Occupy Colombo, otherwise indistinguishable from normal Colombo. Photo by Navin Weeraratne.
Since Occupy Wall Street, protests have spread all over the world. The basic gripe is social and economic inequality. In Colombo, people attempted an occupy protest, which didn’t really pan out. Why? Well they weren’t part of that bigger movement. They were actually part of an almost counter movement called Occupy Yourself. Rather than calling for more access to the system, they were calling for checking out entirely.
The Occupy Yourself movement is much smaller, much more radical and, IMHO, a lot less compelling. They claim momentum from the broader occupy protests, but they had about 5,500 people attending on Facebook, globally. The Colombo page had about 150. It’s really a fringe. Occupy itself is much less specific and has a much broader base.
The local organizers called for not working, buying stuff and walking (not driving) to Independence Square. By contrast, I think the broader protest is about people wanting jobs, disposable income, and, like cars. What Occupy Yourself calls for is an interesting personal choice, but not a compelling social movement:
Turn off all lights
Unplug all electrical devices
Abstain from using TV, radio and internet or phone.
Abstain from making any purchase of any kind
Choose that morning to cancel any services you feel you no longer need
That morning call in sick to work (Occupy Yourself FB)
The Real Occupy Movement
The mainstream occupy protests, by contrast, are calling for more equitable access to the system, and more access to basic material wealth and health. That movement features people struggling to maintain their mortgage, pay off student loans, get or keep a job, make car payments, etc. These are not people that want to give up their material possessions, they simply want to live in a fair and equitable society.
This broader occupy movement has a simple message, backed by solid economic data, and a place in history. When they say “we are the 99%” they are basically complaining about rising inequality, and governments that bail out the rich and let the poor drown. This shit is real.
There’s also plenty of historical precedents. Scholars have long said that civilizations collapse when elites begin consuming more than their share of resources and the rest of the people finally snap and take the whole thing down. An added pressure is when governments get bloated in good times and simply cannot scale back in the lean (because of vested interests, like the US Defense Department for example). I have likened these effects to cancer. If elites grow out of control, they can kill the whole thing.
Countless times throughout history there have been protests like this when things got beyond tolerable, it’s just now that things are more coordinated and therefore, I think, less violent and destructive. Hence the Occupy movement can get qualified support from Barack Obama and over 50% of the US population. They are also bumping in Spain and other places where the social contract has been effectively dumped post financial crash.
Do they have the same base in emerging nations like India or Sri Lanka? Well, I think the Occupy Yourself movement has no real base at all. Most people haven’t had creature comforts long enough to be discomfitted by them.
The broader occupy protests, however, do have common cause with traditional student protests (calling for employment), trade union protests (calling for better wages, etc), and general malaise at being left out of development projects that seem to benefit the connected and foreigners more than average peeps. That type of Occupy Colombo might have legs, but the one that was attempted on Friday did not. It is actually the opposite of what average people want. Average people want in to the system, they want to buy and consume and have a decent life. That’s not what they protesting against. It’s what they’re protesting for.
Annex: Why Occupy Yourself Didn’t Work (Statistically)
Broadly, because whatever they’re calling on people to do, many Sri Lankans are already doing by choice, and it sucks.
Turn off electricity: While most Sri Lankans have access to electricity, the average bill is like Rs. 130, per month. The average Sri Lankan buys or gathers about Rs. 82 worth of firewood, so having steady lights to turn off is something many people aspire to. The stated goal of Occupy Yourself is to make big baddies feel the pinch, but the government actually subsidizes electricity, losing around Rs. 167 million per day. If everyone shut off the lights, Champika Ranawaka would thank them.
Abstain from TV/Radio/Internet/Phone: 23% of Sri Lankans don’t own any sort of phone. 10% of Sri Lankans don’t use TV, computers or radio. This is not a choice in rebellion against the global capitalist system, quite to the contrary, these are good things that most people want but can’t afford.
Abstain from purchases: The average household income is about 36,000, the average expenses are about 31,000. That leaves the average Sri Lankan with about Rs. 5,000 in disposable income, or about Rs. 160 per day. It’s not like Sri Lankans are going crazy at the malls, and withdrawing this amount is not going to shut the system down.
Etc: Sri Lankans do not have a surfeit of ‘services’ and I think the majority are un or under-banked. Can’t find data on that, but I know many middle class people that don’t have bank accounts. For government pensions and Army stuff I think you go through People’s Bank, and those are really rudimentary transactions. It’s not like most Sri Lankans have plastic to cut up.
This data is from the 2009/10 Household Income and Expenditure Survey.
