities live with equal dignity and equal hope. This is what the Vesak messages of the President and Prime Minister promised. The plantation reform now underway is the moment to make good on that promise not in words alone, but in sustained policy that endures beyond any single government and reaches the people who have waited longest for it.

by Jehan Perera

Features

IMF relief is not economic recovery: Sri Lanka’s real test begins now

Published

19 hours ago

2026/06/2

Sahan Weerasooriya

The IMF’s latest decision to release approximately US$695 million to Sri Lanka provides an important measure of financial relief, but it should not be mistaken for full economic recovery. While the approval reflects progress in stabilisation, fiscal discipline, and reform implementation, the country still faces deep structural weaknesses, social pressures, and external risks. The real test begins now: whether Sri Lanka can convert this temporary breathing space into lasting reform, productive growth, stronger institutions, and national resilience. This moment should not be used for political celebration, but for serious national reflection and responsible action. Sri Lanka must now resolve to support a clear policy direction, a practical reform programme, and a long-term national development path — not merely an individual, a party, or a political camp.

1. IMF Relief: A Necessary Step, but Not a Final Solution

The IMF Executive Board recently completed the combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews under Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility, allowing the country immediate access to SDR 508 million, approximately US$695 million. This decision represents an important step in Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic recovery process following the severe crisis that led to sovereign debt default, shortages of essential goods, high inflation, and the collapse of foreign reserves in 2022.

However, this decision must be understood with great sensitivity. IMF relief is not the same as full economic recovery. It gives Sri Lanka temporary breathing space, helps rebuild a certain level of international confidence, and supports the continuation of the reform programme. However, this relief is not a magic solution that can automatically resolve the country’s deep-rooted economic problems. Fundamental challenges such as the debt burden, weak productive capacity, low export earnings, poor public revenue performance, weak fiscal management, excessive dependence on imports, corruption, and inefficient state-owned enterprises still remain unresolved. Addressing these challenges requires domestic reforms, disciplined policies, stronger production and export capacity, and a long-term national development programme. Therefore, the IMF decision should not be treated as a political victory or as proof of complete economic success. Rather, it should be seen as a reminder that Sri Lanka still has a long and difficult journey ahead.

2. Sri Lanka’s Progress Recognised by the IMF and Its Limits

The IMF’s approval indicates that Sri Lanka has made progress in several important areas. Inflation has been brought under control compared to the extreme levels experienced during the crisis. Foreign reserves have improved, the exchange rate has shown greater stability, and fiscal management has become more disciplined. The government has also continued to implement reforms in taxation, public finance, energy pricing, and debt restructuring.

According to the IMF assessment, performance under the programme has generally been strong. Several quantitative performance targets have been met, while many structural benchmarks have either been achieved or implemented with some delay. This shows that Sri Lanka has remained broadly committed to the reform path agreed under the IMF-supported programme.

Yet this progress remains fragile. Stability achieved through external support must now be converted into genuine economic strength.

3. Conditions and Responsibilities Attached to the IMF Programme

IMF support does not come merely as financial relief; it comes with a set of important reform conditions and responsibilities that Sri Lanka must fulfil. Key among them are maintaining fiscal discipline, improving government revenue, continuing cost-reflective pricing for fuel and electricity, strengthening public financial management, restructuring state-owned enterprises, protecting institutional independence, and preventing the accumulation of new external payment arrears.

The main objective of these conditions is to restore macroeconomic stability, strengthen fiscal credibility, and rebuild international confidence in Sri Lanka. However, these reforms also carry social and political consequences. Higher taxes, market-based utility pricing, and strict expenditure controls can place a heavy burden on ordinary citizens, especially low-income families, small businesses, pensioners, and salaried workers. Therefore, in implementing reforms, economic discipline alone is not enough. Fairness, transparency, and social sensitivity towards vulnerable groups must also be treated as essential priorities.

4.The Impact of IMF Conditions on People and the Economy

One major social consequence of the IMF programme is the increased pressure it can place on household incomes and living standards. When electricity, fuel, and other essential services are priced on a cost-recovery basis, people may have to face a higher cost of living. Although such reforms are necessary to reduce the losses of state-owned enterprises and maintain fiscal discipline, they can weaken the purchasing power of ordinary citizens if strong social protection programmes are not in place.

Another important consequence is the pressure placed on the operating costs and stability of small and medium-sized enterprises. Higher taxes, increased utility costs, fuel and electricity expenses, and the rising cost of borrowing can affect business survival, job creation, and new investment decisions. If reforms are implemented without sufficient attention to production, exports, and small businesses, the country may achieve short-term fiscal stability, but long-term economic growth could remain weak.

