"2022 Galle Face Struggle Is a Manifestation of a Geopolitical Project" – Senior Journalist Mohan Samaranayake

May 9, 2026 at 11:21 AM

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Lanka Leader

Colombo, Sri Lanka – The popular narrative surrounding the 2022 economic crisis and the subsequent "Galle Face struggle" is riddled with holes, omissions, and distortions, says veteran journalist and author Mohan Samaranayake. Speaking at the launch of his book, "Galle Face Color Revolution or Regime Change Project 2022", held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo 7 on May 7, Samaranayake argued that the crisis was deliberately exploited by powerful nations to advance their own geopolitical and geo-economic strategies.

According to Samaranayake, the widely accepted story propagated during the March–July 2022 protests was that previous governments – particularly the Rajapaksa regime – had mismanaged public funds, leading directly to the economic collapse. However, he stressed that this version of events is not entirely true.

"The narrative that the Rajapaksa regime stole public wealth, lived lavishly, deposited money in secret foreign bank accounts, and flew millions of dollars to Uganda on planes was a powerful political tool," Samaranayake said. "But it obscured a larger truth."

He alleged that the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union were actively involved in using Sri Lanka’s economic crisis for their own strategic purposes. He claimed that his book provides specific names, dates, and verifiable sources to support these allegations.

Citing former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s warning – "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu" – and Senator Marco Rubio’s assertion that the 21st century will be defined by the Indo-Pacific region, Samaranayake placed Sri Lanka squarely within that geopolitical chessboard.

Emotion Over Rationality

Samaranayake noted that popular slogans such as "There is no gas because there are no dollars, but Mahinda has those dollars" were deliberately used to inflame public anger. When people suffering from economic hardships became enraged, he argued, they acted on emotion rather than rationality – a vulnerability that was politically exploited.

Quoting the late Henry Kissinger – "Control the food, and you control the people" – Samaranayake emphasized that the crisis was not merely an economic failure but a lever for control.

Democracy or Regime Change?

The author sharply questioned how the forced removal of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa – who was elected by the people in 2019 – could be celebrated as a victory for democracy.

"The 'struggle' was presented as an unprecedented democratic national movement," he said, recalling that the Federation of University Teachers' Associations (FUTA) had described it as such. "But if removing an elected president by street pressure is democracy, then what is the role of elections?"

He asked why the protest leaders did not demand an election to seek a fresh mandate from the people, instead of extra-constitutional means.

International Precedents

Drawing parallels with other countries, Samaranayake cited the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine (2014), as well as events in Iran, Guatemala, and Bangladesh. He noted that before Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted, only a few months remained until the next election – but organizers were unwilling to wait.

He pointed to the active role played by then-US Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt and then-US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland. In a leaked phone conversation, Samaranayake alleged, Nuland and Pyatt discussed Ukraine’s next leader even before Yanukovych was removed, with Nuland stating, "Yats is the guy" (referring to Arseniy Yatsenyuk).

Similarly, Samaranayake alleged that then-US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, played a highly active role during the process of removing Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He also noted that Victoria Nuland visited Sri Lanka before and after those events.

Citing a revelation by MP Wimal Weerawansa, Samaranayake claimed that after Rajapaksa’s removal, the US Ambassador met with the Speaker of Parliament and pressured him to assume the presidency. Although a later book by Dr. Sunanda Madduma Bandara identified the Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay rather than Julie Chung as the official who met the Speaker, Samaranayake maintained that pressure was exerted by both the US and India.

"If foreign diplomats were in the driver's seat," he asked, "how can this be called a spontaneous popular uprising?"

Geopolitical Strategy, Not Spontaneity

Samaranayake reiterated that his book does not deny the economic crisis of 2021–2022. Instead, it argues that the crisis was used as a tool by powerful nations for their geopolitical and geo-economic strategies.

He pointed out that China, which was far behind in the 1990s, had by 2021 become the world’s second-largest economy – and by some indicators, the largest. To weaken China, he argued, the West – led by the United States – has shifted its focus to Asia. Sri Lanka, he stressed, has become a geopolitically essential location for this purpose.

Quoting former Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, who described Sri Lanka as a "permanent aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean," Samaranayake said every powerful nation wants to control this "ship."

"The 2022 economic crisis provided the perfect opportunity," he said. "This is not just a conspiracy – it is a geopolitical project."

He cited a 2019 report by the Heritage Foundation titled "Sri Lanka: A Test Case for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy," which described the return of the Rajapaksas to power as a "threat" to be managed. According to Samaranayake, the Galle Face struggle was the manifestation of that geopolitical management.

A Warning for Sri Lanka’s Future

Samaranayake warned that Western-funded conferences and organizations continue to reinforce the popular narrative by praising the street protests of "Generation Z" youth against corruption. He urged Sri Lankan citizens to understand this truth if they care about their nation’s sovereignty and independence.

"The ultimate goal of this project is to destroy Sri Lanka’s civilizational foundation and make the country a prisoner of the Indo-Pacific strategy," he said.

Drawing a historical parallel, he recalled that 200 years ago, Lord Macaulay sought to anglicize India by replacing its ancient education system and culture – making Indians easier to dominate. The same, he warned, is now being attempted in Sri Lanka.

"If monks, journalists, political leaders, and the public do not properly understand the danger facing Sri Lanka," Samaranayake concluded, "Sri Lanka could end up like Haiti, Libya, Afghanistan, or Syria."

He expressed his gratitude to all who participated in the book launch, including former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Maithripala Sirisena.

Conversation note – Jeewantha Jayatissa