Anyways, this is not to frown on personal revolution or checking out. What they’re calling for is essentially a day of living like a monk, and I’m all for it. Personally, I just think it’s better done by going on a meditation retreat to Nilambe or something for 10 days. And then leaving a donation and coming home to a job, electricity, and the works.
I’m also all for people trying out something new in public, and having the courage to fail. So props to the organizers for that. Besides the bit of brand confusion, I think it’s a noble effort.
A much needed (and thorough!) analysis as to why the protest failed so gloriously. Kudos Indi and thanks for the stats as always!
Small correction. Most HIES data are for households, not people. For example, it’s 23 percent of households that do not have a phone, not necessarily 23 percent of people.
Why do Sri Lankans insist on aping everything fucking thing that happens in the western world? Do they not think for themselves?
corrected, I always get that mixed up. That makes the numbers worse though.
We don’t. This is just one incident, involving a few people, who are still innovative to try something global here.
As a better example, Dr. Ariyaratne of Sarvodaya led a mass meditation of 650,000 people in Anuradhapura in 2002. I think that was pretty amazing and innovative. For other examples of how creative and odd and sometimes disturbing Sri Lankans are, just read the news.
Went around looking at Oakland and San Francisco Occupy events. I do not get the logic, perhaps the 99% has forgotten that this is a capitalistic country. Simply, for me, if I thought I was in the 99% group, rather than camping out and get beaten up by cops, I will look for ways to get in to the other 1% :) Honestly I do not know what they, the supposedly 99%, is asking for. I think the truth is the 99% is more like 0.99%, may be even less.
The more interesting protests usually take place on top of an overhead water tank, or a huge election cutout of Mahinda.
I did not even know about this.
Perhaps this is the problem? Plus a lack of a really burning issue to take to the street? Mass scale unemployment is a prerequisite.
Hilal had an FB post up about the organisers of Occupy Yourself in Colombo being disconnected from the reality of SL, and I think your stats prove that. If you’re in the upper middle class with a large disposable income that makes an impact on the system, then perhaps boycotting for a day makes sense. But in SL that IS the 1% not the 99%. Most Sri Lankans in fact WANT a car, a phone and online connection, a credit card, a bank loan, etc, and are trying to get these things.
I think the protestors in NYC and other American cities are frustrated with a “fundamentalist” capitalism that has led to financial catastrophe. And in many ways they have a point. Capitalism isn’t a problem; just the lack of oversight and controls; ie a safety net. Ten years ago, people in Europe were saying “we don’t want to be like America”; but they weren’t rejecting capitalism.
S0rry, the FB post was by Himal.
The occcupy colombo FB page was hijacked and a clown has taken it over… I guess the protest did get to someone…. the new fanpage is on http://www.facebook.com/OccupyColomboTheOfficial
Actually the guy who’s occupied the Occupy Colombo site is pretty funny.
Didn’t we got some good rain on Friday?
I think you all misunderstood the event. we never occupied on that day and it’s not a protest. It’s called occupy yourself. Which means we stepping out of the system for a day. keep away the distractions and all other things away from us. and we wanted give time to think ,to us, to think about us. to find the inner person within us. we wanted to think out of the box. to stop this rat race for a while. it’s kinda spiritual event.
we r currently educating people. adn we will occupycolombo for the real matters we will stand with the people. and our page was attacked and hijacked by some spineless cowards. But we’re back..
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyColomboTheOfficial
WE NEVER BACK DOWN.. 99 too big to faill…
Cheers,
WE THE PEOPLE… FOR THE PEOPLE…
Sahan Wickramarthna #OccupyColombo
Must be clever too, though it could have been a stooge planted by Himal (Calm down Himal, just kidding)
He must be clever too, though he could always be a stooge originally planted there by Himal. (Calm down Himal, was just kidding)
I seriously wondered whether it could have something to do with the government’s stated intention to censor websites and stuff. If so, Dodo would be in on it.
Oops, something’s wrong with the comments thing here or my computer. This above was typed in reply to David’s comment..
ok, have to give it to you on Sarvodaya – I agree that is pretty innovative and original.
99 is too big to fail? Is that a joke?
Finding your inner person, etc, is great, Sahan. But if that’s the intention, why piggyback on the Occupy movement, use their slogans (99% etc)? 99% of what? 99% of Sri Lankans are NOT interested in stepping out of the system; they want to be a PART of the system; to actually OWN a car and a house, to be able to have a credit card and take bank loans; to have internet access and electricity and running water. You guys are perhaps 1% of the 10% who have all of these things.