There is also a political risk that cannot be ignored. If people feel that the burden of reform is not being shared fairly, reform fatigue and public frustration may emerge. If ordinary citizens are expected to make sacrifices while corruption, waste, and political privileges continue, public confidence in the reform process will decline. Therefore, for IMF-supported reforms to succeed, fairness, transparency, and social sensitivity must be firmly ensured alongside economic discipline.

5. The Real Test Before Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s real test begins now. Beyond temporary financial relief, the country must now prove that it can build a strong economy that generates income and can withstand external shocks. Therefore, our objective should not be limited to securing the next IMF tranche. While an IMF tranche may provide short-term breathing space, it does not guarantee long-term economic independence or stability. The real objective should be to create an economy that does not have to return to the IMF repeatedly during every crisis, but can stand on its own productive strength, export earnings, and fiscal discipline.

This requires fiscal discipline. However, discipline alone is not enough; economic growth is also necessary. Taxation is necessary. But increasing taxes alone is not a solution; production, investment, and exports must also be expanded. Debt restructuring is necessary. But beyond reducing the debt burden, Sri Lanka must also build an economic foundation that does not depend excessively on borrowing in the future. Sacrifices may be asked of the people. But for those sacrifices to be fair, accountability, transparency, and exemplary conduct from leaders are also essential.

Economic recovery cannot be sustained in the long term through financial assistance alone. Such support can provide breathing space during a crisis, but a country is rebuilt on the strength of its own institutions, productive capacity, export competitiveness, and public trust. Therefore, what Sri Lanka needs today is strong institutions, income-generating industries, a broader export base, food security, energy security, and a system of governance that people can trust.

6. Policy Priorities for Sustainable Recovery

Sri Lanka must now move from crisis management to national transformation. First, fiscal discipline should continue, but it must be fair. Revenue mobilisation should not rely only on increasing taxes on the same groups of people. The tax base must be broadened, tax administration must be improved, and tax evasion must be reduced.

Second, social protection must be strengthened. The most vulnerable groups should be protected through well-targeted assistance. Reforms will be more acceptable if people feel that the poor, elderly, disabled, and low-income families are not abandoned.

Third, state-owned enterprise reform should be carried out with transparency and public accountability. The objective should not merely be privatisation, but efficiency, professionalism, financial discipline, and better service delivery.

Fourth, Sri Lanka must prioritise export-led growth. The country cannot build a stable future by depending mainly on borrowing, remittances, and consumption. Agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, IT services, logistics, education, and value-added exports must become central pillars of national development.

Fifth, governance reform is essential. Without reducing corruption, political interference, wasteful expenditure, and weak implementation, no IMF programme can create lasting recovery. Economic reform and governance reform must move together.

7. From Temporary Relief to Lasting Recovery

The IMF decision gives Sri Lanka an important opportunity. It provides the country with space to strengthen economic stability, rebuild international confidence, and move forward with essential reforms. However, it is not a guarantee of success. It is only a step that gives the country some breathing space. It is now Sri Lanka’s responsibility to use that space wisely, with discipline and accountability to the people.

The country must now decide whether it will continue the old cycle of crises, debt, temporary relief, and political blame, or whether it will build a new national programme based on discipline, productive capacity, fairness, and accountability.

At this moment, true success cannot be measured by the amount of money received. It must be measured by whether Sri Lanka can build an economy that produces more, exports more, saves more, is governed better, and protects its people more effectively. The real victory is not receiving IMF relief, but building a strong national economy that will not depend excessively on such relief in the future.

Public Appeal: Let Us Choose a Programme, Not a Personality

This US$695 million will not solve every problem in our country. It may provide temporary financial relief and support the continuation of reforms, but it cannot replace the hard work required to build a productive, disciplined, inclusive, and self-reliant economy.

Therefore, this is the right time for all Sri Lankans to rise above narrow political loyalties and support a clear policy direction, a practical reform programme, and a long-term national development agenda — not merely an individual, a party, or a political camp. What Sri Lanka needs today is not the victory of a personality, but the victory of a responsible national programme that can restore confidence, protect the vulnerable, promote production, strengthen exports, ensure accountability, and secure a better future for the next generation. The question before us is simple but decisive: are we ready to make that choice?

by Prof. Ranjith Bandara,
PhD (Qld.,)