If you want to influence, you must first be relevant. And I’m afraid you’re not.
I agree with Sahan. The main idea is to make people aware of what exactly is going on in this world and in out lives. Coveting material things is what is blinding society to the reality. False values are blinding people to the truth. People are being manipulated by corporations through governments to be the sheep they need to be in order for those in real power to continue to retain their position. People have forgotten what it is like to simply be human, free of the stress and pressure of a system designed to enslave them. This is the message that needs to go out to the people. Mainstream media will never be allowed to speak the truth. This has always been so. There is so much going on that people have no idea about because the system makes sure no one has time to actually find out because they are too busy making money they will not take with them when they die. They have been manipulated into a cell with no walls. The best way to enslave a human is to make him/her think they are free.
All that is being attempted is to share this knowledge with fellow beings and make them aware of the rather dangerous situation they are actually in. There is so much info on this subject it will take forever to research and dissect it to weed out the lies and then some.
People becoming aware, just simply becoming aware that there is something more going on than meets the eye, something so important one should make the time to educate oneself before one ends up bearing the unhappy consequences.
I am just waiting for someone to say : ‘show me’ and I will gladly share all the info I have. There is a hidden agenda by those in power. Most people do not even have a clue as to who really controls the world and why. We need to unite and educate each other. I sincerely hope people will start talking about this and do their own research.
Thanks so much Indi for writing this article as you have been instrumental in getting at least some people talking about it. Awareness is so important. This country lacks awareness and it has a lot to do with the fact that there is a language issue. Not many people have internet either and not everything is in Sinhala and Tamil. These are things that need to be addressed for true awareness to begin.
A handful of people with a positive attitude and no fear of being ridiculed, doing the seemingly impossible by stepping out of their comfort zones for a day in solidarity with other beings around the world doing the same thing with the dame intention is what has initiated this dialog in Sri Lanka so hey! Occupy Yourself was not a failure after all. :D
Even if this serves to make just one person aware and begin researching on their own then it is indeed a success and a step in the right direction. Peace to all
I agree with Sahan. The main idea is to make people aware of what exactly is going on in this world and in out lives. Coveting material things is what is blinding society to the reality. False values are blinding people to the truth. People are being manipulated by corporations through governments to be the sheep they need to be in order for those in real power to continue to retain their position. People have forgotten what it is like to simply be human, free of the stress and pressure of a system designed to enslave them. This is the message that needs to go out to the people. Mainstream media will never be allowed to speak the truth. This has always been so. There is so much going on that people have no idea about because the system makes sure no one has time to actually find out because they are too busy making money they will not take with them when they die. They have been manipulated into a cell with no walls. The best way to enslave a human is to make him/her think they are free.
All that is being attempted is to share this knowledge with fellow beings and make them aware of the rather dangerous situation they are actually in. There is so much info on this subject it will take forever to research and dissect it to weed out the lies and then some.
People becoming aware, just simply becoming aware that there is something more going on than meets the eye, something so important one should make the time to educate oneself before one ends up bearing the unhappy consequences.
I am just waiting for someone to say : ‘show me’ and I will gladly share all the info I have. There is a hidden agenda by those in power. Most people do not even have a clue as to who really controls the world and why. We need to unite and educate each other. I sincerely hope people will start talking about this and do their own research.
Thanks so much Indi for writing this article as you have been instrumental in getting at least some people talking about it. Awareness is so important. This country lacks awareness and it has a lot to do with the fact that there is a language issue. Not many people have internet either and not everything is in Sinhala and Tamil. These are things that need to be addressed for true awareness to begin.
A handful of people with a positive attitude and no fear of being ridiculed, doing the seemingly impossible by stepping out of their comfort zones for a day in solidarity with other beings around the world doing the same thing with the same intention is what initiated this dialog in Sri Lanka so hey! Occupy Yourself was not a failure after all, just lack of awareness and belief in the greater good for all beings is what made the numbers small this time… I’m sure you would have been there too if you had heard about it in time to discuss it and find out exactly why and what it was in aid of. :D
Even if this serves to make just one person aware and begin researching on their own then it is indeed a success and a step in the right direction. Peace to all
The first edit did not go through when I pressed the ‘add comment’ button so I had a bit more time to put in a few more thoughts at the end. Namasté _/\_
Get over yourselves please. I mean, where the fuck were you people, say, one year ago? Admit it – you just saw some fad happening in the west and decided to follow it like a bunch of sheep without even considering the ground reality in Sri Lanka. Absolutely pathetic to be honest.
This is happening all over the world right now and we are all a part of the rest of the world. There are so many global events going on which most people in S/L have absolutely no idea about… look around online and you will see.
Think of what your own contribution to planet earth is like before judging others who have nothing but the greater good in mind.
At least some people are actually doing something that others only talk about and complain about without bringing any solutions… Most of it is based on ignorance so most people can’t be blamed. This is why sharing knowledge and talking about stuff in a respectful, civilized manner, no matter what one’s opinion, is important. The reality in Sri Lanka is not too different to anywhere else, as a bit of in-depth research will reveal. Peace
As I said, to influence you must first be relevant. Sri Lankans need to first wake up to what needs to be changed here in SL before we can change the world. Occupy is frankly a First World phenomenon inspired by their financial meltdown, loss of jobs, etc. Those are NOT the issues that are affecting Sri Lankans. If, Avrille, your plan is to just scratch the surface and go home patting yourself on the back, great, Occupy has then been a roaring success.
There is no corporate manipulation in SL. I wish there was, because then we might have a better government than we do now. So to tell people to stop corporate manipulation is just ridiculous. People in SL WANT the system, and are trying to plug into it. You guys are at total odds with the 99% of Sri Lankans. You can blindly bugger on if you like, it’s your life after all, but you’re not going to get anywhere. Not because people don’t care, or because your group is small. It’s because you are wrong; worse, you’re irrelevant. You’re in fact wasting resources on a route that is opposed to where SL needs to go. And SL can’t afford anymore waste.
Lack of burning issues is the major factor here for the failure?! I doubt it. If you look at the statistics you might come to the conclusion that people should come out . But that is on paper. The fact is that people get by some how. There are many reasons. One is that you get your food no matter what. There is a wonderful character called mother who always loks after that aspect of your life.
There are enough dreams for youth korean job dream, middle east , italy, australia etc.Although it is always said that it is not a wise thing to migrate illegally, you always know someone who made it , after migrating.
Then there are deep scars of war in north and 1988/89 . People will not risk anything just for the fun of protesting. The society made a silent readjustment after 83 and 88-89 . You don’t discuss these matters at home but everyone has re-postioned him/herself. Parents are vigilant. They look after male children too in a way that was unseen during 70s and 80s. Today’s parents are the ones who bear deep scars of 88/89.
Asians don’t believe in exposure therapy. They just cut things off from their daily discussion routines. Since they do talk a lot, everyone realizes that the topics avoided are the no-go areas. You learn that from your childhood
This doesn’t mean that one couldn’t organize 1000s for a protest, There are enough guys who could be stirred. But those things have to ‘organized’ , properly presented in an ideological / political value framework. Spontaneous things don’t happen. You see an individual and think that there is only one person, but hidden behind that one individual are so many. Family friends and others without whose nod of approval the individual do not jump on to the street.
The sense of adventure of a secret/ revolutionary movement is not to be seen here in SL. People blame the government for all the things but actually don’t expect a lot from the very same government they blame. This is a curious situation. Everyone is certain that nothing works! That in turn leads to a feeling that it is something inevitable. So if you interview anyone you ‘d think that the time is ripe for a revolution, but you’d be amazed to see that the very people who are most vociferous opponents of a government are the ones who benefit from the same irregular system !
So it is not in the statistics alone! It is the mindset
If you were a citizen of Sri Lanka, Then you’d know wtf is happening here. Its the same. We have the same freaking problem! The freaking government is CORRUPTED to the ground! They make decisions that would make only them selves rich! in fact as a 3rd world country its us who suffer the most. We have to work hard and we can earn so little here, and the expenses are too high. So many people doesn’t have better jobs.And Government taxing the all the important goods such as, Oil, Rice and many more.
Sri Lanka was a once peaceful country.Our ancestors didn’t had many needs and wants. They were independent because they made their own living. No one was hungry because they all shared the fruits as a one family.
And Westeners came here and spoiled everything. You Mr.! Dont know jack shit about Sri Lanka. Its your ancestors robbed our freedom! They made all the problems ! but i dont blame you for being so ignorant. You and I have the same problem. But dont ever think your problem is bigger than OURS! Occupy is there for anyone whos against the mass of corruption happening around the world. its not only affecting you but rest of the world!!
people here doesnt have awareness. because only few are lucky enough to have proper facilities.
SRI LANKANS DONT NEED A FREAKING SYSTEM!! THEY DONT NEED A MONEY TO LIVE! only they/we have no choice but to follow it until theres a proper solution for every one(that would be fall of the BULLSHIT ECONOMY MADE BY MAN HIMSELF)…